It is the region's newest sports car - fast, sleek in design and bearing a £25,000 price tag.

The lavish E10, which can do 0 to 60 in less than five seconds, is poised to be launched by a team of engineers at Zenos Cars, in Wymondham, this week.

Yesterday the Baroness visited the firm to inspect the car – which is hoped to shape the future development of similar lightweight sport models.

She said: 'It is great to see a thriving automotive industry in the United Kingdom.'

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer added: 'Companies at the forefront of technology are crucial to the UK's economic growth and future prosperity.

'The research we are funding will allow Zenos to push the boundaries on light-weight cars.

'This is particularly important for the future development of electric cars, where the use of lighter materials will have real benefits.'

Funded using private investment and a £240,000 grant from New Anglia's Growing Business Fund, the car has been in the works since the company's inception in 2012.

Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards, co-founders of Zenos Cars, insisted that the model was not a 'dream car' to fulfil a love for flashy cars – instead calling it a 'market driven' product.

'The feedback to date is that it is certainly recognised as a well-rounded car. We know our markets and we are filling a niche which we don't see as having much competition.

'It is affordable – most people we have asked put the car in the £44,000 to £50,000 bracket.'

After leaving positions at Lotus Cars, the duo combined their wealth of experience to set up Zenos in 2012 - when the plans for the E10 were borm.

Originally located on the Hethel Engineering Site, it was only in April 2014 that they moved to the current base on Wymondham Business Park.

Mr Ali said that the launch of the E10, memorable for its distinctive lime green panels, was the 'culmination of two years of hard work'.

'It's very pleasing to know there was real confidence in our business model and it is great that we can design, manufacture and employ staff for an innovative product right here in Norfolk,' he added.

The launch will create 24 engineering jobs - bringing the total amount of positions created by New Anglia's flagship funding programme to 675.

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