It was back in 2006 when we first came across Trident and its plans to create a diesel-powered sports car. The prototype was up and running a couple of years later, and it debuted at the Salon Privé in London a few years after that. It's now been the better part of two years since its debut – and eight years since the project first surfaced – but Trident Sports Cars says it's finally ready to launch the vehicle it called Iceni.

Billed as "the world's fastest and most fuel efficient diesel sports car," the Trident Inceni is styled in the grandest of British tradition. But it's what's under that classical sheetmetal that makes it stand out. Where you'd expect to find a gasoline-burning engine, the Trident Inceni packs a 6.6-litre turbodiesel V8 good for an entirely respectable 395 horsepower and a time-bending 700 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission (there aren't a lot of gearboxes out there, after all, that could handle that much twist), the Inceni is said to be good for a 3.7-second 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time and a top speed in excess of 305 km/h (190 miles per hour). All that with a range of 3,218 km (2,000 miles) and the ability to run on mineral or bio-diesel.

Not enough? On top of the £96,000 (CAD$178k) base price, you can opt for the £11,300 (CAD$21k) Performance Pack that increases the output to 430 hp and – get this – an unfathomable 950 lb-ft of torque. Still not enough? The optional £30,875 (CAD$57k) Track Pack ups the output even further to 660 hp and 1,050 lb-ft. That's more power than a Corvette Z06 and the better part of twice as much torque. Fortunately carbon-ceramic brakes are available to keep all that muscle in check (and come standard on the Track Pack).

There's a Premium Pack and Lux Pack available for those inclined as well, and buyers will have the choice of three bodystyles: the roadster, Magna fastback and upcoming Venturer shooting brake. In correspondence with Autoblog, Trident confirmed that all three versions are offered for export in left-hand drive and will be available in North America, with Federal type-approval process commencing this summer, although North American pricing has yet to be announced.

the track performance pack ups the ante to 660 bhp (492 kW) and 1,050 lb-ft (1,422 Nm)