While the Syracuse's styling is, shall we say, challenging, the technology contained within the bluff aluminium bodywork is intriguing. Its longitudinally-mounted V10 engine, for instance, has been designed entirely in-house by Connaught and has a displacement of just 2 litres.

The all-alloy powerplant has a very narrow 22.5-degree V-angle and is exceptionally light. It achieves its prodigious power output (which peaks at 7000rpm) thanks to an intercooled, Swedish-made Opcon twin-scroll supercharger that also helps the rear-drive Syracuse to rustle up 274lb ft of torque at 3000rpm.

Connaught has gone to great lengths to keep the kerb weight of the Syracuse down to a mere 850kg. A significant factor in its light weight is the design of the chassis and floorpan. The chassis comprises stainless-steel tubes and sheet weighing a total 120kg, the powder-coated superstructure (incorporating roll-cage) adds only a further 56kg, while a one-piece tub of Twintex (a glass-reinforced polypropylene) that creates the bulkheads, floor and rear deck contributes just 32kg to the total. Performance benefits from this weight saving, with a quoted 0-60mph of less than 5.0sec and a 171mph top speed.

The Syracuse was named to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Tony Brooks' 1955 victory in the Syracuse Grand Prix on Sicily, driving a Connaught race car. Whether this historical connection will help sales remains to be seen, as prices start at £60,000 when the car goes on sale in May. Only 100 are planned, so it should have exclusivity on its side, but the price pitches it against stiff competition.