Cometh the Hour. Cometh The Plan.

Last week saw the reveal of the next step in Caterham's 'natural progression' of models, and the first non-Seven car in 15 years. The clumsily titled Caterham-Lola SP/300.R was one of the stars at the Birmingham Autosport International Show, with good reason, with stats of 300bhp Ford Duratec power and a typically Caterham sub 600kg weight. Simple sales facts state that while penned currently for a one-make race series and serious track day enthusiasts, in the vein of a budget FXX (without the test bed system or Ferrari bureaucracy) the 300.R will eventually spawn a road legal version to take on cars such as the Lotus 2-Eleven, and that other British manufacturer of spartan racetrack specials, Radical. Speaking of which...

Also at the Autosport show, Radical unveiled a similarly large step in car production, their equally seductively named SR3 SL, Radical's first car designed, in their eyes (and words) specifically for road use. Of course, large pinch of salt included, this is Radical's interpretation of road use, so if as a possible potential customer, you're after heated cupholders, cruise control and parking sensors, don't hold your breath. The SL (Street Legal) boasts creature comforts that amount to slightly more compliant dampers, mated to road legal wheels and legislated tyres. Propelled along by the EcoBoost engine Ford will be hoping for good things from in the new Focus ST, it turns the wick up to chuck out 300bhp, which by pure coincidence of course is exactly the same power output quoted slightly earlier in this post. The car doesn't deserve mocking however; a six speed sequential 'box and very BMW Art Car-esque livery show the new Rad means business, especially in its natural habitat of the summer track day.

That's the facts and figures dealt with, and you may very well be thinking that they're really not that important, that two very similar looking cars, evolutions on a common theme, from two tiny fringe manufacturers appealing to a marginal target audience of enthusiast petrolheads with £40k going spare are wholly irrelevant.

That's the exact reason that they're worthy of mention, since nothing could be further from the truth. Hate to preach the facts of motoring life once again, but as all drivers know the cost of fuel, the relentless war on the car and its driver through tax, speed policing, congestion and yet more tax means it's pretty hard to enjoy a good car on a good road, in the UK anyway, right now. Yet Caterham and Radical have weathered the economic storm, invested, and now produced cars which are very much of their time. Light weight, heavy on interaction, small capacity, medium output, but enormous set-up know how to produce what will no doubt be excellent drivers' cars.

They are by no stretch of the imagination practical, the Caterham isn't even road legal yet, but since it's nigh-on impossible to enjoy sustained periods on the majority of roads nowadays, so what? These cars are purely an indulgence, a pared down minimalist concept to give maximum driver satisfaction, and in an age where everyone from BMW to Lambo are trying to save weight, fuel and money, while keeping driving pleasure (Joy?) on a high, Caterham and Radical couldn't be more of the moment. The same goes for Ariel, and Lotus for the time being, before the ambitious new range direction coughs into life. The featherweights may possess qualities only a lucky few will ever get to experience, and not have to conform to countless obstacles that befall the mainstream car industry, but they do prove sports cars have a future, as does enthusiast driving, and that's a lead to be grateful for, and that the rest of the world will follow.