Thursday 14th April 2011

Radical Reveals Special Edition

Limited-run SR3 celebrates model's 10th anniversary

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Radical has unveiled a new limited edition model - the SR3 RS Limited - to celebrate the 10th birthday of the SR3, Radical's best-selling model.

Powered by Radical's 1340cc, 210bhp RPE-Suzuki engine, driving through a six-speed sequential gearbox, gear drive unit and integral Quaife ATB differential, a limited run of 25 models will be made, all in spice yellow, tangerine or rosso red, with a matt vinyl graphic pack.

Also included in the car's spec are a high-downforce rear diffuser, passenger seat belts, a track day silencing kit, centre-lock alloys and a spares 'starter pack', including spare wheels with wet-weather tyres, filters and accessories

With the SR3 RS Limited priced at £49,850 inlcuding VAT, Radical hopes it will entice the upper echelons of Caterham, Exige owners in to the Radical fold.

[RTH]

Good looking car.Amazed to hear they have been going for 10 years. Anyone know how many cars they have sold in that time?

[Willbee]

Radical have been going since '97. They have sold a good number over a thousand cars now (in total of all models, but the majority SR3s), a testiment to just how good value they are for the performance you get.

A very good deal if you ask me. Don't be fooled by the 1340cc Busa engine either. It's not that far behind the 1500cc and more than enough for a trackday.

[joz8968]

My kind of car. A "10" from me.

[Pingman]

I'd love to own that car.

Anyone care to rattle off the performance specs?

[Lordbenny]

Is that the car? With aero winglets etc?

[Minel]

looks just a little bit purposeful.... love it!

[Steve Gunnis]

I just had a bit of tail sap

[Steve Gunnis]

Pingman said:

Anyone care to rattle off the performance specs?

As it's very closely related to the 1340cc SR3 RS, then;

Max. Power - 210bhp @ 10,500rpm
Max Torque - 130ft/lbs
Kerb weight - 570kg
0-60 time - 3.1 secs
50-100 time - 5.3 secs
Top Speed - 155mph
Cornering G's - 2.5G

Quick enough for £50K then.

http://www.radicalsportscars.com/uk/showroom/radic...

[AndrewD]

The aero on these is now so much better than the original SR3 too, they've done a good job. My SR3 RS is way quicker than my old 2003 SR3.

[george h]

Love this, £50k seems a bit steep to me though

[soad]

I'd like that in a rosso red...just have to find the spare funds

[edb49]

Steve Gunnis said:

As it's very closely related to the 1340cc SR3 RS, then;

Max. Power - 210bhp @ 10,500rpm
Max Torque - 130ft/lbs
Kerb weight - 570kg
0-60 time - 3.1 secs
50-100 time - 5.3 secs
Top Speed - 155mph
Cornering G's - 2.5G

Quick enough for £50K then.

http://www.radicalsportscars.com/uk/showroom/radic...

To be honest, those figures look 'optimistic' to me. I would say:

Kerb weight - 650kg (inc fluids)
0-60 time - 4.0 secs (210bhp and 570kg ain't never going to hit 3.1s)
50-100 time - Just about believable
Top speed - 140-145mph
Cornering G - 2.0 in perfect conditions on the right corner.

Any Radical owners fancy commenting on what their SR3s have achieved?

[mikEsprit]

"It's a Radical."
"Yes, Radical."
"Quit laughing."

[BertBert]

well, I didn't get my 1500 SR3 RS past 140 at Thruxton. The Stuart Moseley SR8 lap (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rumZB6VyDU0) topped out at 154. So 155 in a 1340 sounds quite tricky.
Bert

[boldek1]

ALSO included passengers seatbelt ....Baargain!

[splitpin]

The road-going car convention of 0-60 times etc are pretty meaningless relative to track cars and what they are single purpose designed to do i.e. set seriously quick lap times, times which are in another dimension compared to 99.99% of road-going based cars. In the case of cars like Radicals, it's all about being able to maintain corner speed into, through and out of bends; it's all to do with mechanical grip, relative light weight and of course, actual proper downforce.

In equally competent hands, at somewhere like Oulton, a £50K SR3 RS 1340 could post about much the same lap time as a fully sorted £250K Cup 911, which means circa 4 secs per lap quicker than a £500K BTCC car. So in relative outright track performance terms, the Radical is a huge bargain, fact.

BTCC driver Paul O'Neill was astonished by the performance of Radicals, not only the SR8 he drove himself as a one-off guest last year there (with next to no practice time, he was lapping about eight seconds per lap quicker in an SR8 than in his regular BTCC car), but also the SR3 1500s running alongside which weren't much more than a couple of seconds a lap slower than the SR8s.

To my mind, at £50K including VAT, if you don't mind being open to the elements (being an ex-biker I absolutely love it), can live with frigging around with trailers (I can because it's worth it) and have a responsible attitude at trackdays (at the risk of a sudden and unexpected post coming in from a TDO, I like to think I do), this is an absolute bargain for those that are lucky enough to be able to grab one of the quickest and most enjoyable two seater trackdays cars on the planet. In fact, with the 1340 engine and two full sized adult seats, in my opinion, the optimum trackday Radical.

[rhinochopig]

The problem with these sorts of cars is that they're just too quick for most track days. When Westfield were developing the XTR2 I was lucky enough to be invited for a run around MIRA's test track in one as a potential customer. Interestingly it broke so they started running pax laps in their 7 style car. Personally I found the 7 much much more fun as it was more playful, if not anywhere near as fast.

If I had the money I'd love to run one for a season just out of curiosity but I suspect it gets old very quickly as a TD toy.

[edb49]

splitpin said:

The road-going car convention of 0-60 times etc are pretty meaningless relative to track cars

Agreed. But if Radical are going to quote specs, you would hope them to be honest about the figures.

[jp-speed-triple]

edb49 said:

Agreed. But if Radical are going to quote specs, you would hope them to be honest about the figures.

that would go against just about everything they ever printed.

[edb49]

If I was bovvered I would submit an ASA complaint and see how Radical try and explain their figures