Jetstream SC250: New Lightweight Sportscar with 250HP 2.0L Turbo Engine

Following in the footsteps of the Lotus Elise, Caterham Seven and the Ariel Atom and God knows how many other lightweight British sportscars, Jetstream announced the market launch of the mid-engined SC250. The road-legal two seater sportscar is equipped with the same 240HP 2.0-litre Ecotec Turbo powerplant and six-speed transmission that appears in the Opel Astra OPC (Vauxhall Astra VXR in Britain). The engine can be run on either unleaded or bio-ethanol – the latter fuel increasing performance by around 10%. -Continued

Weighing in at a mere 700kg (1,550lb), the SC250 can accelerate from 0 to 60mph (0-96km/h) in under 4 seconds and to a maximum speed of 165mph (265km/h). The quarter mile run from a standing start takes just 11.8 seconds. Despite the top notch performance figures, the SC250 boasts a combined unleaded fuel economy of 38mpg UK (31.7mpg US or 7.4lt/100 km).

The SC250’s lightweight, hand produced composite body is coupled to an aluminium monocoque chassis with steel sub-frames front and rear. Although the styling of the car was penned originally by former Ford designer Brian Rossi, who was responsible for designs such as the “Retro” Ford Thunderbird launched in 2002, the SC250 looks like more like a home-made project than something that came out of a design studio.

Jetstream plans to manufacture 50 cars over the next year, with an uprated 300HP version of the SC250 scheduled for early 2009. The SC250 is priced from £29,495 OTR which includes a full 12 month parts and labour warranty.