Search Car Reviews



See all makes

Parradine 525S

Ferrari has its prancing horse, Lamborghini a raging bull and Jaguar a leaping big cat. So what emblem has John Parradine chosen to represent his newly founded supercar firm? An elephant. The reasoning is that his father built a mechanical walking 'robot' version of the animal in the Fifties as a novelty ride, which proved a great hit with holidaymakers in Blackpool.

March 2002

Ferrari has its prancing horse, Lamborghini a raging bull and Jaguar a leaping big cat. So what emblem has John Parradine chosen to represent his newly founded supercar firm? An elephant. The reasoning is that his father built a mechanical walking 'robot' version of the animal in the Fifties as a novelty ride, which proved a great hit with holidaymakers in Blackpool.

Will John be able to repeat this success with supercar buyers, and join legendary marques such as Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin in the prestigious 200mph club? Auto Express is the first magazine in the world to find out. In this exclusive drive, we put the outrageous Parradine 525S through its paces to see if it's good enough to rub shoulders with the elite in the sports car market.

We first caught sight of the V8-powered roadster at last year's British Motor Show. The Scunthorpe-based company's engineers have been working flat out to turn the concept into reality ever since. It's now got the essential Single Type Approval stamp, but the hand-built grand tourer is still very much at the prototype stage, featuring the same non-production bodywork and Ford Ka switchgear as the hastily put-together show car.

However, the essential bits are all in place, and the spaceframe chassis, supercharged 4.6-litre Ford Mustang V8 and six-speed gearbox have been production-cleared and are ready for action - giving us just the excuse we need to take the Aston Martin DB7 rival for a blast. And 'blast' is the operative word here; with 525bhp at 6,400rpm and a mighty 624Nm of torque on tap, the 1,350kg Parradine boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 388bhp per ton - that's 100bhp/ton more than even Ferrari's 550 Maranello can muster. On the road this translates into brutally fast acceleration, lighting up the rear tyres in first gear in the dry, and restricting full throttle to the second ratio and above. Be gentle with your right foot and the car feels surprisingly smooth and well mannered, pulling cleanly from as little as 40mph in sixth.

But press the pedal with any conviction and the engine responds with race car-like reflexes, bombarding the driver's ears with a supercharger whine and distinctive eight-cylinder growl as the four gearshift lights on the speed-ometer blink on in quick succession. Few other supercar engines sound, or indeed feel, so spectacular. And should you find yourself in a position to make full use of the Parradine's 204mph claimed top speed - such as on a race track - the Tremec gearbox's short, precise action provides ample driver appeal. Only a mushy-feeling clutch and offset pedals detract from the fun. Massive 18-inch rear wheels shod in 295/35-profile tyres offer enormous traction, making the 525S seem remarkably stable and well planted in bends. And when you want to play, the car's front-engined, rear-wheel-drive chassis and ideal 50:50 weight distribution provide surprisingly neutral on-the-limit handling, with oversteer on demand and strong, progressive brakes.

Complaints? Well, on the prototype, the steering is light and has far too much play just off dead centre, while the driving position is cramped for tall drivers. In addition, the fit of the detachable targa-panel roof needs fine-tuning and the interior is very poorly finished. But this machine is a test bed for the chassis and drivetrain, and Parradine assures us that these flaws will be sorted by the time the first 525S rolls out of the factory in March, at the mind-blowing price of

Tell us about your car in our Driver Power survey.

What Next

For more breaking car news and reviews, subscribe to Auto Express magazine. We'll give you 6 issues for £1 and a free gift!

< Previous   Next >

Sponsored Results

0 Comment

Be the first to comment on this article

You need to register to post comments. Existing members can log in below to comment, otherwise click here to join.



Sponsored Results

- Advertisement -

Sponsored Results

- Advertisement -