Westfield SE

So it's a V8, but what can I do, I like the V8

The Westfield Sportscars is one more UK based company that builds cars for the fans, the masses, and those people that just enjoy driving to the fullest. In other words, bone shattering, noisy, basic, ridiculous, unpractical, this-shouldn’t-be-legal injections of speed and adrenaline.

The factory, or better the company, used to produce a D-type Jaguar lookalike, and their own, Hayabusa-powered XTR, but discontinued both. Now, they offer only the SE, one of the omnipopular Lotus 7 replicas, and actually one of the fine ones.

Let me remind those who don’t know, decent Lotus 7 replicas are respected for their no-nonsense, track oriented setup and exceedingly light weight. When I say exceedingly light, I mean I can’t think of any road going car that weighs this little. Even the new Lotuses are way bulkier than this. So it shouldn't surprise you that this car is very fast, even in it’s basic, 135bhp trim. And that is just a basic trim. It can go up to 200bhp, and it can come even with a small-but-oh-so-light Hayabusa engine. That one’s not a daily driver, that’s for sure. It’s a thoroughbred racing machine, that can put to shame many rare, expensive, big-brand cars on the racetrack. And all that with a small, 1.3 liter, 178bhp bike engine!

It’s not so fun on the normal road, though. The bike engines just can’t cope with the increased weight (it’s still a lot heavier than a motorbike), it just lacks torque and the low range pull. For that, the 2 liter, 200bhp Ford engine is a much better bet. It pulls from low down, goes like stink, and can still put to shame plenty of those big boys. Does feel kind of small with several trucks around it though, but still, once you get it on the move, you just don’t care. No one said it was made for driving groceries, anyway. It’s just one of the cheapest thrills you can get on four wheels. Get a curvy road, and let it rip - if it doesn’t make you smile and sometimes laugh hysterically (or scream, choose your favorite here), you are made of stone.

I had to leave my personal favorite for the last though. It’s the lazier , less loved offspring - the V8. Many argue that bolting a Rover V8 into this lightweight chassis is just blasphemy, but in my opinion, it just gives some diversity in this crowded category. It can’t be seen on their website, but they did build them, and I’m sure they would still produce one, if you asked them nicely. The torquey V8, with softer springs and a bit more luxury, could even get you a decent trip, without causing you bad back, while still packing a wallop of punch. It’s not really that hardcore, true, but it does offer some basic practicality and comfort, and you just can’t tell me it doesn’t offer a nice amount of fun. I know I like it.

So, as yo can see, there are quite a few models to pick from, and as with all kit cars, you can assemble them yourself, leaving some kind of personal mark on them. It can sometimes prove to be more expensive than buying a finished product, but I guarantee you that even that small part will give you the amount of joy you can’t even imagine!