Autoblog

Radical promises Le Mans-inspired RXC

Zach Bowman — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:44:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, UK, Racing

Radical is poised to release a new model called the RXC. A two-seat, closed-roof sports car, the machine should bow with a Ford 3.7-liter V6 with around 380 horsepower on hand and a curb weight of under 2,000 pounds. Designers borrowed from the company's experience at the 24 Hours of Le Mans to create a vehicle that looks more like an LMP1 entry than something road-legal. The body generates an impressive 1,984 pounds of down force and uses both composite and carbon fiber construction. Underneath the skin, the RXC boasts a tube steel chassis with an integrated roll cage. Radical says it will run the RXC through the same FIA crash test evaluations Le Mans racers must withstand.

Should you require a bit more thrust, the RXC can be had with the same 3.0-liter V8 found in the SR8 RX racer. That lump churns out 480 horsepower and dumps it all on the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic. Handling falls on a new bespoke Intrax inboard push rod race suspension with double wishbones on all four corners, and the RXC uses a hefty set of 13-inch discs pressed by six-piston brake calipers up front to slow the party. The rear brakes also use six-piston calipers, though they're paired with a 12.2-inch disc. Check out the full press release below.

Continue reading Radical promises Le Mans-inspired RXC

Radical promises Le Mans-inspired RXC originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Radical introduces new entry-level SR1

Noah Joseph — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:59:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, UK, MISC, Racing

Their models may not be for everyone, but at the end of the day, Radical has a winning formula: make an LMP race car for consumers. In fact, the formula is so successful that Caterham and Lola essentially replicated it with the SP/300.R.

Radical aims to further its model with a new closed-roof model, but before it does, the British manufacturer is taking the formula to a new price point more accessible to the common buyer.

The new SR1 takes a similar approach to the more expensive SR3 that set records at the Nurburgring, but coming in at £29,850 (before taxes, or about $46k at today's exchange rates including Value Added Tax), is a more affordable proposition that further entrenches Radical's goal of trouncing supercars costing twice its price or more. The Suzuki-souced 1.3-liter, four-cylinder motorbike engine has been tuned by Radical in this application to deliver 210 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque. But considering its low weight, that's still tipped to be enough to propel the racecar-for-the-road to 60 in 3.6 seconds.

A Quaife ATB limited-slip differential and 240-millimeter ventilated disc brakes help keep things under control and an FIA-approved roll cage and integrated fire supression system are there in case they can't. Buyers can have racing slicks, rain tires or road rubber fitted according to their needs. So while the SR1 may be intended for track use, it can be driven to the track instead of stored or towed there and driven back home at the end of the day... all for less than you'd pay (in the UK) for even a base Porsche Boxster.

Check out the high-res gallery above along with the press release below for the full skinny.

Continue reading Radical introduces new entry-level SR1

Radical introduces new entry-level SR1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Radical working on all-new RXC Coupe [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, MISC, Racing

If you've ever had occasion to see a Radical in person - or for that matter, in photos - you likely couldn't avoid thinking it looked like a miniature version of a Le Mans Prototype. The ground-hugging ride height, the aerodynamically-optimized bodywork, the open cockpit... but wait a second, don't most LMPs these days have closed cockpits? Why yes, yes they do.

The Audi R18, the Toyota TS030, even the aborted Peugeot 908 all have fixed roofs and windshields. So if Radical really is going to follow the form of the front-running endurance prototypes, it's going to need a closed canopy, too. And that, according to the latest reports, is exactly what it is developing.

Called the RXC Coupe, the new Radical appears to still be in the design phase, but is tipped to arrive in time for 2014. The body is expected to be wider than the existing open models, with a completely new aerodynamic shape. Both race and road versions are reportedly in the cards, with a V8 powering a seven-speed sequential transmission in the former good for around 650 horsepower.

All that and roadworthiness, too, stands to make the Radical RXC Coupe one very serious performance machine, whether on the street or on the track. And we're looking forward to seeing how it shapes up. Follow the jump and skip ahead to around the 4:30 mark in the video to see footage of the 3D model from all angles.

Continue reading Radical working on all-new RXC Coupe [w/video]

Radical working on all-new RXC Coupe [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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i1 Super Series puts F1 drivers in Radicals across Asia

Noah Joseph — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, India

New racing series are popping up all the time in different locations around the world. So what makes the new i1 Super Series special? Somehow, the organizers have managed to attract an enviable roster of former F1 drivers to participate.

The series, originally known as the Indian Racing League (but which probably changed names to avoid confusion with the defunct Indy Racing League), is a new spec racing series centered in Asia. For the inaugural season, it will be using the Radical SR3 (pictured above), a production-based, LMP-style sports car with a 1500cc Suzuki motorcycle engine custom-tuned to produce around 260 horsepower. That may not sound like much power, but with such a such a light frame, it's capable of hitting 60 in three seconds flat, cornering at nearly 2.5 Gs and consistently holds the lap record at the Nürburgring.

Nine teams (each representing a major city in India) will each field two cars: one piloted by an up-and-coming Indian driver, and one by an established pro. Those are being chosen from a pool that includes such notable talents as Jacques Villeneuve, Giancarlo Fisichella, Jean Alesi, Heinz-Haral Frentzen, Mika Salo and Sakon Yamamoto.

Ten races will be held in this inaugural season at five circuits: India's new Buddh circuit in New Delhi, Sepang in Malaysia, Losail in Qatar, Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. Read more in the press release after the break.

Continue reading i1 Super Series puts F1 drivers in Radicals across Asia

i1 Super Series puts F1 drivers in Radicals across Asia originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Radical SR3 SL races from track to street to show stand

Noah Joseph — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:39:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Performance, MISC, Racing

Many cars have come and gone claiming to be "race cars for the road," but few actually live up to it. Not Radical, though. The British automaker does one thing and one thing only, and that's making Le Mans Prototype-style track cars that you can - technically speaking, at least - drive on the street. (That, and regularly trouncing six- and seven-figure supercars around the Nürburgring to continuously hold the vaunted lap record.)

Radical has been making these cars for years. And to be fair, the SR3 SL isn't a brand new model - it came out several months ago. So why are we reporting on it, you ask? Because this is the first time we've actually seen a Radical - any Radical - up close and personal, this being the first time the company has displayed at a major international auto show outside the UK.

So check it out in our gallery of live images from the show floor of Frankfurt, and revel in the fact that while you probably wouldn't, you could, hypothetically, actually drive one of these on the road.

Radical SR3 SL races from track to street to show stand originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Radical SR3 RS celebrates 10th anniversary with limited edition

Noah Joseph — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, MISC, Racing

Radical SR3 RS Limited - Click above for high-res image

When you talk about race cars for the road, one of the first names that comes to mind is Radical. The British niche automaker's core model - the SR3 RS - is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion Radical has released a limited edition of its track-ready rocket.

The SR3 RS Limited packs some unique touches at a lower price point aimed at bringing new customers into the fold. Its features list includes oversized vented disc brakes hidden behind center-lock wheels, a high-downforce rear diffuser, trackday exhaust silencer (necessary at many circuits due to noise pollution regulations) and a spares package with an extra set of rain tires mounted to another set of wheels and more. The Limited model also gets special gelcoat paint in yellow, orange or red, with matte vinyl decals for that race-car look.

Oh, and don't forget the 1.3-liter Suzuki motorbike engine, tuned in house by Radical to deliver 210 horsepower to the rear wheels via six-speed sequential gearbox. Only 25 examples will be offered at £49,850 (equivalent to about $80k) including British taxes, which hardly makes the RS Limited a cheap proposition, but - considering its blistering levels of performance - one which Radical says encompasses its best value yet. Have a closer look at the information page in the gallery below for more information.

Gallery: Radical SR3 RS Limited

[Source: Radical]

Radical SR3 RS celebrates 10th anniversary with limited edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Radical Sportscars previews SR3 SL ahead of Autosport debut

Noah Joseph — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, UK, MISC

If you're looking for a bare-bones, no nonsense roadster, the upcoming Autosport International motorsport show in Birmigham, England, is the place to be. That's where Caterham is set to unveil an all-new vehicle, and where Radical is also planning to debut its latest street-legal race car.

Now, that term is used to describe many performance automobiles, but if anyone can lay claim to it, it's Radical. The company makes Le Mans Prototype-style cars that are nominally street legal, but every bit the purebred racers they look like. The SR8 holds the lap record at the Nürburgring, and is soon to be joined in the Radical lineup by the SR3 SL. Fully street legal, the SR3 SL is aimed at track-day enthusiasts looking for a car they can drive to the circuit, lap to their heart's content and then drive back home... just like in the good old days.

The SR3 SL is powered by a 300-horsepower version of the Ford EcoBoost five found in the Focus ST, optimized in-house by Radical. It's mated to a six-speed paddle-shift sequential gearbox that automatically blips the throttle on the downshift, and with a curb weight under 1,500 lbs, is sure to be a serious thrill ride.

[Source: Radical]

Continue reading Radical Sportscars previews SR3 SL ahead of Autosport debut

Radical Sportscars previews SR3 SL ahead of Autosport debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Radical celebrates 1,000th car, shows off electric SRZero racer

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 23 May 2010 15:33:00 EST

Filed under: Electric, Racing

It's not often that a race car manufacturer gets to celebrate the production of its 1,000th unit, but that's exactly what happened at Radical Sportscars this week. It has taken Radical 13 years to reach this milestone, and the SR2 has accounted for over half that volume. Radicals compete in a wide variety of series worldwide, including four runs in the 24 hours of Le Mans with the LMP2-class SR9 model.

Radical has also shown off a concept for a battery-powered race car dubbed the SRZero. Developed in cooperation with the Energy Futures Lab at Imperial College London, the SRZero sends energy from its 550-volt battery through a pair of electric motors that produce a combined 400 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The SRZero appears to be based on the SR3 chassis, and whether it will ever compete is unclear. Also unknown: how far the SRZero can go on a charge. Evidently, it supports simultaneous charging from two outlets.

[Source: Radical Sportscars, EVO]

Radical celebrates 1,000th car, shows off electric SRZero racer originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 May 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Exotic Car Pack brings the truly exotic to Forza 3

Noah Joseph — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Toys/Games

Forza 3 Exotic Car Pack DLC - Click above for high-res screen-shot gallery

There are exotics, and then there are exotics. Some are relatively commonplace, like Porsches, Lamborghinis or Ferraris. But some are decidedly, well... exotic. Like Spykers, Gumperts and Moslers, to name just a few. Those most exotic of exotics are the contents of the latest downloadable content package for Forza 3, the hit racing game for the Xbox 360.

Called, suitably enough, the Exotic Car Pack, it contains the SSC Ultimate Aero, Weismann GT MF5, Devon GTX, Spada Codatronca TS, Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85, Mosler MT900S, Rossion Q1, Radical SR8 LM and Gumpert Apollo S, plus an Australian exotic called the Joss JT1. The package costs 400 Microsoft points (equivalent to $5) on Xbox Live, but you can check them out now in the high-res screen-shot gallery below and the video after the jump.

Gallery: Forza 3 Exotic Car Pack DLC

[Source: Microsoft]

Continue reading Video: Exotic Car Pack brings the truly exotic to Forza 3

Video: Exotic Car Pack brings the truly exotic to Forza 3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 May 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: On board the Radical SR8LM's record-setting Nürburgring lap

Noah Joseph — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Europe, Videos, Specialty

Radical SR8LM sets the Nürburgring lap record - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Some of the best sportscars on the road are those derived from racing machinery. But by the time you take them back to the racetrack...well, that's just backwards thinking. At least, that's how it seems when you look at the Radical SR8LM. Instead of making life imitate art that's imitating life, Radical cut the shortest distance from A to B. The SR8LM is that product, and as you may have heard, it holds the new record for the fastest lap time at the Nürburgring.

Okay, so it's not so practical. But then, neither are most of the extreme performance machines out there. So instead of splitting hairs, how about climbing on board the Suzuki Hayabusa-engined street-legal Le Mans prototype-style racer-for-the-road and watch it raise the bar yet again. Sound good? Then follow the jump to watch the video. But you might want to watch it before eating, not after, because while the Radical may look ready to win races, it may also make you lose your lunch.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: On board the Radical SR8LM's record-setting Nürburgring lap

VIDEO: On board the Radical SR8LM's record-setting Nürburgring lap originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Radical SR8LM sets new Nürburgring record at 6:48

Noah Joseph — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Performance

Radical SR8LM at the 'Ring - Click above for image gallery

What's the best way to set the fastest lap time for a street legal car? Make it as close to a race car as possible. And that's exactly what British carmaker Radical does best. They've held the Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record since running their SR8 there in 2005, setting a 6:55 lap time that remains well out of reach for anything less, well...radical, including the Dodge Viper ACR's 7:22.1 and the Gumpert Apollo Speed's 7:11.5 from just a few days ago. But never content to let their record stand, Radical headed back to Eiffel to raise the bar even further.

Upgrading on the 360 horsepower SR8 that set the record four years ago, the SR8LM was introduced in 2007 with a 455 hp modified Suzuki Hayabusa engine mounted in a compact Le Mans Prototype-style body. But despite its racecar styling and tarmac-scraping ride height, the Radical is completely street legal. Somewhere. As proof, Michael Vergers drove it down from the factory in England all the way to the vaunted German circuit, and within 24 hours, he had set the new record. The 6:48 lap time, a full eight seconds quicker than Radical's previous record, was verified by Germany's Sport Auto and England's Evo magazines using Dunlop racing slicks. Check out the press release after the jump for more details and the photos in the gallery below.

Gallery: Radical SR8LM at the Nurburgring

[Source: Radical]

Continue reading Radical SR8LM sets new Nürburgring record at 6:48

Radical SR8LM sets new Nürburgring record at 6:48 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Reynard talks about his bike-engined Inverter racer

Chris Paukert — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Videos, Motorcycle

Click above to watch video after the jump

Earlier this month, we told you how the motorsports gurus over at Reynard are preparing to market a bike-engined trackday special called the Inverter. The tube-frame racer promises lightweight thrills and face-contorting lateral Gs to take on the Radicals and Caterhams world.

Reynard has now released an official video teaser that gives us the backstory on the car's development, including an interesting interview with Dr. Adrian Reynard himself. Check out the gallery below after you watch the HD video after the jump.

Gallery: Reynard Inverter

[Source: Reynard]
http://www.reynardracingcars.com/videos.html

Continue reading VIDEO: Reynard talks about his bike-engined Inverter racer

VIDEO: Reynard talks about his bike-engined Inverter racer originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even more Radical: 455-hp SR8LM

Noah Joseph — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:07:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Supercars

If for no other reason, love these cars for the utter straightforward simplicity of their name - they are exactly what they're called: Radical. While many sports car manufacturers claim the mantle as their own, few follow the creed of "racing car for the road" quite so faithfully as Radical, the small British outfit that produces track-day specials like the SR8. They may be certified for road use, but few concessions have been made towards comfort or usability. These cars are meant to be driven to the track and back home again.

As if its previous offerings weren't fast enough, Radical has now unveiled its latest race car for the road: the SR8LM. The LM designation should give you a clue in case the picture doesn't say it all. It's built to offer Le Mans prototype levels of performance to anyone with the means. While the "ordinary" SR8 is powered by a 360-hp Powertec-modified superbike engine from the Suzuki Hayabusa, bored out from 1.3-liters to 2.8 and designated RPA, the SR8LM gets the revised RPB powerplant pumping out a whopping 455 horses and revving to an atmospheric 10,500-rpm redline. The engine is mated to Radical's paddle-operated Powertec P-tec transaxle and PS1 pneumatic shifter that have been engineered for foot-to-the-floor upshifts and automatically blips the throttle on the way back down.

While we don't have performance stats just yet, Radical claims the new £89,000 SR8LM will keep pace with actual Le Mans prototype race cars. That's quite a claim, but considering that the previous 360hp SR8 already holds the record for fastest street-legal car to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife at 6' 55", that may not be so far-fetched.

(Press release after the jump.)

[Source: Radical]

Continue reading Even more Radical: 455-hp SR8LM

Even more Radical: 455-hp SR8LM originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Radical assault on Audi in LMP1 racing

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 07:49:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

While their first year in LMP2 hasn't produced a win yet, the performance of the SR9 has been impressive, and Radical has announced plans to step up to LMP1 when the series moves to its new closed cockpit cars in 2010. Ruling body ACO recently adopted a new framework for P1 cars that will have the cars looking more like "road cars" with closed tops, sleeker bodies with not as many obvious cooling ducts, and smaller rear wings. Rather than go it alone, it seems Radical is trying to attract a major manufacturer that would want to go head-to-head with Audi and newcomer Peugeot in the European series. Quotes and another photo-illustration after the jump.

[Source: Radical]

Continue reading A Radical assault on Audi in LMP1 racing

A Radical assault on Audi in LMP1 racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Sep 2006 07:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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