Success has brought challenges, too - very quickly in its history Cadwell began running out of manufacturing space. The new Small Volume licence would allow the company to produce cars to a higher quality and still embody the design cues for which it is famous - but the problem is ... it will need space.

Cadwell is therefore looking at the need to re-tool and to find a factory suitable to begin building the Cazador. And Alan thinks he's found just the place ...

He was called by a friend to give him a head's up that an old foundry in Louth, a little over 5 miles from the Cadwell location, was now abandoned and in danger of being demolished by the local council to create a brown field site for industrial development.

There's no doubt that the new place will need a bit of TLC but it's a real gift, just when he needs it.

Apart from the cosmetic work to make it a place clients would want to collect their car from, the council would not directly sell it to C³ and so Alison has had to enter into a 10-year rental agreement with an option to buy at the end. However, the sweetener is that the council will levy very moderate rent and rates while the premises are being upgraded. After one year, these will rise to levels more consistent with the commerical value of the property.

Work to get the new location into shape has been continuing apace for 6 months now and, although it's beginning to feel a bit of a money pit, a dim light is beginning to show at the end of the tunnel.