Jaw-dropping Javan trumps Exige S

We recently reported on the launch of the ballistic Lotus Exige S the quickest car yet to wear the illustrious badge.

But a new ultra-niche Pommie manufacturer that goes by the name of Javan Sports Cars has just announced its own take on the theme -- and, if the figures are to be believed, it eats the Exige S for breakfast.

Say hello to the Javan R1, a waif-like roadster that's claimed to rocket from standstill to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds (compared with 4.3sec for the Exige S), and on to 160km/h in 9.8sec. The standing quarter mile is dispatched in an almost Porsche Carrera GT-rivalling 12.2sec.

How is this possible? A feather-light kerb weight of 670kg is the first ingredient, thanks to an epoxy-bonded, aluminium honeycomb monocoque chassis.

Propelling the diminutive roadster is a mid-mounted 164kW, 2.0-litre Honda i-VTEC DOHC engine sourced from the current UK-spec Honda Civic Type-R. Its output is channelled to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

The R1 will be offered in the UK at a none-too-substantial price of £30,139 ($74,665 in our money), which means it costs just $2835 more than the significantly slower Lotus Elise R in that market.

It will be built in both left- and right-hand-drive configurations to enable it to be exported to the US and other European markets. However, before you inundate the CarPoint switchboard with phone calls, we should point out that there are no plans to sell the car here.

This is a shame, as there's a lot to like about the R1. It certainly looks the part, as there are a few none-too-subtle borrowed design cues from the Porsche Carrera GT. Viewed from the rear, there's more than a hint of AC Cobra about it.

Company proprietor Javan Smith is a former maker of 1:8 scale models, and he bought the production moulds and toolings of the defunct motorcycle-engined Strathcarron sports car that was manufactured briefly five years ago.

It's this car that forms the basis for the R1, although the former's motorcycle engine has been turfed in favour of the Honda donk.