Download "Datsun 240Z as you’ve never seen it: MZR Roadsports Evolution | Henry Catchpole - The Driver’s Seat"

For this episode of The Driver’s Seat, Henry Catchpole walks around the city of Bradford looking pensive until he stumbles upon a garage with a secret. MZR Roadsports is a gem of a company that is producing some beautiful restomods based on the Datsun 240Z (also known as the Nissan Fairlady Z). Since Singer Vehicle Design set the internet alight with its reimagining of the Porsche 911, there has been a vibrant market for subtly (and wildly) updated classics and although the S30 Datsun is an unusual basis for a restomod made in the UK, the result is fascinating. With a full carbon fibre body and a larger, 3.2-litre straight-six engine, this is the first example of the company’s latest Evolution model - the Caraba commission. It sounds glorious, with hints of BMW, Jaguar and even Ferrari in the soundtrack, and it has 275bhp which is sent to the rear wheels through a modern, six-speed manual gearbox. The whole car is light, too, weighing in at just 1079kg (2379lb), wet. Inside, there are bespoke carbon seats covered in wonderfully soft Spinneybeck leather and the dashboard is a voluptuous redesign of the original with similarities to a Lamborghini Miura. Despite being a relatively diminutive two-seater sports car designed in the 1960s, there is a surprising amount of room in the cabin, which makes you instantly imagine setting off on a road trip. It’s all topped off with a gear-lever that has something of the Atari CX40 joystick about it - in a good way. And the price for an Evolution? A remarkably reasonable £200k, including the donor car. If all that isn’t enough to get you clicking on the film, just know that if you don’t then you’ll be missing out Glenn Winhall’s inspired idea to bring a smoke machine and multiple fluorescent tubes into the MZR workshop. The resultant slightly spooky disco vibe is a visual feast. We hope you enjoy the video - perhaps let us know in the comments which other restomods you’d like to see Henry review in the future. Links: https://www.facebook.com/unsupportedbrowser https://mzrroadsports.co.uk/ ------------------------------ Full Cycle and Border Weave are part of the British Council film archive of short documentaries made by the British Council during the 1940s. The films were designed to show the world how Britain lived, worked and played. View, download and play with the archive at https://film.britishcouncil.org/resources/film-archive. ------------------------------ Subscribe to our YouTube channel for new videos every day! https://www.youtube.com/hagerty?sub_confirmation=1 Visit our website for daily automotive news, cars stories, reviews, and opinion: https://www.hagerty.com/media/ Stay up to date by signing up for our email newsletters here: https://www.hagerty.com/media/newsletter/ Follow us on social media: Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/unsupportedbrowser Instagram | https://www.facebook.com/unsupportedbrowser Twitter | https://twitter.com/Hagerty If you love cars, you belong with us. Hagerty Drivers Club is the world’s largest community for automotive enthusiasts. Members enjoy valuable automotive discounts, exclusive events and experiences, roadside service created specifically for collector vehicles, and a subscription to the bimonthly Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Join Hagerty Drivers Club here: https://www.hagerty.com/drivers-club Like what you see? Watch our other series including: Redline Rebuilds | Time-lapse engine rebuilds from start to finish https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHKCmmH-x9mI1aCu3Xr4_qeaz9lTJn_XE Barn Find Hunter | Tom Cotter searches the country for abandoned cars https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHKCmmH-x9mLN0PNeFBtxyZ7olwptkO5q Jason Cammisa on the Icons | The definitive car review https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHKCmmH-x9mKnVPemYVMas92FgFsx1cTp Revelations | Untold Stories About Automotive Legends with Jason Cammisa https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHKCmmH-x9mIbtnKiNfg29jSDcHHOomiN Contact us: Suggestions and feedback - [email protected] Press inquiries - [email protected] Partnership requests - [email protected]