What's the news?

From almost out of nowhere (not quite, as this project has been a bit on-again, off-again, but you get our drift), a new sports car manufacturer has burst onto the scene. Using the old Trident badge - yet bearing no direct relation to the original Suffolk company - the team from Norfolk has unleashed the Iceni onto the world - a car that's all about some seriously impressive numbers.

Exterior

There will be three versions of the Iceni: the standard open-top; a fastback called the Magna; and an estate named the Venturer, the last of which was a nameplate used by Trident back in the day. There's more than a hint of modern TVR about the look of the Iceni (which is perhaps appropriate, as the company was born out of a spin-off from TVR in the 1960s) with its swooping sides and imposing rear view, but it's not exactly beautiful. Striking would be more appropriate.

Interior

Standard equipment includes air conditioning, electric windows, bespoke-design heated seats in leather and Alcantara and a CD player with DAB incorporating MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth. Further options include carbon trim and electric operation of the seats (part of a £2,700 Premium Pack that also chucks in a heated screen), plus a full £7,000 Lux Pack that adds all manner of goodies, such as a Clarion satnav system with seven-inch HD display and a four-piece matching luggage set.

Mechanicals

This is where it gets interesting and once again there are echoes of TVR. Mad, eye-catching bodywork? Check. Huge capacity V8 engine? Check. Raging fuel consumption? Er... no.

All three Icenis will be powered by a whopping big 6.6-litre V8 engine, but it's not a petrol unit - it's a turbodiesel. And it's linked to something Trident calls 'torque multiplication', in which the Iceni's six-speed automated manual gearbox is optimised to shift up at a mere 3,000rpm and runs at just 980rpm at 70mph in top. This allows it to return a claimed 68.9mpg combined, in excess of 100mpg at 30mph and gives it a theoretical range of 2,000 miles.

It backs this up with 400hp and a mighty 949Nm of torque, which in standard format allows it to hit 60mph from rest in a scant 3.7 seconds and run on to 'more than' 190mph. Not enough for you? Got deep pockets? There are two power upgrades. The first is an ECU re-flash (seemingly, as the rest of the engine spec is the same) to 436hp and 1,288Nm. Together with a revised differential, gas discharge headlights and a rear carbon diffuser, this makes up the £11,300 Performance Pack.

But if you feel like going all out on your Iceni, opt for the £30,875 Track Pack. This requires more ECU work but some revisions to the hardware too, like a bigger turbo, an improved intercooler, a further uprated differential, a Coelene and Kevlar clutch with a paddle shift gearbox and 'race-spec' suspension from Pro Flex and Eibach. That's because it is now trying to put 669hp and a colossal 1,424Nm to the tarmac. Carbon ceramic brakes are also part of this Track Pack, but if you want them on their own they're £15,500. No performance stats have been quoted as yet for the two more powerful versions, though.

Anything else?

The three Iceni models are available now with prices starting from £96,000. Trident claims that with limited availability and a pre-launch waiting list, the three models are already in high demand across the globe. You can contact Trident at [email protected] or (+44) (0)1760 723866.

Matt Robinson - 1 May 2014