It's not going to win any beauty contests but if '
racing car for the road
' is something you take literally rather than as marketing BS, a few carbon trim bits and an Alcantara steering wheel Radical's new RXC coupe really walks the walk.
Just the job for the school run and all that
gist of the car already
but it's now out in public and for your viewing pleasure at the Autosport show. Expect to have to fight your way to the front for a good view because even on the trade day it was drawing a crowd and half.
And even with a numberplate and assurances of type approval it seems hard to believe you could actually, if you were particularly bloody minded and could contrive a route without speed bumps, drive the thing to work every day. Using lessons learned with the roadgoing SR3 SL, Radical assures us the RXC is actually more usable on the road due to it being designed with this in mind from the start, rather than converted from a racing car. So it'll have adequate suspension travel to deal with everyday lumps and bumps while including enough adjustability to tie it down for track use too. We'll have to see about that but from the pushrod suspension to the sequential Quaife gearbox it's clear where this thing's heart lies.
Uncompromising looks, drive likely similar
The push to create a coupe came from export markets - not least the Gulf and China - where open-top cars are apparently considered less desirable or simply not especially pleasant given the climate. Which is why the RXC gets air-con, power steering and other 'luxuries', together with six-point harnesses, optional data logging, FIA spec roll cage and Le Mans grade crash boxes.
Power comes from a Ford-sourced 3.7-litre V6 with 380hp and 320lb ft, good for 422hp per tonne, 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds and 178mph. The 900kg kerbweight is matched with an equivalent amount of downforce, though how fast you'll have to be going to achieve that Radical doesn't say.
The V6 is fully Euro 5 emissions compliant, boasts 6,000-mile service intervals and is intended to be turn-key reliable and durable but if you want an even racier experience you can opt for a 480hp version of Radical's proven 3.0-litre V8.
Cosy but well trimmed and finished
If the steel spaceframe and GRP bodywork don't sound especially exotic given the near £100K (plus VAT) pricetag it's good to see that the build quality and trim, especially for the interior, is pretty good given how hardcore the driving experience promises to be. It's not hard to see where the money's gone either, the mechanical spec all pure race-bred stuff and the real deal.
The RXC's next stop is the US, where it'll undergo intensive testing before returning for final shakedown. And when it does we'll be badgering Radical for a drive!
Ford V6 gives 380hp, V8 option also available