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New lightweight sports car to make debut at Goodwood FOS
12th June 2014
Elemental Motor Company today released initial details of a new British designed and built, high-performance, road legal track car, the RP1.
Elemental is based in Farnham, Surrey. The company consists of a small, highly experienced team of designers and engineers with a combined 120 man-years of experience in the fields of Formula one, Supercar, Aerospace and Automotive design and manufacturing.
In development for the last 5 years, the RP1 is an open top, 2-seater mid-engined sports car that embodies state of the art road and race car concepts and technologies.At the heart of the car is a custom-designed, lightweight, carbon-composite structural tub that features an innovative, formula one style “feet-up” driving position. The design of the tub and sub-frames allow significant under-body aerodynamics, with tune-able vehicle dynamics.
The bodyshell and interior follow the same lightweight/high strength design philosophy of the chassis, featuring extensive use of carbon composites in their construction.Powered by a mid-mounted, race-tuned 2litre Ford Ecoboost engine mated to a 6 speed sequential racing gearbox, the car has an output of 280bhp resulting in a 500bhp/ton power to weight ratio.
Bespoke electronics and ECU, linking the Dash and Vehicle Controller over a CAN system supports paddle gear shift, traction control, data logging, on-board camera integration, driver defined steering wheel functions and vehicle diagnostics.Despite the unashamed focus on exceptional performance and handling, the RP1 offers road going usability, with large secure storage capacity, footwell heating and a long fuel range. With contemporary GT race car inspired Design and detail inside and out, the car looks equally at home on both the racetrack, or out on the open road simply “for the love of driving".
RP1 Chief Engineer and Elemental Co-Founder, John Begley said that:“After almost five years of design and prototype development, the whole Elemental team is very excited to unveil the RP1. I am really looking forwards to the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed where we will have the opportunity to show the car to the public for the first time”