Shoehorning a colossal V8 engine into a lightweight British sports car is nothing new. Carroll Shelby began the trend in the early '60s when he stuck a Ford V8 into an AC Cobra and the somewhat primitive way of building a supercar continues today with the likes of Hennessy Venom GT - essentially a Lotus Exige with a twin turbocharged Corvette V8 engine.
British Sports car maker, Trident, has done things a little differently however. Under the bonnet of the new Iceni is a 6.6-litre Duramax diesel V8 that would ordinarily be found in a Chevrolet Silverado SUV. In standard guise this engine produces 255hp and 624Nm of torque, but thanks to Trident's patented "Torque Multiplication technology" (no we are not sure what it is either) the Iceni's Duramax delivers 460hp and 1,288Nm of torque. That power means the Iceni is capable of sprinting from 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of nearly 200mph.
If that is not enough there is an optional power upgrade that sees output jump to 660hp and a devastating 1,423Nm, which we are pretty sure is enough to restart a dormant sun.
Trident says that the Iceni is capable of 68.9mpg and will cover 2,000 miles on a single tank. In addition to running on diesel the Iceni can also be powered by bio diesel, palm oil or linseed oil.
Trident will display the all-new Iceni at Salon Privé 2012, held at West London's Syon Park from the September 5 to 7 where it will be taking orders for the £75,000 made-to order car.
Paul Healy - 24 Aug 2012