I swapped my classic Bentley for an EV from the 80s – I don’t care about the looks but it’s terrible for the weekly shop
A RETRO driver who swapped his classic Bentley for an ’80s EV has revealed that it’s terrible for his weekly shop.
The eccentric motorist loves his new wheels, even though he admits the motor is a bit of a “failure” compared to some of his more flash models.
Cormac Boylan, a motoring journalist and radio host from Melton, Leicestershire, said he was drawn to the “character, history and charm” of the Sinclair C5.
Released in 1985, the C5 was intended to revolutionise solo transportation.
The minuscule one-seater looks more like a bumper car than a fully-fledged vehicle and only has three wheels.
Its chassis was constructed by beloved British sports car brand Lotus and it was fully road legal.
Unfortunately, an output of less than 1 horsepower, tiny range and 15mph top speed meant it was a commercial flop.
Cormac, 24, told Leicestershire Live: “I’ve had Rollers and Bentleys since I was 20, but I’ve always been drawn to those things with a bit of character, history and charm about them.
“Yes it was a failure but it’s an iconic thing.
“There’s something uniquely British about it.
“It failed, but it’s very charming and I couldn’t resist when a friend made me the offer to buy it.
“I’ve got no end of funny looks already, but I just take it in my stride.”
He added that the microcar matches his dress sense which, like his wheels, is straight out of the ’80s, complete with loud shirts, a fedora and a thick fur coat.
However, Cormac did admit that the lack of any kind of storage space in the C5 does cause him problems when doing his weekly shop.
And it does take a bit of work to get it going as the whole thing is entirely pedal-operated like an e-bike.
That being said, the quirky driver said he wouldn’t have it any other way, adding: “I’m still aiming to get my Bugatti Veyron and Lamborghini Aventador, but when this offer came up I couldn’t resist.
“I love it, it’s so much fun.
“It’s a British failure, but such a classic.”