Good God, McLaren F1 for the streets!

[pdisme]

humana humana humana

http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/images/uk_f1.jpg

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=13064

A couple of former-McLaren F1 engineers are working up a street-legal rod based on the 2006 Formula One car specs. That means a 2.4-liter V8 pushing 480 bhp, carbon-fiber construction, full aerodynamic workup and a weight of only 1025 pounds (that's a power-to-weight ratio of 1,000hp per ton). Founders Ben Scott-Geddes and Graham Halstead expect to launch the car, dubbed Freestream T1 later this year at the equivalent of around $262,000. They only plan to build 25 per year, so European viscounts and bank presidents' spoilt offspring had better get on the horn stat.

Of course at 25 per year that means you take the $262k and multiply by three, if you can get one. Better hope grand ma doesn't smack into you in her Buick in that thing.

[Tropicaldetail]

Thats not a horrible price for that thing. It will probably be a monster.

[pdisme]

I'd probably still take a Zonda though. :)

[Matt]

I'd probably still take a Zonda though. :)

Damn right.

[Minch00]

I'd probably still take a Zonda though. :)

Wouldn't be too bad to replace the Rad though, right? :D

[pdisme]

Radical rip them both up on the track, but this is for the street.

[Minch00]

Radical rip them both up on the track, but this is for the street.

Really? I figure 1000bhp per ton would be more powerful than the Radical......what is the bhp/ton on the Radical?

[pdisme]

That would only matter if the track were a square with 1/2 mile sides; throw in 17 corners like Sebring and all that power won't matter, that's why there are Miata's that are faster around the track than my Gallardo.

[Talus]

Fugly. Plain and simple.

[markr]

I believe they have actually change their choice of motor for the project as well. They have dropped the 2.4L V8 (which was supposed to be supercharged) in order to go with a NA 3.5L V8.

That said, and god knows I love the Radical, but IF THE HIT THEIR MARKS the Radical does not stand a chance on any kind of circuit.

Target specifications include a dry weight of 500 kg and will be motivated by a new, homegrown 3.5-liter V8 that makes at least "200hp per liter of displacement", which means the 1,100-pound car will have a minimum of 700 horsepower on tap giving the vehicle a 1000+ BHP per tonne ratio. A recent article in Evo magazine suggested that the engine will be tuned to a stock 550bhp, but the first customer car produced weighed in at just under 470kg dry, resulting in 1170bhp/tonne. Expected performance figures are 0-60 MPH in around 2.5 seconds, over 200 MPH top speed, and capable of cornering at more than 3.0 G, the two latter figures are however greatly affected by the configuration of the adjustable aerodynamics setup of the car. The expected overall performance is close to that of a GP2 Series race car.

[pdisme]

We'll see what happens, I don't see how they could have a 3.5 liter V8 while still keeping the car at 470kg unless they're significantly cutting corners on safety metal to make up for the engine weight. Radical's LMP2 race car, the SR9, weighs at least 300 kg more with a V8 and they're not sparing any expense on that car.

[markr]

We'll see what happens, I don't see how they could have a 3.5 liter V8 while still keeping the car at 470kg unless they're significantly cutting corners on safety metal to make up for the engine weight. Radical's LMP2 race car, the SR9, weighs at least 300 kg more with a V8 and they're not sparing any expense on that car.

Well, I would agree just looking at the numbers it would seem that keeping the weight to that level will be a challenge. But I think one thing to keep in mind is that if you put this car side by side with and LMP2 car I would be my lunch money that the LMP2 is still signifcantly larger and of course has a lot more body work. It will be interesting but the thing that I find interesting is that the intend to shoot for GP2 car performance. Those cars are fast! I wonder what the rebuild schedule for a very highly strung 3.5L V8 will be. It can't be to owner friendly.

[pdisme]

Yeah that's true, it does look like a very small single seater. I hear you on the rebuild schedule; jrfootin on here is looking at the possibility of purchasing a Radical SR8 and he's been told that if he does that, he will want to keep his existing SR3 as a track car because the SR8 and its V8 are not the kind of thing you want to use for track days; should be for races only due to support, rebuilds, complexity, etc.