What's the news?
Radical has teamed up with Ford in a new technical partnership and its focused RXC now benefits from a turbocharged, 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost engine, creating the obviously-named RXC Turbo.
Exterior
The RXC, even as 'standard', is a pretty extreme thing, being as it is a road-going version of a Le Mans racer. Its bodywork can develop 900kg of downforce, with cooling ducts for both engine and brakes in the nose and sidepods. The eagle-eyed among you may spot that the Turbo has louvres above the wheels to increase downforce levels above those of the non-turbo car. So if you've ever fancied going to the shops in an LMP machine, the RXC Turbo is your answer.
Interior
The RXC Turbo's interior is as hard-core as the non-turbo version's cabin, but has optional increased sound deadening and traction control as standard. So you get the same bespoke Corbeau, FIA-compliant bucket seats, a heated windscreen with single wiper, a multi-function steering wheel and an adjustable pedal box, these being the more track-focused kit among a few other creature comforts fitted to the Radical.
Mechanicals
The 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost engine isn't used over here in Europe, instead finding favour in the US where it replaces traditional large displacement V8s but offers the same sort of power and torque. And the Radical is no exception, with the engine in the RXC Turbo developing 460hp at 6,000rpm and 678Nm of grunt at 3,600rpm. Fitted to the RXC's svelte 940kg frame, it equates to 0-60mph in a mind-bending 2.6 seconds, with top speed in the order of 185mph, thanks to a power-to-weight ratio of 489hp-per-tonne. The RXC Turbo is fitted with a Radical-designed charge cooler - essentially an intercooler chilled by water, not air - to keep efficiency levels no matter what you're demanding of the car.
Ford and Radical worked hard to ensure sharp response from the fly-by-wire throttle and good fuel economy, with the RXC Turbo's lump featuring two small turbochargers, direct fuel injection and twin independent camshaft timing. It can meet Euro 5 emissions regulations and the service intervals are up to 6,250 miles. The RXC Turbo also features bespoke Intrax inboard pushrod suspension, massive disc brakes front and rear with six-pot callipers, 17-inch centre-lock alloys and the same RPE/Quaife seven-speed transverse gearbox as the normally-aspirated RXC, capable of upshifts in 50ms and rev-matching on downshifts.
Anything else?
The RXC Turbo will sit alongside the normally-aspirated 3.7-litre RXC in Radical's range, and whether you want yours in road or race trim, it'll cost you £129,000 to put one on the tarmac.
Matt Robinson - 14 Jan 2014
