The Caparo T1 - the soon-to-be, fastest accelerating car in the world

“The combination of highly resolved aerodynamics and chassis make the vehicle predictably safe and responsive to driver inputs,” adds Scott-Geddes. “The car drives and handles extremely well both on the road and track and this was the number one consideration in such an uncompromised high performance vehicle.”

“The Caparo T1 not only looks and performs like a Formula One car but it also helps us to demonstrate new and advanced technology to vehicle manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive, defence, marine and motorsport industries,” says Richard Butler director Caparo Vehicle Technologies and chief executive of Caparo Vehicle Products. “Already, we’re working on a number of highly confidential client projects, applying the same approach to aerodynamics, choice of materials and efficient vehicle design, which has allowed us to develop the T1.”

“Ultimately, our goal is to help carmakers to create a new generation of more fuel-efficient and lightweight family cars with significantly lower CO 2 emissions more in keeping with the needs of the 21 st century,” says Angad Paul chief executive of the $1.2bn turnover Caparo Group, a fast-growing automotive Tier 1 supplier, which created Caparo Vehicle Technologies to back the T1 project. “We will help carmakers achieve their objectives by continuing to invest in advanced technology in order to develop new lightweight materials and commercialise their manufacturing processes so they are affordable for mass production.”

“Given the car’s performance potential - the engine has already been successfully bench tested to 700bhp on methanol - we are now looking into the possibility of introducing for our customers an international T1 race series,” says commercial director Sean Butcher. “Our objective is to give customers an affordable and reliable season on the track without incurring the extraordinary costs of running a real Formula One car.”

“Customers comprise private individuals with a passion and desire for ultra high performance and corporate clients requiring an affordable yet prestigious track car for the fast growing market of hospitality race experience events,” added Butcher.

In terms of colour and trim each of these highly exclusive hand-built cars, which has a starting price of £190,000 (excluding taxes), will be tailored to suit individual customer requirements.

Caparo V8 engine specification:

* Bespoke 3.5 litre normally-aspirated fuel-injected V8 * 575bhp (425kW) at 10,500rpm * 420Nm (310lbft) at 9,000rpm * Original concept tested at up to 700bhp (515kW) on methanol * Limited to 10,500rpm for reliability but designed for maximum 12,000rpm * 90 degree V8, 4 valves per cylinder, 4 overhead camshafts * 93mm bore / 64.3mm stroke * Finger follower valve train system * Lightweight titanium valves * Aluminium head * Aluminium block * Steel billet ‘flat plane’ crankshaft * Internal piston cooling system * Aluminium / Nikasil liners * Gas filled ring cylinder head sealing system * Dry sump with one-piece sump / ladder frame for increased stiffness * 8 butterfly throttle system * Electronic sequential fuel injection system with twin-spray fuel injectors * Engine concept is essentially to Indy racecar specification but with revs dropped to 10,500rpm for extended reliability in Caparo T1 * Pectel SQ6 engine control unit (ECU) * Engine is fully stressed but installed in T1 to take torsion loads only * Longitudinal, lateral and vertical loads taken up by tension and compression links to the rear of the chassis * Engine runs on 98RON pump fuel at a fuel pressure of 5bar * Fuel system is a return top tank system to eliminate fuel vapourisation * Engine bottom end modified from race engine specification to increase main bearing tolerances and help cold start of the engine * A bespoke carbon air-box and filter tray has been designed and installed to suit the Caparo T1 * Air filter is a mesh and washable filter system * All up engine weight with ancillaries is circa 116kg

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