My Other Car Is.... A Radical!

Business 550

IAIN MCKENZIE has been fascinated with cars for as long as he can remember. And the current favourite for the chief executive of telecom firm Mettoni is the Radical. Most of you will have heard little or nothing about this tiny open top sports car. But this relative new arrival on the racing scene is winning converts fast, and Iain McKenzie, who raced Porsches throughout Europe for years, heads up the list.

Powered by a motorbike engine, and weighing in at just 480 kgms, the Radical generates an astonishing 225 bhp, a level of torque that leaves most of its competition standing. "The power to weight ratio," explains Iain, "means it is like lightning."

His current model does 0-60mph in a shade over three seconds, which "will outrun just about everything." Iain was an instant convert and remembers vividly his first drive.

"After the first time out at Brands I just couldn't stop grinning. They are much more fun than racing Porsches. They lap quicker for a start and easier to handle."

Plus, compared with other forms of racing, the Radical is relatively affordable. A race ready car will set you back about £40.000 with a further £20,000 in costs. Iain also loves the fact that there is very little that can be done to modify the Radical. "It means we are all fundamentally racing in the same car." Extensive business commitments, as well as four children, means that Iain is limited to the number of events he can do in a season. This year he hopes to do half a dozen including Spa. "The only problem for me is that each race involves about three to four days, particularly with testing, and it is difficult sometimes to find the time." He adds.