Caparo Vehicle Technologies - the automotive engineering consultancy arm of the Caparo Group - is putting the finishing touches to the first car it has ever produced. Full details of the T1's specification have now been released during the final stages of testing and development - potential owners will not be disappointed!
Lurking inside its two-seat composite carbon/aluminium monocoque chassis is a bespoke 3.5-litre normally-aspirated V8, which kicks out 575bhp at a quite ludicrous 10,500rpm and 310lb.ft at 9,000rpm.
Given that the T1 has a dry weight of just 550kg (owing to its advanced technology composites), a power-to-weight ratio of 1,045bhp per tonne is achieved. However, with a 70-litre fuel tank and eight litre sump, the T1 will probably weigh over 600kg in most conditions, but that is still less than a third of the weight of a
Bugatti Veyron with more than half the power.
A specially built magnesium, pneumatic paddle-shift gearbox will channel the power using the customers chosen set of gear ratios as well as a limited slip differential.
The T1's stupendous power-to-weight ratio means a 0-60mph time of less than 2.5 seconds is achieved, presumably only in the dry because, unlike the Veyron, the Caparo T1 sends all its power to the rear wheels only. The 0-100mph sprint takes 5.0 seconds, which is fractionally faster than the Bugatti.
The T1's light weight helps the sizeable 355mm brake discs too, with six-piston front and four-piston rear callipers bringing the car to a standstill from 100mph in a claimed 3.5 seconds.
Another surprising characteristic of the T1 is its highly developed and tuneable aerodynamics. Unlike your average quick sports car, the T1 can generate three 'g' in corners. No other production road car can offer up so much downforce and grip. A ground effect diffuser, adjustable front and rear wings, adjustable "fowler flap" and an exceptionally low drag body design are integral to helping Caparo's first effort to achieve such headline grabbing performance.
Ben Scott-Geddes, the car's co-designer, says; "The car drives and handles extremely well both on the road and track", however, Caparo has decided to build both SVA approved road legal and full track versions. Thankfully, various safety equipment, including compatibility with the HANS (Head And Neck restraint System), can be specified on both models as well as further bespoke options tailored to individual customer requirements.
Unsurprisingly, the T1 has rather a heady starting price of £190,000 before taxes, so make that at least £220,000 on-the-road in the UK, a figure likely to rise sharply once several of the options boxes have been ticked. We still feel this isn't so bad considering its status as a technological flagship and extremely low volume vehicle. Its nearest rival, an F1 car, is rather more expensive...
Richard Tanner - 25 Jun 2007
