The 10th of January 1985 is a typical winter's day in London. The temperature is

edging above freezing, but only just. A thin covering of snow is starting to melt,

a mix of salt and slush covers the roads. Members of the media are making their way

to the grand surrounds of Alexandra Palace, a landmark Victorian concert and exhibition hall,

for the launch of a new product. They're not sure what the product is, but they're intrigued,

because it's the brainchild of Sir Clive Sinclair, one of Britain's most innovative entrepreneurs.

Sir Clive made his mind in technology. His ZX81 and ZX Spectrum computers have been wildly

successful. Everyone wants to know what he'll do next, and the boomer is, that he's making a car.

The journalists take their seats in an auditorium. Sir Clive's staff buzzed nervously around.

Young women in stylish grey jumpsuits hand out press releases. The anticipation is palpable.

A good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much for coming to this press conference today.

Sir Clive Sinclair is 44 years old. Bald, bespectacled with a ginger beard, he looks like an archetypal geek.

Appearances can deceive. Sir Clive loves poetry and wild parties, but he's certainly smart,

at least by some measures. He's the chairman of Mensa, the British Society for People with a High IQ.

Sir Clive Sinclair's IQ is 159, which puts him roughly on a par with Einstein.

I'm going to start in a rather unusual fashion by telling you what we're not announcing today,

because there have been some fairly confusing leaks. We're not announcing a conventional car.

Sir Clive Sinclair vehicle's limited is dedicated to the development and production of a full range

of electric cars, but today we have an electric vehicle, the first stage on the road to the electric car.

Okay, so he's not launching a car right now, but he is planning them. He's announcing an

electric vehicle. What could that mean? The journalists are getting even more intrigued,

because there have indeed been some confusing leaks. They've heard that Sinclair engaged the sports

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