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The British boutique sports car industry is fascinating when you think about it. For such a relatively small country known for its wet weather for much of the year, consider all of the open-top Caterham, Ariel, Morgan products, not to mention many other small brands pumping out cars. The latest company hoping to fill the need a street-legal, track day racer is called Elemental Cars, and its first creation is the featherweight RP-1.
To stand apart in the crowded market, you have to do something special. The RP-1’s trick is its planned weight of just 450 kilograms (992 pounds) in a carbon fibre tub with under-car aerodynamic aids to create downforce. Propulsion comes from a mid-mounted, tuned, 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine producing 280 horsepower, mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox. With so little weight to push around, the small, turbocharged engine should be plenty powerful.
Beyond just the claims of power and light weight, Elemental says that the RP-1 will be road legal in the UK, and inside the two-seater there will be a racing-inspired, feet-up driving position with an adjustable seat and pedals to fit drivers even over six-feet tall. It will have a few amenities for occupants, too, like a heated footwell and traction control, plus data logging and an on-board camera for the track.
It’s generally best to take a wait-and-see approach for the launch on any new sports car, especially one from an unproven company. However, the delay for more info on the RP-1 won’t be long. The company will unveil the car at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed from June 26-29. Elemental Cars’ Finance Director Jeremy Curnow told Autoblog via email that it will release more information and images then. According to its website, production will begin in the UK in 2015. Scroll down for the full details on this lithe, little roadster.
Elemental RP-1 may be world’s lightest sports car, weighs under 1,000 pounds
Elemental RP-1 may be world’s lightest sports car, weighs under 1,000 pounds originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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