Biggleswade manufacturer to remake sleek Berkeley Bandit sports cars

Production will begin in April 2021 at the Old Warden aerodrome near Biggleswade, the same site which closed its doors 60 years ago.

The cars will be “underpinned by sustainable technology”, and will cost between £40,000-£60,000.

Engineers have designed a composite chassis which will use plant-based materials such as flax to replace carbon fibre and sticky resins from trees to replace chemicals.

The Berkeley Bandit will be available as a coupe and roadster and buyers will be to choose between liquid-fuelled engines, a hydrogen cell or full electric.

Managing director of Berkeley Coachworks Simon Scleater said: “The Berkeley brands values of innovation and new technology really resonated with us.

“They built the first production car to use a composite chassis, and their use of two stroke motorbike powertrains was way ahead of its time, so much so that their use was reinvented some 40 years later when Radical rediscovered their benefits with the launch of a racing car.

“Our continuing investment into forward-thinking technology matches the desire and purpose of the original Berkeley Coachworks brand and we aim to deliver a fresh, forward thinking and purposeful approach to iconic sport scar design and the unique driving experience the Berkeley Bandit delivers.”