| Coming soon from England is the Caparo | | | | compared with mass-production units. Then, the |
| Freestream supercar, which will have a | | | | carbon fiber body/chassis is also much lighter than |
| power-to-weight ratio of 1,000 bhp per ton! The | | | | most, as designers without Grand Prix experience |
| Bugatti Veyron which has 1,001 bhp manages | | | | tend to over-design their structures. Also, |
| about 560 bhp per tonne, so how you can see | | | | because the power train is light, the loads on the |
| that the Caparo is streets ahead of any other | | | | body are lower, so again less weight does not |
| supercar in power-to-weight ratio, and that is | | | | need to be built into the structure. |
| what makes cars accelerate fast. And fast | | | | It has a very narrow cockpit, with the passenger |
| acceleration is very exciting, and can also improve | | | | sitting slightly behind the driver to reduce width, |
| safety of the car in some circumstances. | | | | so this is more of a track racer or trackday |
| So how does the Caparo do it? Not with 2,000 | | | | special than a road car. Even so, this car changes |
| bhp because the car would weigh at least 2.5 | | | | the concept of exotic cars to where it should be |
| tons, which would miss the target. In fact, Bugatti | | | | - ultra-lightweight, compactness and exciting |
| has demonstrated that sheer power means a lot | | | | performance round twisty roads or circuits. |
| of weight, particularly in the transmission and | | | | To save weight they have adopted a narrow |
| brakes. | | | | coupe body with cycle-type front mudguards, and |
| To get a high power-to-weight-ratio you need a | | | | side-mounted radiators which flow into the rear |
| light car. And why is a high power-to-weight-ratio | | | | fenders. |
| important? Because it dictates how fast the car | | | | In fact, these are all factors used by Colin |
| accelerates flat out. A car with a high | | | | Chapman to design the early Lotus cars, and |
| power-to-weight-ratio can cover the ground | | | | since used by all racing car companies. In other |
| quicker because it gets out of corners fast and | | | | words, the Caparo Freestream really takes |
| accelerates up the straights faster. So long as the | | | | advantage of Grand Prix technology to build a |
| handling is good, the car will be very fast | | | | supercar. |
| anywhere. | | | | The Caparo Freestream looks very unusual, but if |
| Lightweight solution | | | | you want sheer performance this is it! The |
| Instead of going for a big engine with masses of | | | | makers say the car will hit 200 mph, and |
| power, the designers, who worked on the | | | | accelerate from a standing start of 100 mph in |
| McLaren F1, have gone for ultra lightweight and a | | | | 5.5 seconds!! Holy mackerel that is fast. Oh, and |
| compact V-8 engine based on F1 technology. The | | | | they also say that owing to the downforce |
| result is a pencil-slim car with 480 bhp at 10,500 | | | | available, the T1 will be able to corner and brake |
| rpm from a supercharged 2.4 liter engine, and a | | | | at 3g - incredible. This tremendous cornering |
| weight of under 1,100 lb. Both the new engine and | | | | power and braking would not be possible without |
| transmission are very light, as are all the | | | | the use of Grand Prix design principles. |
| components. The very narrow body without fully | | | | On top of all that, Caparo, which produces a lot of |
| enclosed fenders also reduces weight. | | | | components for the auto industry, have priced |
| The whole design concept has been aimed at | | | | the Freestream at about $320,000 |
| reducing weight, ore not putting in things that add | | | | (£176,000). |
| weight. First, the power train is very light | | | | |