Madgwick Cars - Cobra Technical Specifications Page

The new demonstrator looks superb and reflects the quality of both the SR V8's reputation as well as the standard that is rapidly becoming the norm in the kit car world. Ice-blue metallic paint, polished chrome and magnolia hide trim create the right image, while it's obviously covered many miles of testing as evidenced by the polished nature of the leather seats which have already taken on the patina of a seasoned campaigner.

So how does it stand up to the competition? When projects either die or suffer some other commercial set back, recovery is usually an uphill battle. That said, the reason for the disappearance of most projects is that sales have slumped due to the debut of better things. However, that wasn't the case with the SR V8 which adhered to the tried and tested show business philosophy of quitting while the going was good and leaving them wanting more. For that reason alone, the car could be reasonably sure of an enthusiastic welcome but this is not a car trading on past glories. Dave and Mike have done a brilliant build job on the demonstrator which boasts talent by the truck-load in every department.

Hop aboard and the driving position is really comfortable. Cobra bucket seats seem to vary in size now and these ones are pretty bulky with scant room between the Moto Lita wood-rim and the MGB handbrake making entry a practiced art but the column can either be raised a little or smaller seats fitted. Either way, it's a minor detail and doesn't detract from a well set driving position. Under the bonnet is a Ford 302 warmed over to produce around 300 bhp and though with an all up weight of around a ton, the power to eight ratio isn't huge by kit Cobra standards, the SR V8 has the benefit of being able to use it. The gearbox is a Ford Cosworth T5 connected to a Jaguar 3.54:1 Powerlock limited slip differential. Wheels are 15" halibrand replicas with 215/60 front and 235/60 rears inflated to 28 and 24 psi respectively.

Start her up and first marks immediately register on the score board; the noise is just perfect. It's got that deep throaty rumble with a slight booming echo that immediately makes you feel good even before you blip the throttle. Yield to temptation and the side pipes could clear the leaves on the lawn in an instant to the accompaniment of a marvellous mechanical symphony.

The clutch initially feels heavy but when you first drive the car, any car, you always push the pedal to the floor but soon come to realise that you don't need to. You just need to dip it a couple of inches and, used like that, you soon forget all about it. The ride is absolutely perfect. Sure you can feel the bumps but they don't rattle through the frame and up the column; instead they are effectively absorbed by the springs and dissipated by the dampers all of which are perfectly set.

When the road opens up, you hit the gas and this car really reacts. As I said, it hasn't got huge power so you don't get that real slam in the back but what you do get is a real surge of well integrated acceleration. The tail squats a wee bit but the grip is brilliant, as is the gearing that delivers maximum wallop while the engine's seemingly only half awake. As you press the long-travel pedal ever deeper into the foot-well, you get the right motive reaction but the engine stubbornly refuses to sound at all ragged. It almost seems as it's doing it all with one hand tied behind its back. When you finally give up and go for the next gear, the change is fast and beautifully fluid with the clutch coming up to engage smoothly, no matter how quickly you let the pedal up.

Round the bends, of which the area around Selsey has many, the brakes grab unless you're gentle on the pedal. There's a servo fitted but once you're tuned in to the required pedal pressure, braking is efficient, effective and beautifully progressive, and change down is perfect every time but the steering takes a bit of getting used to. But tip it into a long, fast, sweeping bend and the weight is perfect as the car lives up to its name; taken from Madgwick Corner at Goodwood, just up the road. You don't have to get your shoulder behind it or really push the wheel. Instead, you sit there, relaxed and just steer it gently on the line you want to take. If anyone races an SR V8, and they have raced successfully in the past, I don't think they'll be going for the power steering as it does take a bit of feel out of the wheel and the lock to lock is virtually identical to that of the MGB rack at just under three turns. That said, I can also see it being a successful option.

I was greatly impressed with this car. It has the quality that such cars demand if they're to be taken seriously, it naturally has the looks but, above all, it's thoroughly rewarding to drive. It's co-operative rather than confrontational and as such, it's ready to drive and drive fast. It also has that utterly confidence inspiring and laid back feel to it that tends to understate its true performance ability, but make no mistake, it's a quick car as much due to its 300 bhp engine as the brilliantly matched drive train and engineering that underpins it.

The SR V8 is back and I see no reason why it can't take up where it left off. So, assuming you're interested, what’s it going to cost? The answer is about the same as any other Jaguar based competitor but there are a few tempters that might draw you to the Pagham product. You can buy as much or as little from Madgwick as you please. Additional component packs available cover the chassis hardware which includes the modified Jaguar propshaft, drive-shafts and wishbones. You might as well go for that as it's all essential, as is the cooling system pack which includes the custom radiator made by the same company which makes the Roadster rads and which, coincidentally, used to make the radiators for Southern Roadcraft. They dusted off the tooling and made some more.

Thereafter everything is available from a variety of sources. I'll leave you to visit the web-site or get the company brochure but the bottom line is, the car we tested cost around £20,000 to build. You could do it for the same outlay as well as significantly more cheaply depending on your bargain hunting ability.

Building the car yourself won't present any difficulty as long as you exercise patience and the right approach. In respect of time, that depends on you but Madgwick can cut the time element with their complete Jaguar donor components kit which includes powder-coating, the factory modified parts and everything else either new or reconditioned. That's a valuable time saver as well as a very attractive price. They can also do you a rolling chassis kit, a rolling chassis with body, bonnet, boot and doors fitted with all locks and hinges and the same deal with a Chevy V8, Tremec five-speed and a good bit more. On top of that, the company can supply a range of engines of varying power outputs. I'll leave you to do the sums but however you view the total, it'll be money well spent.