The Trident Iceni is a 6.6-litre turbo diesel V8 sports car that promises the drive of your life, considering it does 0-60 mph run in 3.7 seconds and boasts a top speed of more than 306 kmph. These figures have also helped it earn the tag of the world’s fastest diesel sports car and now, the car is available for sale worldwide.
Trident Cars Ltd was a British car manufacturer based originally in Woodbridge then in Ipswich, Suffolk between 1966 and 1974 and was restarted in 1976 in its premises in Ipswich. It stopped production of cars from 1977-78. A new Trident company was then established in May 1999 in Fakenham, Norfolk, to develop and manufacture a two-seater sports car, using a 3.2-litre GM V6 petrol engine.
The Trident Icenci made its debut as a prototype back in 2012 at the Salon Privé in London and is now on sale in three bodystyles - the Iceni Manga fastback, the Iceni Venturer estate and an open-top Iceni sports car with removable roof panels. The order books are now open, with prices starting from GBP 96,000.
For those tired of using the Ferrari’s prancing horses, the Trident Iceni will serve as the perfect distraction. Here’s a look at the power figures this car boasts of. At 395bhp it develops 948Nm which is enough for the 3.7 seconds record. In case, this seems little to you then there is an optional performance upgrade pack available as it raises output to 430bhp and 1,286Nm while the track performance ups the ante to 660bhp and 1,422Nm, connected to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Trident claims the Iceni has the ability to return up to 108mpg running at a constant 30mph, allowing the car to theoretically cover up to 2,000 miles on a single 84-litre tank of fuel. It’s the vast amount of torque available that helps it get these figures. The best part is that the Iceni’s turbo-diesel engine runs happily on mineral diesel, bio diesel, palm oil and linseed oil.
Coming to what it offers inside the car, the standard package comes with Tilt and Slide steering column, Air conditioning, Electric windows and Konig K5000 G4 seats trimmed in leather and alcantara. Its entertainment package comes with CD/DAB Receiver or digital radio with MP3 and Bluetooth and for safety features it offers ABS and driver and passenger airbags. The Iceni is also available with a choice of four upgrade packages, namely the Track Performance Pack, the Premium Upgrade Pack, the Performance Upgrade Pack and the Luxury Upgrade Pack.
The Trident Iceni’s figures have made a mark and that’s for sure as there's a pre-launch waiting list already while availability will be limited. While it has not built any cars yet, the company claims that the car will be available globally. A fully-loaded Trident Iceni will set you back approximately 126,000 GBP.
But then there are some hiccups as well. The Iceni is going to be a tough product to sell despite the enviable performance figures it notches up. It will also have to stand the test of reliability and exclusivity. Those who know their cars well, will definitely see the uncanny resemblance this pretty-looking cars bears with some other well-known products, so exclusivity is something that it needs in case it wants to further justify the 126,000 GBP charge. Then there is also eternal grouse, a sportscar without noise? Considering it is a diesel-powered beast, how will Trident compensate for this thrill?
The car is now on sale worldwide, but what about the markets ruled by petrol, where does the Trident stand there? Even for competition it does not have any worthy opponent but the Audi R8 V12 TDI is an honourable mention. But on a lighter note, though USA or other markets might disregard it, a sample of the diesel-powered sports car in India should be a sight and an experience in itself.
Source: Trident
