British carmaker Zenos is no more

Bad news, fans of lightweight British sportscars: Zenos has had to close its doors following a downturn in sales.

The company announced in a statement that it has appointed Begbies Traynor LLP to act as administrators. Apparently, cancelled export orders at the end of 2016 forced Zenos to cease trading.

Zenos MD Mark Edwards, said: “It is with great disappointment that the board has had to take this step. We still believe that our products offer unrivalled affordable fun, and we have already made very good progress in developing the next product in our strategy.”

Ah yes, products, for Zenos did make quite an entertaining little sportscar. The company started building the E10 way back in 2015, and followed it up with the 250bhp E10 S. Watch Stig fling it around the TG track here. The range-topping, 500bhp-per-tonne E10 R was a bit of a riot. We tested it last year, and found it to be “hilariously, almost comically rapid, a sensation that’s neck snappingly intensified by the absence of a windscreen. But the E10 R is surprisingly rounded.”

Though the UK was its number one market, Zenos exported cars to the USA, France, Belgium, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Italy, which combined, accounted for 50 per cent of its production.

There still might be some hope for Zenos. Joint administrator Irvin Cohen, said: “We are currently open to speaking with parties interested in securing a future for the business and would request that any enquiries are made directly with our London office.”

So, any interested parties out there willing to take on a small British sportscar company that builds a car capable of 0-60mph in 3.0s? You know what to do...