Weight-watcher fastest in its class

A two-seater sports car said to be the lightest on the market has been built in Britain by chassis specialist Raynard

It is called the Strathcarron SC-4 and weighs 505kg, or about 50kg less than the pure-bred Lotus Elise, the most notable lightweight open-top on the market.

Raynard, which is better known for success on the race track, engineered and built chassis for Lotus and Astin Martin.

A high-revving 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed gearbox is said to propel the Strathcarron from zero to 100 km/h in less than six seconds, quicker than anything in the 1.2-litre class.

The car is expected to go on sale in Britain later this year at a New Zealand price of about $48,000.

Meanwhile, Lotus has confirmed it will go ahead with a Elise which is lighter than the present model. It will be called the 340-R. Lotus will build 340, keep one and sell the remainder for between $175,000 and $240,000.