Zenos
Re: Zenos
certainly seemed to be a busy stand at Goodwood
Elise S2 260
BMW M2 Comp
RRS HST
BMW R1300GS
BMW M2 Comp
RRS HST
BMW R1300GS
Re: Zenos
Millbrook is great. I was down there for the SMMT test day in May for TartanTarmac.
If you'd like to put some words and pics together on the Zenos I'd love to make an article out of it, credited to yourself of course. A car which I'm really keen to see do well.
If you'd like to put some words and pics together on the Zenos I'd love to make an article out of it, credited to yourself of course. A car which I'm really keen to see do well.
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flyingscot68
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Re: Zenos
OlberJ wrote:Millbrook is great. I was down there for the SMMT test day in May for TartanTarmac.
If you'd like to put some words and pics together on the Zenos I'd love to make an article out of it, credited to yourself of course. A car which I'm really keen to see do well.
I'll see what I can do.
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flyingscot68
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Re: Zenos
Just been told I can take a friend. Spectating only.
So if anyone wants a nosey let me know, I'm taking the 5.50 train from Glasgow, back that night.
So if anyone wants a nosey let me know, I'm taking the 5.50 train from Glasgow, back that night.
Re: Zenos
Ohhh, really?flyingscot68 wrote:Just been told I can take a friend. Spectating only.
So if anyone wants a nosey let me know, I'm taking the 5.50 train from Glasgow, back that night.
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flyingscot68
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Re: Zenos
Your more than welcome to come along Dom, need to let them know by 5pm tomorrow, the 14th.
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flyingscot68
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Re: Zenos
I would expect nothing lesswoody wrote:
I'll bring whisky.
Re: Zenos
Ah, wait a minute!.....flyingscot68 wrote:I would expect nothing lesswoody wrote:
I'll bring whisky.
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flyingscot68
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Re: Zenos
A quick report of Saturdays visit to Millbrook:
I took the train down, reminded me why I prefer the car!
Got picked up by Dan from Zenos at Milton Keynes for the half hour drive to Millbrook.
Security there is very tight, they put tamper-proof seals over the camera lenses on my mobile and watch everybody very closely so no pictures I'm afraid.
Zenos had three cars there, two evaluation prototypes (EP1 & 2) and the static show car. This was the first time I'd seen the finished car in the flesh, there were no real surprises though as I've studied so many photographs of it. It's quite a small car, very low and fairly wide. The sides are not a high as a 2-11 so sitting in it you don't feel as low down in the car although you are sitting just as close to the ground. One thing I've never liked about the Caterham's etc. is the fact that you're squeezed in shoulder to shoulder, the Zenos has plenty of room inside it due to the way the carbon passenger tub sits over the top of the central alloy spine. There's also a fair bit of room for storage in there in the side pods and behind the seats.
The plan for the day was to have a few laps in EP1 round a coned track they'd set up, then a few laps in EP2 round Millbrooks rather spectacular alpine circuit with the development driver driving.
When I arrived though EP1 had just started miss-firing above 3k revs, a problem with the crank position sensor apparently. So we were then told we'd be driving EP2, the surprise being that EP2 was in fact the new E10-S which was only just announced officially this morning. The S has the 2.0 litre Ford Ecoboost motor out of the Focus ST, tuning wise it's completely standard so 250 bhp @ 7,000 rpm and 400 Nm @ 2,500 rpm as opposed to the 200 bhp @ 7,200 rpm 210 Nm @ 6,100 rpm of the standard car. Quite a big hike in the torque figure and much lower down the rev range. The other advantage of this motor is that being completely standard there will be lots of tuning options for the future should you desire more power.
So I did five or six laps of the course with one of the development drivers (Emma) in the passenger seat.
It was a bit too short and tight to get a proper feeling of the car but was enough to show that it's a very agile car, pretty quick and to me felt like a big powerful go kart but with fairly compliant suspension. Brakes felt a bit wooden to me, plenty power but you really had to press the pedal hard. Steering could've been quicker but that just may have been due to the tight track, I don't think it will be a problem driving on a proper circuit or the road.
I've never really driven anything like this so I don't have much to judge it against.
I pushed it as hard as I could trying to get it to under-steer but it never did, my reward eventually being to spin off after getting a bit too carried away with the loud pedal
One thing I found quite telling was watching a guy who'd turned up in an Atom. He was obviously more experienced in driving a car like this and he had EP2 sliding about with the tyres screaming all the way round the track, he made it look easy and said he found it a very easy car to drive near the limit.
After everyone had finished their laps in EP2 we were going to be taken round the Alpine circuit for some fast laps with the main development driver, his name escapes me right now but his latest jobs were for Caterham developing the R500 and the budget car they've not long launched.
Unfortunately as I was getting ready to go I heard a loud screech of rubber and looked up to see EP2 disappearing in to the bushes backwards! Only damage was to one of the rear wishbones but I didn't have time to wait while they repaired it.
So I ended up going round in EP1 which was miss-firing. The Alpine circuit is amazing, very up and down hill with a good mixture of corner types and a nice little jump that you might have seen on Fifth Gear
These laps showed that the E10 has a nice plush ride and is surprisingly comfy.
All in all I enjoyed the day, it was a bit long for not much seat time but it was great to finally see the car in the flesh and have a chat with those involved in its development, it has left me with more questions though.
Having only driven the E10S with the turbo motor in it I've no idea if that'll be the car I'd be best off buying. It's easy to say I'll take the one with the most power but I know from my bike riding that more power isn't always the best answer.
I'm looking for a car that I really need to learn to drive properly, no driver aids at all but controllable at the limit. I think I'll need to drive them both before I can decide for sure.
Kenny
I took the train down, reminded me why I prefer the car!
Got picked up by Dan from Zenos at Milton Keynes for the half hour drive to Millbrook.
Security there is very tight, they put tamper-proof seals over the camera lenses on my mobile and watch everybody very closely so no pictures I'm afraid.
Zenos had three cars there, two evaluation prototypes (EP1 & 2) and the static show car. This was the first time I'd seen the finished car in the flesh, there were no real surprises though as I've studied so many photographs of it. It's quite a small car, very low and fairly wide. The sides are not a high as a 2-11 so sitting in it you don't feel as low down in the car although you are sitting just as close to the ground. One thing I've never liked about the Caterham's etc. is the fact that you're squeezed in shoulder to shoulder, the Zenos has plenty of room inside it due to the way the carbon passenger tub sits over the top of the central alloy spine. There's also a fair bit of room for storage in there in the side pods and behind the seats.
The plan for the day was to have a few laps in EP1 round a coned track they'd set up, then a few laps in EP2 round Millbrooks rather spectacular alpine circuit with the development driver driving.
When I arrived though EP1 had just started miss-firing above 3k revs, a problem with the crank position sensor apparently. So we were then told we'd be driving EP2, the surprise being that EP2 was in fact the new E10-S which was only just announced officially this morning. The S has the 2.0 litre Ford Ecoboost motor out of the Focus ST, tuning wise it's completely standard so 250 bhp @ 7,000 rpm and 400 Nm @ 2,500 rpm as opposed to the 200 bhp @ 7,200 rpm 210 Nm @ 6,100 rpm of the standard car. Quite a big hike in the torque figure and much lower down the rev range. The other advantage of this motor is that being completely standard there will be lots of tuning options for the future should you desire more power.
So I did five or six laps of the course with one of the development drivers (Emma) in the passenger seat.
It was a bit too short and tight to get a proper feeling of the car but was enough to show that it's a very agile car, pretty quick and to me felt like a big powerful go kart but with fairly compliant suspension. Brakes felt a bit wooden to me, plenty power but you really had to press the pedal hard. Steering could've been quicker but that just may have been due to the tight track, I don't think it will be a problem driving on a proper circuit or the road.
I've never really driven anything like this so I don't have much to judge it against.
I pushed it as hard as I could trying to get it to under-steer but it never did, my reward eventually being to spin off after getting a bit too carried away with the loud pedal
One thing I found quite telling was watching a guy who'd turned up in an Atom. He was obviously more experienced in driving a car like this and he had EP2 sliding about with the tyres screaming all the way round the track, he made it look easy and said he found it a very easy car to drive near the limit.
After everyone had finished their laps in EP2 we were going to be taken round the Alpine circuit for some fast laps with the main development driver, his name escapes me right now but his latest jobs were for Caterham developing the R500 and the budget car they've not long launched.
Unfortunately as I was getting ready to go I heard a loud screech of rubber and looked up to see EP2 disappearing in to the bushes backwards! Only damage was to one of the rear wishbones but I didn't have time to wait while they repaired it.
So I ended up going round in EP1 which was miss-firing. The Alpine circuit is amazing, very up and down hill with a good mixture of corner types and a nice little jump that you might have seen on Fifth Gear
These laps showed that the E10 has a nice plush ride and is surprisingly comfy.
All in all I enjoyed the day, it was a bit long for not much seat time but it was great to finally see the car in the flesh and have a chat with those involved in its development, it has left me with more questions though.
Having only driven the E10S with the turbo motor in it I've no idea if that'll be the car I'd be best off buying. It's easy to say I'll take the one with the most power but I know from my bike riding that more power isn't always the best answer.
I'm looking for a car that I really need to learn to drive properly, no driver aids at all but controllable at the limit. I think I'll need to drive them both before I can decide for sure.
Kenny
Re: Zenos
HI Kenny, was good to meet you there! I've had the opposite experience, as in the morning we could only drive EP1 around the course. EP1 was only running 160bhp (safe tune) but you right, with the full 200 it might not be a bad place to be and all the added torque of the turbo might make it a handful to the non-pro. Obviously I signed for the S because i never listen to myself anyhow
I guess the problem on EP1 on the day were related to someone putting a first instead of third (and no, it was not me, I was the first one to spin between the cones)
I've had the opposite experience, as in the morning we could only drive EP1 around the course. EP1 was only running 160bhp (safe tune) but you right, with the full 200 it might not be a bad place to be and all the added torque of the turbo might make it a handful to the non-pro. Obviously I signed for the S because i never listen to myself anyhow I guess the problem on EP1 on the day were related to someone putting a first instead of third (and no, it was not me, I was the first one to spin between the cones)
Re: Zenos
Ross
---------
1972 Alfaholics Giulia Super
2000 Elise S1 Sport 160
2004 Bentley Conti GT
2017 Schkoda Yeti
2x Hairy GRs (not Toyota)
Now browsing the tech pages
---------
1972 Alfaholics Giulia Super
2000 Elise S1 Sport 160
2004 Bentley Conti GT
2017 Schkoda Yeti
2x Hairy GRs (not Toyota)
Now browsing the tech pages
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flyingscot68
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- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:31 pm
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Re: Zenos
Dilemma Time!
So I've just tallied up the cost of the E10S with the extras I'd like including a screen, get you home roof, dry sump and uprated brakes/suspension. It's coming in at almost £40k plus IVA and OTR costs.
This has got me thinking, or should I say the Elise S Club Racer has got me thinking. There's a new Daytona Blue one in MMC that comes c/w soft top and a/c and is slightly cheaper than the Zenos.
The Elise comes with 3 years warranty, 3 years servicing and the 50/50 finance deal is very tempting. Having MMC as my dealer is also a very positive point. I also really loved the Evora I had but wanted something more track focused and originally fancied a 2-11 which led me to the Zenos.
I know the Elise won't be as 'extreme' as the Zenos, the Elise is heavier and not quite as powerful but will there be that much in it?
The Elise has a proven history, known re-sale values, a supercharger rather than a turbo and will for sure be a more usable vehicle. I do however like everything about the Zenos, I'm sure it'll be a great toy to have if probably a bit of a handful for a fast car novice(ish) like myself. It has no driver aids at all so in the wet I expect it to be quite easy to get it wrong. Buying the Zenos will be a gamble for sure when it comes to depreciation and the longer term future of the brand.
I'm heading to MMC this weekend to take a look at the Elise and have a chat with Brandon, I need to decide for sure by Monday as Zenos are looking for me to finalise the spec for the car.
I'm interested what the peeps on here think as many of you have plenty years experience with track oriented cars, new un-known but exciting brand, or existing well known but still exciting brand with a proven track record.
Decisions decisions.............
PS - The Zenos is slightly ahead as I like to be a bit different, it would be the only one North of the border when it arrives.
So I've just tallied up the cost of the E10S with the extras I'd like including a screen, get you home roof, dry sump and uprated brakes/suspension. It's coming in at almost £40k plus IVA and OTR costs.
This has got me thinking, or should I say the Elise S Club Racer has got me thinking. There's a new Daytona Blue one in MMC that comes c/w soft top and a/c and is slightly cheaper than the Zenos.
The Elise comes with 3 years warranty, 3 years servicing and the 50/50 finance deal is very tempting. Having MMC as my dealer is also a very positive point. I also really loved the Evora I had but wanted something more track focused and originally fancied a 2-11 which led me to the Zenos.
I know the Elise won't be as 'extreme' as the Zenos, the Elise is heavier and not quite as powerful but will there be that much in it?
The Elise has a proven history, known re-sale values, a supercharger rather than a turbo and will for sure be a more usable vehicle. I do however like everything about the Zenos, I'm sure it'll be a great toy to have if probably a bit of a handful for a fast car novice(ish) like myself. It has no driver aids at all so in the wet I expect it to be quite easy to get it wrong. Buying the Zenos will be a gamble for sure when it comes to depreciation and the longer term future of the brand.
I'm heading to MMC this weekend to take a look at the Elise and have a chat with Brandon, I need to decide for sure by Monday as Zenos are looking for me to finalise the spec for the car.
I'm interested what the peeps on here think as many of you have plenty years experience with track oriented cars, new un-known but exciting brand, or existing well known but still exciting brand with a proven track record.
Decisions decisions.............
PS - The Zenos is slightly ahead as I like to be a bit different, it would be the only one North of the border when it arrives.