New British sports car: exclusive
Superlight, super-fast and brand new
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A new British sports car is about to arrive: the R1 from Javan Sports Cars. The company's in the throes of launching the 650Kg car which it describes as a "world class, hand-built speedster" that can hit 60mph in 3.6 seconds.
The machine is said to be aerospace designed and manufactured using an epoxy-bonded aluminium honeycomb monocoque for lightness and strength. It uses computer designed, race car inspired suspension, according to Javan, which is based in west Cornwall at Helston.
The motivation behind the car comes from company boss Javan Smith, a man who describes himself as "always having been close to motorsport", including F1, on the sponsorship side. He since made a successful living building 1/8-sized models, and that's where the finance for the Javan project originated. "As the eyes get older, I have to build ever-bigger models, so now I'm up to 1:1 scale", he joked.
Smith sees the R1, which has been under development for four years, competing with the likes of the Caterham Superlights, Ariel Atom, and what Smith described as the spirit of the Lotus Elise "before the marketing boys got hold of it".
If you want one, be prepared to wait eight weeks - there are only two cars right now and the company doesn't plan to build more than 12 a year.
Specifications
- Mid-mounted 2-litre 4-cylinder Honda i-VTEC DOHC engine (from the Civic Type-R)developing 220bhp, redlined at 8,600rpm, coupled to a six-speed gearbox.
- Options include launch control and supercharging.
- Weight: 670kg
- 0-62mph: 3.6 seconds
- 0-100mph: 9.8 seconds
- Standing quarter-mile: 12.2 seconds
- Price: £30,138.75
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Clearly a Strathcarron. Wonder if this guy bought the rights or just plagiarised the styling? If it was the former then he has a Reynard designed chassis there I recall.
Of course, this is what the Strathcarron should have been - it was killed off by them not being to re-engineer from bike to car engine before they ran out of money. Although they were trying to re-engineer it for the K-series, so they'd have fallen on their arses eventually anyway.
I like it! Not as practical as the Elise though - a pro and a con. To me, a con.
Not sure that is a disadvantage at this end of the market. Noble managed to get off the ground. There are not THAT many pretige marques around at £30K. £100K plus is a different matter of course. Don't get me onto Arash again...
About my only qualm with the setup was the driveshafts. Due to the gearbox being positioned slightly fore of the rear wheels they are at quite an angle. Javan assured me that the manufacturers of the shafts had tested them for 4 hours without them displaying any signs of major heat build up, so it would appear they have got away with it. I would imagine them to wear slightly more rapidly than a more direct line, and would also think a few BHP are going to be lost through them, but all in all I'd not let it stop me buying one if I were in the market for such a car.
Both Javan's and his engineer's enthusiasm for the project really shone through, always a good sign, best of luck to them!.
in fact ... what Hendry said
thats what i was thinking.
My first thought was that it was looking like the Yes Roadster from Germany, but its different, and must say performance wise this new car is a good start, wonder what it would do with that SC option and around 300hp in that real lightweight as Lotus should have too(shame lotus)
Also the price next to the Elise seems ok, remember ad some 4.000gbp and you have a 300hp 650kg lightweight rocket! I wish them much luck! and with around 12 a year there's no problem selling those 12!
GTRene
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