The history books of British sports cars are littered with failed attempts to build low-volume hot-shots to challenge the sporting establishment. But newcomer Elemental hopes to launch a focused track car to survive the test of time: the new RP1.
It’s built around a carbonfibre tub and is claimed to weigh just 450kg in its lightest iteration. In fact, Elemental claim this is ‘the world’s lightest sportscar.’ That’s fighting talk to the likes of Caterham and Ariel…
Elemental RP1: due at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed
Elemental has published just half a dozen teaser shots of the RP1 and will showcase the car fully at the south coast’s petrol-fuelled garden party that is the Goodwood Festival of Speed from 26-29 June 2014.
This is the first in ‘a new range of cutting-edge lightweight sports cars for the track and road-driving enthusiast,’ say the brains behind Elemental.
They promise to bring motorsport engineering to the track-day fraternity, but say the RP1 will be fit for occasional road-car use too. It is claimed to have a practical turning circle and ground clearance, proper heating and secure luggage space – while drivers up to 6ft 6in tall can fit behind the wheel.
The engineering behind the Elemental RP1
The carbonfibre tub is the backbone of the RP1 and combines with aluminium used elsewhere in the chassis for the extremely low 450kg claimed kerbweight. It’s enough to bring a 500bhp-per-tonne power-to-weight ratio.
A 2.0-litre Ford Ecoboost engine is used and develops some 240bhp. Expect scintillating performance, although no official figures are available yet.
Aerodynamicists from the world of motorsport are among the Elemental team, explaining the 200kg of downforce quoted at 100mph.
Owners can tweak the suspension according to their tastes and the electronics on offer reveal this car’s true intent. Video cameras are built into the structure to allow drivers to record their hot laps at track days while telemetry will monitor their progress. How the world has changed: the UK’s sports car cottage industry nowadays focuses on the YouTube generation, too.
John Begley, technical director, said: ‘The road and track cars available outside of the professional arena have never lived up my expectations: I knew I could do better so the logical result of this was to design and build my own.’