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Caparo T1

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Caparo T1
An orange Caparo T1 at the 2006 British Motor Show
Overview
ManufacturerT1 Cars Limited
DesignerBen Scott-Geddes
Body and chassis
ClassSupercar
LayoutMid-engine, rear-wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine3.5 L V8
425 kW (575hp) @ 10,500 rpm
420 Nm (310lb/ft) @ 9000 rpm
Transmission6-speed sequential manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase2900 mm (114.2 in)
Length4066 mm (160.1 in)
Width1924 mm (75.7 in)
Height1076 mm (42.4 in)
Curb weight550 kg (1212 lb)

The Caparo T1 is an ultra-lightweight 2 seater sports car designed by former members of the McLaren group and intended to reach production in late 2007, for a price of approximately £190,000 (GP pounds).[1]

Formerly known as the Freestream T1, the design was envisioned as a road-legal car with performance approaching that of a Formula 1 race car, though in practise it is closer to a GP2 car.

The cost of the car in USD$ at the time of writing would be $375,000 if converted directly from the GBP£ figure.

Specifications

  • The engine is a bespoke, naturally-aspirated aluminium V8 with a displacement of 3.5 litres, producing around 575bhp (425 kW) at 10,500 rpm, and 310lb/ft (420 Nm) at 9000rpm while running on Super Unleaded (RON98) Petrol[1]. The engine has also been dyno tested running on Methanol at 700bhp[2]. According to a caparo spokesman, the fundmentals of the engine are designed for up to 17,000rpm[1]. The engine is mid-mounted and uses a dry sump lubrication system. The car is rear-wheel drive running through a LSD.[3] This engine is a joint development between Caparo and the UK-based company Menard Engineering Ltd, which is now part of UltraMotive (Magma).
  • With a dry weight of 550 kg due to the extensive use of lightweight materials, it has a power to weight ratio of around 1045 hp/tonne.[1]
  • The body is made of carbon fibre with many customisable aerodynamic options such as adjustable front and rear wings.[3]
  • The chassis is a 2 seater carbon/aluminium honeycomb monocoque structure.[3]
  • The brakes are fully-floating steel race discs with a diameter of 355mm in both front and rear wheels
  • The front brakes have 6 piston billet machined race calipers with 4 piston billet machined race calipers in the rear brakes.
  • The brake bias is fully adjustable and brake pad compound options are available.[3]
  • The aerodynamics of the car are capable of producing 800Kg of downforce at 150mph.[1]
  • The car has a normal ride height of only 50mm, however this can be raised to 100mm to help clear obstacles like speedbumps.[1]
  • The steering is a magnesium cased light weight high ratio steering rack with bespoke removable steering wheel.[3]
  • Safety features include steel roll loop, composite front crash structure, head protection systems, six-point harness compatibility.[3]
  • The ECU is fully tuneable, with bespoke wiring aerospace grade loom. The dash is a multi-function race dash with data logging.[3]
  • With its lightweight body and relatively small engine displacement, it is suggested that it can achieve excellent fuel economy of 800 km or 500 miles from its 70 Litre fuel tank with highway driving.[4][5]

Performance

Expected performance figures:

0-96km/h (0-60mph): <2.5 seconds

0-160km/h (0-100mph): <5 seconds

0-160-0km'h (0-100-0mph): 8.5 seconds

Maximum Speed: >322kmh (200mph)

Braking deceleration: Up to 3G

Cornering Forces: Up to 3G

The three latter figures are however greatly affected by the configuration of the adjustable aerodynamics setup of the car. The expected overall performance is close to that of a GP2 Series race car.

The T1's power to weight ratio (1045bhp/tonne) is more than double that of the Bugatti Veyron (506bhp/tonne).


References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Caparo T1 in detail, CAR Magazine Cite error: The named reference "CAR Caparo Info" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ The obession continues: Caparo T1 in final stages of testing - Autoblog
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Caparo T1, Official Website Cite error: The named reference "Official Caparo T1" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ Caparo T1 - RSportsCars.com
  5. ^ Computified: The Caparo T1
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