It Never Rains But It Pours...

[E55BOF]

On the way into Heathrow today, in the middle of a cloudburst with rain coming down like stair rods, I came up behind and passed a small grey two-seater, low to the ground, trundling along at about 50 in the left-hand lane. I don't know what it was; at first I thought it was a Smart Car convertible, but it wasn't. It looked pretty modern and sporty, with a look resembling a giantTransformer toy. I couldn't see any markings to identify it, but it had a spoiler on short pillars at the rear, prominent oval rollover hoops behind the seats, and a screen like an aero screen, but a bit larger, with a single small central wiper going like the clappers.

There was no hood, nor anything on the screen that looked like attachment points for one. It definitely wasn't a Renault Sport Spider; much more modern and angular than that. The driver was sitting there, hunched up, absolutely soaked, with the rain pouring down on him, and his body language suggested he was a very unhappy bunny indeed...

I'm glad it wasn't me, but can anyone identify the car from the description?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

On the way into Heathrow today, in the middle of a cloudburst with rain coming down like stair rods, I came up behind and passed a small grey two-seater, low to the ground, trundling along at about 50 in the left-hand lane. I don't know what it was; at first I thought it was a Smart Car convertible, but it wasn't. It looked pretty modern and sporty, with a look resembling a giantTransformer toy. I couldn't see any markings to identify it, but it had a spoiler on short pillars at the rear, prominent oval rollover hoops behind the seats, and a screen like an aero screen, but a bit larger, with a single small central wiper going like the clappers.

There was no hood, nor anything on the screen that looked like attachment points for one. It definitely wasn't a Renault Sport Spider; much more modern and angular than that. The driver was sitting there, hunched up, absolutely soaked, with the rain pouring down on him, and his body language suggested he was a very unhappy bunny indeed...

I'm glad it wasn't me, but can anyone identify the car from the description?

My first thought was Renault Sport Spider, and my second thought was Daihatsu Copen but you didn’t mention it looking Audi TT ish. I would say that it’s likely a kit car, so it may be difficult to pinpoint exactly.

 

[E55BOF]

Definitely not a Copen; far too up-to-date looking than that. It could well be a kit car, but if so, it's a good one, without the slightly abortionate look of so many, or the minimalist look of the numerous Lotus7/Caterham-type designs.

 

[StMarks]

Don't suppose you have a Dashcam?
If so, perhaps a still from the footage (or even a short clip to illustrate the driver's enjoyment of going topless).
Would undoubtedly assist with identification.

 

[grober]

Smart Roadster?

 

[grober]

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[grober]

Early TESLA roadster?
maybe do a Google image search on small uk open two seater sports cars?

 

[E55BOF]

None of the above.

The diesel CLS I sold recently had dashcams front and rear, but the 63 hasn't.

It could be a kit car, but it wasn't a replica of anything I've ever seen, and it looked very professionally designed and manufactured, so not I think a one-off. I've been right through a list of British kit car manufacturers I found, and it's not from any of them.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Was it open wheeled like a Lotus 340 R?

 

[E55BOF]

No, the front wheel arches were integrated into the front bumper, then ran back horizontally at bonnet level tapering as they went, so semi-open; think of an inverted Nike 'swoosh' with more curve, and thickened, to the curved section. The rear wheels were fully enclosed.

 

[Will]

I was wondering about something like the Alfa 4C Spider?

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That has a single front wiper I think.

I also wondered about something like a Boxster spyder (rear hoops) or speedster but I don’t think they use a single wiper.

Did you get a look at the plate, rough idea of age?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

No, the front wheel arches were integrated into the front bumper, then ran back horizontally at bonnet level tapering as they went, so semi-open; think of an inverted Nike 'swoosh' with more curve, and thickened, to the curved section. The rear wheels were fully enclosed.

Honda Beat?

 

[E55BOF]

It was on a personal plate, ending TOY. I thought the first three characters (with a prefix letter also) were 111, but I couldn't find anything realistically possible on the gov.uk website.

It's not a Beat, or a 4C, or a Boxter Spyder.

 

[Will]

Lotus Elise 111R?

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[JHS]

It was on a personal plate, ending TOY. I thought the first three characters (with a prefix letter also) were 111, but I couldn't find anything realistically possible on the gov.uk website.

It's not a Beat, or a 4C, or a Boxter Spyder.

111TOY is a Ferrari Sf90 Spider S-A so not that!
J111TOY is a Streetka Luxury
Nothing else possible.

 

[Jobsworth]

Lotus 340R from your description I’d have said

 

[Jobsworth]

Or a Plymouth Prowler maybe?

 

[Darrell]

Or a Plymouth Prowler maybe?

I like them. (admittedly I’ve only seen one).

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Lotus 340R from your description I’d have said

I guessed the same but not open wheel.

 

[Will]

Some kind of Morgan perhaps?