German Car Zone

Sorry then, I missunderstood you.

From CAR, Caparo T1 in detail:










What's the latest news?

The Caparo T1 is launched today, and it's the most extreme supercar ever built, claim its creators. Out of the way Le Mans racer or superbike – the British designed T1 is mightier than both.

Thanks to its featherlight structure and 575bhp V8 engine, the Caparo can crack 60mph in less than 2.5sec, and crack the 100mph barrier in under 5.0sec. It piles on speed at such a phenomenal pace thanks to a staggering power-to-weight ratio of 1045bhp per tonne. That's twice as powerful as the world's fastest production car, the 252mph Bugfatti Veyron, which musters 'just' 506bhp per tonne.

The T1 is the first series production car to break the 1000bhp per tonne ceiling, a feat beyond even the most vicious superbike, say the Caparo team.

Two prototypes are lapping the Goodwood Motor Circuit right now, as the new British hero is showcased to the press. Naturally CAR Online is there, and first to bring you all the details.

Sounds amazing. Let's have the juice then...

The T1 supercar is a showcase for automotive consultancy Caparo Vehicle Technologies. This British-based multinational designs, manufactures and supplies components to the automotive industry. Its dream is to get more parts from lightweight metals or composites into mass production, to bring down the weight of family cars.

Just don't expect the average family hatch to be as exotic – and therefore as expensive – as the T1. The limited edition supercar will cost £190,000 plus taxes. For that price, you get a car that weighs a featherlight 550kg. That's around one-third of the weight of a family saloon, and an impressive 250kg less than a Lotus Elise.

The T1's principal designer is Ben Scott-Geddes, who cut his teeth at McLaren cars working on the Mercedes SLR. Like the McMerc, the T1 is made of advanced materials carbonfibre and aluminium. The monocoque is made from carbonfibre, like an F1 car which it closely resembles.

The engine room

Two occupants can ride in the slender T1, with the passenger seat staggered just behind the driver's left shoulder. A bespoke 3.5-litre V8 engine is mounted just behind the passenger cell. The naturally aspirated unit kicks out 575bhp at 10,500rpm and 310lb ft of torque at 9000rpm.

And there could be higher performance versions to come. 'In its current state of tune, the engine is well within its capability,' says Caparo Vehicle Technologies boss Richard Butler. 'It's very low stressed running at 10,500rpm – it could reach 17,000.' The thinking behind this is to ensure good reliability from the engine, which weighs just 116kg. The engine is a joint development between Caparo and Menard Engineering, rather a familiar unit bought in.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential manual gearbox. As the T1 is the ultimate track car, gearchanges are made by paddles, with fuel and ignition cut-off rendering the clutch pedal redundant. It's present for the journey to the track, to ensure smooth changes in congestion. The T1 is also designed to cope with another scourge of modern motoring – the speed bump. Although the T1 stands just 50mm high when pounding the track, the alumium pushrod suspension can be raised to provide 100mm of ground clearance. The suspension has a double wishbone design, the classic racing car set-up.

Any other amazing facts?

Braking performance is awesome too, taking just 3.5secs to wipe 100mph off the clock and bring the T1 to a total halt. Surprisingly, the 355mm brake discs are not made of carbon but more conventional steel. They are gripped by six-pot callipers up front and four-pot callipers at the rear.

The T1's extreme form follows its function: to perform like an F1 car. Top speed is 187mph. In wind tunnel tests, aerodynamic aids such as the tall rear wing generated around 800kg of downforce at 150mph. No wonder Caparo is claiming this as the ultimjate track car.

But most impressive of all is the T1's development time. While a mainstream car maker can spend six years designing and developing a new model, the T1 should go from drawing board to the first customer's garage in a breath-taking 12 months. Now that's what we call fast.

M

I wanted the 700 hp version. Guess this will do for now.

Now were's chubby to test it against ?!

From Road and Track:



















Road and Track Magazine - Caparo T1 (8/2007)

M

The ultimate track day car? Quite possibly, but then it comes at a hefty price. An Ultima GTR or Radical SR3 will provide damn near thrills at a fraction of the price.

Also, they appear to be decidely more robust looking than this spindly looking T1. Track days = pushing it to the limit. Pushing beyond the limit = on the grass or into the tyre wall. I think that the T1 will break rather easily compared with the cheaper, less high-tech track day burners.

... then again, a Caparo T1 owner will probably just send the car off to the shop on a flatbed and get into his FXX for more sedate lapping.

I'm sure this is a very good track day car, but it seems very expensive, I personally wouldn't take something costing as much money as this does to the track.

Will be interesting to see how many they sell!

The hole fun/torture is in the lateral gs/cornering and braking. And here both the Ultima GTR or Radical SR3 "fail".
Without the fancy aerodynamics (wings + ground effects) the 2 won't touch it.
Shifting will faster and steering will be microscopical.




Braking is actually the hole point. The carbon acts also as sort of a crumpling zone in a way.
An F1 car is made to gradually brake to pieces so that the heavy/dangerous parts won't be near the driver, and also to absorb the impact. Then comes the reinforced tank cockpit and HANS to do their trick.

Why all this ?!
When a car like this will lose control, in an accident, the G-forces to anywhere between 20Gs and 179Gs.

In the old pre CF non-breakable cars you were left with the following scenarios in case of accident:

- the impact deformed the car and killed the driver by destroying his organs
- the impact deformed the car, the driver is trapped and poinsened to death
- the impact deformed the car, the driver is burned to death
- a combination of at least 2 of the above

Let me tell you, in case of an accident I'd chose the Caparo T1 hands down, because those guys in the Ultima GTR or Radical SR3 won't be so "lucky".




Very likely. You'll need to be something like a GP2 driver at least to be trully able to enjoy it.

But non the less it's awsome.

Some videos:

It looks so fragile.

M