But it’s another even rarer Gordon Murray road car I’m recalling today, which the memories of driving are just as strong despite it being 27 years since I last sat in one. The car is the Light Car Company Rocket. If a lighter road car with four wheels and two seats has since been designed by a recognised car company, I don’t know what it is.
For the Rocket weighed just 380kg, or less than half the weight of the lightest Lotus Elise made today. Its entire spaceframe structure weighed a mere 21kg, and I’ve bought sacks of potatoes that weigh more than that. It also carried its engine and gearbox as fully stressed members off which the rear suspension was hung, and I know of no other road car that does that, save the Ferrari F50.
The engine and gearbox came from a motorcycle with a five-speed gearbox attached, but with a high and low range transfer box providing effectively 20 gears, because each gear could also be engaged while in reverse, which is why a Rocket once held the world record for reversing, its driver spinning out at over 100mph.
I spent a memorable few days in one when it was new though none, I am glad to say, sitting behind the driver in the tandem two seat layout. It was comfortable enough once you were in I was told by my passenger, and I was happy to take his word for it.