Caparo

Caparo's T1 Race Extreme – 620 bhp pushing 550 kg

By Mike Hanlon

15:33 March 19, 2009 PDT

We've written a lot about the Caparo T1 supercar - an aluminium V8 in a carbon fibre tub designed by former McLaren employees to simulate an F1 car on the road. When the Stig ran the T1 on Top Gear's test track, it beat all previous lap times by a whopping SEVEN seconds. Just to prove that too much is never enough, the T1 is now available in a 620 bhp Race Extreme version, aimed specifically at the high end track day market. It can generate 4 G under brakes and 3.5 G during cornering - the sort of G-forces an aerobatic pilot experiences. It accelerates from 0-100 kmh in 2.8 seconds and 0-100mph in 5.8 seconds - faster than a base-jumper in free fall! With a power to weight ratio better than double that of a Bugatti Veyron, this is almost certainly the fastest accelerating production car on the planet! Read More

Goodwood Festival of Speed takes off

By Noel McKeegan

15:29 July 11, 2008 PDT

Gizmag's editor Noel McKeegan is at Goodwood this week rejoicing in the atmosphere of what is unquestionably the most influential and respected celebration of all things motorsport. Noel's thoughts, pics and vidz from a number of major events will grace our pages over the coming weeks. This is his first filing Read More

Gearing up for Goodwood

By Noel McKeegan

23:41 April 16, 2008 PDT

The wheels are in motion for this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed which will be held between 11-13 July under the theme ‘Hawthorn to Hamilton – Britain’s Love Affair with World Motor Sport’. Read More

Caparo’s T1 lays claim to Top Gear’s lap record

By Noel McKeegan

19:42 November 19, 2007 PST

News from Caparo that its T1 high-performance two-seater sports car has smashed the leading lap time on the BBC's Top Gear motoring program by seven seconds. But there is a catch – the car wont appear at the top of the lap board because the car's inability to negotiate a speed hump doesn't meet the criteria specified by the programme makers. Drawing on its formidable power-to-weight ratio of more than 1000 bhp/tonne, the T1's lap time of 1:10.6 unofficially beat the previous record held by a modified Koenigsegg CCX. Read More

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

By Mike Hanlon

June 8, 2007 The soon-to-be world’s fastest accelerating car has broken cover during the final stages of test and development. The Caparo T1 is a high performance two-seater sports car with highly resolved aerodynamics, which has been designed with the looks and performance of a Formula One race car. The T1’s 500 kg weight and 550 bhp give it a power-to-weight ratio of 1100 bhp/tonne – better than any current supersport motorcycle and approaching that of a genuine F1 car. With series production about to commence, the car will be built for discerning customers seeking the ultimate track day experience in a road driveable vehicle. In releasing full details of the car’s specification, the company has revealed that while customer cars are being readied for start of production, preparations are also well in hand for the T1’s first public appearance as a running car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on June 22-24 – which effectively becomes the vehicle’s launch date. Read More

Caparo T1 to offer best power-to-weight ratio ever

By Mike Hanlon

March 22, 2007 After 12 months of highly secretive development, the Caparo T1, which looks and performs like a Formula One car, will be launched as a running car at the 15th Goodwood Festival of Speed (22-24 June 2007) with a new and more powerful engine than previously mooted. The higher specification is reflected in a launch price for the T1 of UKP180,000 plus taxes. The bespoke lightweight, all aluminium V8 has a higher capacity of 3.5 litres and is now normally aspirated. The engine has a mass of less than 100kgs and can produce power outputs of up to 200bhp-per-litre. As the T1 will maintain its nominal 500kg kerb weight this means the Caparo’s specifications of 500kg for 550 bhp give it the best power-to-weight ratio of any production roadgoing car or motorcycle in the world. As the T1 will participate in the Goodwood hill climb at the annual Festival of Speed, the debut will be worth attending as the car promises an astonishing 0-60mph time of 2.5 seconds. Read More

Caparo completes build of first T1 prototype

By Mike Hanlon

October 3, 2006 We’ve been writing about the Caparo T1 since it was first announced in April of this year as a 500bhp, 500 kilogram road car with the cornering ability of a Le Mans prototype and one of the fastest 0-60mph times of any roadgoing car in the world (2.5 seconds). We wrote about its debut at the prestigeous Monaco Top Marques Show, it’s appearance at Goodwood Festival of Speed and we’re now pleased to bring the first piccies of the lightweight tandem two-seater’s first running prototype and the news that the order book for the first year's supply, which begins in March 2007, is already half gone. The car’s creators – design director Ben Scott-Geddes and engineering director Graham Halstead – climbed into the high performance two-seater last week to start the engine and complete the first trial run. Read More

Caparo T1 for Goodwood Festival of Speed

By Mike Hanlon

June 28, 2006 One of the world’s most exclusive road and track cars, the Caparo T1, is to make its UK debut at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 7- 9), the world’s biggest celebration of motorsport history. While the Caparo T1 prototype will form a static display this year, it will make attempt on the Goodwood hill climb in 2007. The brainchild of ex-McLaren engineers, the Caparo T1 has the pedigree and qualifications necessary for a serious attempt up the famous 1-mile hill - but not before completing a rigorous 2006 test programme. The world’s first production road car to exceed 1,000bhp-per-tonne promises an astonishing 0-60mph time of 2.5 seconds and the closest experience yet to a Formula One race car on the track. Previous stories on the Caparo can be found here and here. Read More

Caparo T1 at Monaco

By Mike Hanlon

April 22, 2006 We’ve already previewed the lightweight (less than 500kg), roadgoing Caparo T1, which a uses a compact 500bhp V8 engine to deliver a dramatic 1,000bhp-per-tonne power-to-weight ratio – nearly double that of the Bugatti Veyron. Well the Caparo had its coming out at the prestigious Top Marques show in Monaco yesterday when it was unveiled by no less than Prince Albert II. Read More

Caparo two seater road-track prototype - 500 kg, 500 bhp

By Mike Hanlon

April 14, 2006 The first ever Caparo T1, the world’s most exclusive prototype high performance road and track car, will premiere at the world’s most prestigious motoring event: the Top Marques show in Monaco. The dramatic 1,000bhp-per-tonne T1, which defines an entirely new breed of supercar that is lighter than a Caterham but with twice the power-to-weight ratio of a Bugatti Veyron, will be unveiled at the show by His Serene Highness Prince Albert II. The ultra lightweight T1, which weighs less than 500kg, is a British designed 2-seater which has been developed using aerospace and high formula racing technology. The compact Caparo V8 engine develops approximately 500bhp and the resultant 1,000bhp-per-tonne power-to-weight ratio endows the T1 with an extraordinary 0-60mph time of 2.5 seconds, 0-100mph time of 5 seconds and 0-100-0mph time of less than 10 seconds making it the world’s fastest accelerating and braking road car. It is also fast round corners with 3g braking and cornering ability equivalent to a Le Mans Prototype. Read More