Discussion
I want to start a decent discussion with reference to the Caparo T1. We all saw Top Gear the other night and it seems to me that we petrolheads dismiss the positives of the car. 99% of owners will never go anywhere near a public road. It has radically move the goal posts in engineering, design and capabilities. I understand there have been reliability issues but, hey, look at what has been achieved by a small company in comparision to the major manufactures in a short space of time. I personally believe we should keep an eye on this car and its development. Look forward to sensible comments.
Optimistic?I think the concept in diluted form is great. It's currently extremely hardcore - too much of a track car to have broad useability even within it rarified price bracket.
But if it sets in train the concept of moving the supercar from a 2 metre wide, 1700 kg, 600 bhp penis extension to something high tech & miniaturised, influenced by F1 technology, then it will have been influential & worthwhile.
Perhaps one day supercars will weigh 900 kg, have 350-400 bhp from twin-turbo 3 litre V6s, be 1.7m wide & generally be a more refined & mature GT version of an Aerial Atom.
Of course the supercar will still have to have outrageous looks - for that's its raison d'etre!
But if it sets in train the concept of moving the supercar from a 2 metre wide, 1700 kg, 600 bhp penis extension to something high tech & miniaturised, influenced by F1 technology, then it will have been influential & worthwhile.
Perhaps one day supercars will weigh 900 kg, have 350-400 bhp from twin-turbo 3 litre V6s, be 1.7m wide & generally be a more refined & mature GT version of an Aerial Atom.
Of course the supercar will still have to have outrageous looks - for that's its raison d'etre!
I'm finding it hard to get worked up about the Caparo. I just don't comprehend why people seem to regard it as a technological breakthrough when the technologies it uses have been available in racing circles for some 20 years. The 'revolution' is in trying to make a road car out of it.
And what do we have? A overpowered, lightweight car which looks positively dangerous for use on the road due to it's apparent lack of grip. A car which on almost every public outing has broken componants, fallen to bits, and seriously injured Jason Plato by setting fire to him.
As a track car the Caparo is pointless. It costs far too much money, has too much performance for most drivers' skill, and if you really have sufficient money and skill then you'd probably buy an ex-GP2 or similar proper race car for substantially less (and it would be faster). As a road car it's just a liability to other road users.
However ridiculous a Veyron may be, at least it will keep you warm and dry, carries driver and passenger in comfort, looks like it would survive a minor accident without falling to pieces, and has a touring range of more than about 50 miles.
The sooner Caparo set about using all that smart technology to build a next generation, lightweight town car the better IMHO.
And what do we have? A overpowered, lightweight car which looks positively dangerous for use on the road due to it's apparent lack of grip. A car which on almost every public outing has broken componants, fallen to bits, and seriously injured Jason Plato by setting fire to him.
As a track car the Caparo is pointless. It costs far too much money, has too much performance for most drivers' skill, and if you really have sufficient money and skill then you'd probably buy an ex-GP2 or similar proper race car for substantially less (and it would be faster). As a road car it's just a liability to other road users.
However ridiculous a Veyron may be, at least it will keep you warm and dry, carries driver and passenger in comfort, looks like it would survive a minor accident without falling to pieces, and has a touring range of more than about 50 miles.
The sooner Caparo set about using all that smart technology to build a next generation, lightweight town car the better IMHO.
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