The debuts and showcases have certainly been plentiful at this year's Autosport Show. Big news was announced by the likes of Ford, Radical and Caterham; with brands such as Ariel, Lotus and the illusive Mastretta making appearances as well.
So, Ford first. The revealing of the 2013 WRC Fiesta comes after speculation at the end of last year that doubted Ford's participation in this year's championship. Thankfully, a big deal with Qatar has saved the day.
Big news has also come from the Caterham factory, where the company showcased its CK-01 kart, which is planned for use in its new entry-level karting championship. The six-race series will begin in 2014 aimed at novice drivers ranging between 13 and 16 years of age.
Staying with lightweight track cars, Radical launched its first road-biased track car at the Autosport show. The RXC is still very extreme in terms of being a road car, but Radical has been well, radical, by giving this one a roof. Power comes from a 3.7-litre Mustang V6 engine developing 380hp; so although it's slightly tamer than other models, it won't be a slouch.
Ariel has come to Autosport this year with two new models. The road-going Atom 3.5 features a boost in power to its supercharged 2.0-litre Honda engine to 310hp, rocketing it from 0-62mph in 2.7 seconds. The other new model is the Ariel Cup. It features the same engine as the road car, and is destined for the company's single car race series.
Two motorsport versions of the Exige S were showcased on the Lotus stand: the Cup and Cup R. A Toyota-sourced 3.5-litre V6 engine sits under the bonnet of the Cup version putting out 366hp and 413Nm of torque. A race-ready aero-kit and an FIA-spec roll cage have been fitted too.
Mexican sports car maker Mastretta made an appearance to launch the MXT-R on the Autocar stand. The new model sits above the MXT in the company's line-up and is powered by a 285hp, 2.0-litre engine from the Focus ST. The body kit fitted comes straight from the upcoming MXR racer, but everything else is taken from the standard MXT.
The Autosport Show at Birmingham's NEC ran from 10th-13th January.
James Giddings - 14 Jan 2013
