We’ve been following the progress of Rob Moon’s innovative and exciting three-wheeler project the Drkside. We were speaking to Rob this week and are happy to share his thoughts here. Over to you, Rob …

As TKC Mag/totalkitcar readers may recall, several months ago we gave a sneak preview of my Darkside concept – a distinctly different interpretation of a vehicle focused on delivering unparalleled driver engagement courtesy of an unrepentant reverse-trike architecture, heavily mass-centralised design, and frankly preposterous power-to-weight targets.

The concept itself has received heaps of praise and I am pleased to report that, despite almost zero active marketing, we are already in receipt of over 220 formal Expressions of Interest from all four corners of the UK and as far away as Canada, the USA and Australia!

However, as will not be a surprise, these last few months have proven to be quite the challenge for our ‘boutique’ little vehicle business and tangible progress has been slow since we wrapped up our Design Competition in January (if you haven’t already done so, be sure to check out the winning body design, by Cornwall’s James R Owen – it’s epic!).

At the time of writing, we have built the foundations of a truly exciting little brand: key technical partners are identified & engaged, we have a build location & team secured, mission-critical suppliers are in place, our marketing agency is lined up and our bodywork development partner is on board; all primed and ready to turn our vision into reality.

So, the time is now right to start bringing this fantastic concept out of the computer and onto the welding table – and that’s where you come in!

In the absence of that elusive lottery win, I’m considering novel alternative strategies to give the Darkside brand the kickstart that it needs, with the creation of the first prototype vehicle being front-and-centre. So, I’m looking for a like-minded enthusiast – perhaps a TKR reader – that shares my passion for high-performance engineering and who is willing & able to partner with me to bring the very first Darkside prototype to life.

The process would be fully immersive, working alongside myself and my technical partners to develop a raw concept demonstrator from the ground up, alongside some of the best engineering talent in the UK right now. And, as well as being the driving force behind the build, you would be at the forefront of the testing, development and tuning that a concept such as this will inevitably require as we strive to break the mould for lightweight recreational vehicle engineering and set a new standard for truly visceral driving experiences.

So, what’s in it for me? Well… nothing! Yes, in the interests of accelerating Darkside forwards (in every sense!) I am offering this unique opportunity open-book and AT COST VALUE, with all contributions made by myself totally free of charge.

A shrewd business manoeuvre or a foolish overcommitment… time will tell. In the meantime, my chosen development partner will take ownership of the first-ever (and fully road legal) prototype vehicle, Darkside benefits from a massive step forwards on our journey towards production, and the whole process will be documented by TKC Magazine for all to see. A win, win, win!

So, to get the ball rolling, I want to hear from you. If you dare to be different, love what you’ve seen and would like to partner up to create something truly unique, then drop me an email to contact@drksd.info, describing a little about yourself and why you think you would be a great candidate for this project. At this stage all options are on the table … what have you got to lose? www.drkside.info ENDS.