Sinclair C5 "a delightful toy" "The Daily Telegraph" described it as "a cleverly-designed 'fun' machine that can hardly be regarded as serious, everyday all-weather transport", while "The Engineer" viewed it as "a smashing big boy's toy, tough enough to take teenage thrashing and possibly a serious vehicle for fit adults to nip out in for the Sunday papers". On the plus side, the C5's handling characteristics were praised by reviewers. "The Guardian" called it "very easy to master once you have become familiar with the under-thigh handlebar steering and the semi-recumbent driving position with feet on bicycle-type pedals." The "Daily Mirror" described
Sinclair C5 managed to convince him that the project would work. In 1984, Sinclair Vehicles' new head office was established in Coventry in the West Midlands, an area with a long-established link with the motor industry. The project's prospects were boosted by changes in the British government's approach to electric vehicles. In March 1980, it had abolished Vehicle Excise Duty for electric vehicles and by the start of 1983, the Department of Transport was working on legislation that would introduce a new category of vehicle – the "electrically assisted pedal cycle". This had a number of significant advantages from Sinclair's point of