The Beast of Bodmin
Published 14th September 2017. "The chill should be unexpected - this is August, after all. However, it is approaching midnight... it's pitch black... and that howl is freaking us out a bit. We've been invited down to Bugle in Cornwall, England, by the founder of Toniq Ltd, Colin Williams. I've known (of) Toniq and Colin for a decade or so - one of those people you frequently miss by a few minutes; in our case either at a race track, car show or somewhere else that smells of rubber and petrol. An acquaintance that until now was formed over phone calls and internets, fertilized by a mutual love for the lightweight sports car. Finally we've shaken each others' hands, and I'm sat in the Toniq CB200 wearing a helmet, in the pitch black, parked in a huge puddle. It's strange for a first meet, sure, but I've had worse nights. The effort of getting into the root of England, deep into Cornwall, makes this late-night shenanigan all the more dramatic, like having to work a bit harder to get the good reward, and despite the fact myself and the rest of the crew having been on the road for over ten hours (and severely beneath our expected quota of motorway-service-grub) we're still wide awake. This is an exciting shoot. And it's exciting because of the car. The Toniq is not like other cars. The comparison with a Caterham is predictable, and one Colin is well-experienced in having to answer, but under the skin of this CB is a whole new car. Don't be fooled by the 2010 number plate, the gubbins under that silver and orange façade are as fresh as 'going commando'. This very car is set to become the next generation of Toniq, and set to take them up a notch or two in people's estimations. The handling balance is incredibly well thought out and the weight distribution precisely 50/50 (with the right fuel load). With a kerb weight practically measured in grammes, plus tyres with more grip than a chav on a cheap TV during Black Friday, I know this is a beast which is ready to thrash..." Read more about the Toniq CB and see more images at https://www.influx.co.uk/cars/toniq/
