arrives later this year. Watch out Elon! Start-up Longbow claims to be the 'first-ever British sports car manufacturer' that's been formed by a trio made-up of former execs at Tesla, Lucid and BYD. These are the first tow 'featherweight' EVs it intends to sell from next year... The striking Longbow designs might make anyone who placed a £38,000 deposit for a Tesla Roadster think about asking for it back - especially as the launch date for Musk's long-delayed sports car still remains a mystery. Longbow says its Roadster and roofless Speedster will 'offer a unique take on the rich British tradition of lightweight sportscars, focusing on real-road performance with an unparalleled driving experience'. Its intentions hint at becoming something of a spiritual successor to Lotus of old, which carried designer Colin Chapman's famous tag line: 'Simplify, then add lightness' - something the marque has shifted away from under Chinese ownership of late, which has seen it launch the 2.6-tonne Eletre SUV and Emeya saloon (2.5 tonnes). The company also claims to take inspiration from the legendary Jaguar E-Type with a focus on 'beauty, lightweight construction, impeccable engineering, and meticulous hand finishing'. The new models are underpinned by a bespoke Longbow aluminium chassis engineered for minimal weight and maximum stiffness. The start-up also promises to use lighter and more compact motors and batteries than those currently seen on the market to create agile cars with eye-watering power-to-weight figures. The Speedster will be sold first in limited numbers of just 150 units, which Longbow is already taking reservations for under the proviso it will start from £84,995 The striking Longbow designs might make anyone who placed a £38,000 deposit for a Tesla Roadster think about asking for it back - especially as the launch date for Musk's long-delayed sports car still remains a mystery Claiming to offer an 'open-topped experience like no other', Speedster's omission of a roof, windows or windscreen means it will weigh a mere 895kg. In terms of performance, the company promises a 0-to-62mph sprint time of 3.5 seconds and a battery range of 275 mile RELATED ARTICLES