As bullish claims go, having yourself compared to Colin Chapman is right up there, but that’s exactly who Anthony Keating – the brains behind the Keating SKR – is likened to at the beginning of the launch presentation for his new ‘world-beating supercar’.

There are other similarly bold claims in the half-hour unveiling speech at the launch in Southport, Lancs. This car, we are informed, will stamp the UK’s engineering talent back on the map so firmly that the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini won’t know which way it went.

So what exactly is it? With a glassfibre body and a steel spaceframe, the SKR is powered by a normally aspirated 6-litre GM LS2 V8 driving through a Porsche five-speed transaxle. The 400bhp entry-level model will cost £90,000, but the 7-litre Corvette Z06 engine will also be available in various states of tune, right up to a faintly absurd 1500bhp. If you prefer, the chassis can be constructed and clothed in carbonfibre, in which case the car will be called a TKR and will weigh-in at 995kg rather than 1190.

When the puff is over, the cover is finally removed to reveal a formulaic supercar that mixes numerous styling cues, from the F430-style sculpted headlights through to the Zonda-esque section beyond the rear wheels. Crucially, though, their high-quality detailing is not so apparent.

There’s a definite and unfortunate kit-car feel to the SKR, not ideal when you’re trying to persuade buyers to ignore the honed perfection of the similarly priced 911 GT3 RS. Still, we’re promised a drive on an MOD runway this afternoon, where we’ll get a taste of its dynamics. Perhaps they will make up for the aesthetic shortfall.

Before we head over to RAF Woodvale, I corner Anthony Keating and ask him how much the 1000 and 1500bhp variants will cost. ‘That’s a good question,’ he responds. ‘No one’s asked that before. I don’t really know. About £170,000 for the 1000bhp car, I guess.’

The cabin looks similar to that of a Noble M12, only not so cohesive or well finished. We’re told owners can have a bespoke interior, though, so this isn’t representative.

Two runs later at the test venue a couple of black streaks start oozing through a gap in the SKR’s rear panel. An engineer spots it and instructs DK to park the car away from the press so they can lift the rear cover (we’ve not seen the engine yet) and investigate. I nudge our lensman, Kenny P, and leg it over to where the car has stopped. There’s a thick, dark liquid flowing from the gearbox and it’s immediately obvious we’re done for the day. Our promised drive has escaped with the oil.

What happens next for Keating we’re not sure. You can’t help but admire the drive and confidence of Anthony Keating in creating his own supercar project, but as it stands the SKR has an amateur feel and we’re unsure where the customers will come from. As for the 1500bhp version, I think I’m busy that day.