Ever since Zenos->ke4736 introduced the E10 in 2013, I’ve been pretty intrigued about the company’s production plans. I knew that the E10 was a road-legal, track-focused sports car. I also knew that the company had plans for expanding its lineup in the future. Recently, that talk of expansion began to take shape with the unveiling of the E10 S, a faster and more powerful version of the E10.

Zenos was actually founded by ex-Caterham->ke1252 boss, Ansar Ali. The man started Zenos with the idea of building sports cars->ke506 based on the Lotus Elise->ke1678. While he’s still a ways away from getting there, he’s done an admirable job in building up Zenos with a line of models that now includes the E10 S.

Give it a few more years and we might see more Zenos models prowling the roads and tracks everywhere. For now, it’s the E10 S’ well-deserved turn in the spotlight. Smile for the cameras, you little track-ready racer.

Click past the jump to read more about the Zenos E10 S.

Exterior

The Zenos E10 S doesn't deviate away from the design of its E10 brother, which is to say that I'm very pleased with its overall appearance. It's got the dimensions of an actual road car. It's appropriately dressed like one and fills out a lot of space that the skeletal Ariel Atom can only dream of. The lime green finish is also a nice and splashy color and the long-nose hood evokes the design character of a true sports car.

Interior

Don't expect to be treated to a world of luxury when you're inside the cockpit of the E10 S. Since it has a specific purpose as a track car, the interior equipment is more of the functional variety. There are lightweight composite seats and an Inertia reel lap belt, two components that are pretty important for any track car.

A cockpit light has also been added, as well as a 12V power socket, an immobilizer, and somewhat surprisingly, a center console multi-function LCD and separate driver display.

Drivetrain

The Zenos E10 S is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 250 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque while mated to a five-speed transverse transmission. Given its lightweight nature, the E10 S is entirely capable of being a speedster on the track.

Zenos has yet to confirm its performance numbers, but it did estimate the model to hit 0 to 60 mph in 4 seconds and a top speed of 135 mph.

Prices

Pricing begins at £29,995, which is about $49,300 based on the exchange rates as of September 2, 2014. That makes the E10 S £5,000 ($8,200) more expensive than the base E10. You can also opt for a track variant of the E10 S, but you'll see the price go up to £32,995, or about $54,400.

For that price, you also get a limited slip differential, a six-speed gearbox, in-house developed composite seats, a quick-release steering wheel, four-point racing harness, adjustable dampers, a heated driver’s seat, and a new set of wheels.

Competition

Zuhl 05

In terms of aesthetics, the Vuhl 05 gives the E10 S a real run for its money. The 05 is actually the brainchild of brothers Iker and Guillermo Echeverria, who started their automotive life with the design agency, Etxe. The 05 looks like a real track menace even if it's surprisingly built on a monocoque that weights just 171 pounds.

It's also powered by a Ford-sourced 2.0-liter DOHC turbocharged EcoBoost engine that delivers a total of 285 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque. Combine this output with the 1,532-pound dry weight and come to a power-to-weight ratio of 372 horsepower per ton.

The only downside to the 05 is that it costs £55,000 (plus tax, plus shipping) - about $84,000 at the current exchange rates. That's a lot more than the price you have to pay for the E10 S.

Conclusion

The Zenos E10 S' combination of impressive looks and powerful performance capabilities makes it a worthy contender in a growing market of track-ready toy cars. But what sets apart the E10 S is its affordable price, which is a bargain compared to the 05's $84,000 price tag.