As a matter of well-documented fact by global, land speed record authenticators, one-off, non-commercial production vehicles are juggernauts when it comes to rewriting the pages of automotive history. After all, the BBC’s famed television program Top Gear’s leader board is riddled with hypercars from Koenigsegg, Pagani and Ariel. Now, couple the exactness of hand craftsmanship and specialized tuning necessary to produce such a supercar with the brainpower behind the McLaren F1 in design director Ben Scott-Geddes and engineering director Graham Halstead, and the result is Caparo Vehicle Technologies’ -- formerly marqueed as Freestream -- T1 supercar.
The Caparo T1’s inner workings could rival a NASA space shuttle and is so completely Formula-1 inspired that Car magazine says, “We are staring at what could be the greatest performance car of all time,” but does any of this account for the estimated almost $300,000 sticker price? We’ve reviewed this mechanical wonder on the basis of luxury and practicality, 50 points to be reaped in each, to make the Caparo T1 an immaculate find.
Luxury
One of the most unconventional branding efforts to hail from the UK comes with a unique set of benefits: There’s enough liberty and creative license to develop a truly anomalous blueprint in the hopes that it will be well received by the “extreme” consumer. With the intent of marrying vanguard Formula 1 technology with slightly dialed down performance to retain street legality, rest assured the Caparo T1's meticulous fine tuning is beyond refute. Since its production, initially slated for mid-2007, the Caparo T1, bred by supercar connoisseurs, has struggled to shed the dozen-a-penny prototype-esque stigma that has plagued others’ fiscal reports. From the numbers recorded by the chart-topping BBC television show Top Gear, the T1 decimated the run time of the championed Koenigsegg CCX, besting it by a staggering seven seconds at 1:10.6. The record-setting hot lap was later retracted by officials for the T1’s inability to successfully take a speed bump (a standard that keeps their list limited to realistic "street" cars), but remained most impressive nonetheless, giving the 2-year-old manufacturer the clout needed to be taken seriously.A supercar is always defined by, but not limited to, horsepower generated and its translation to speed. That noted, Caparo has assembled the most revolutionary block to date. The T1 is set into motion by a naturally aspirated, bespoke, 3.5-liter, 32-valve, 8-cylinder crank, utilizing dry, sump lubrication. Previously powertrained by a supercharged 2.4-liter engine in the early concept stages, the completely aluminum-cast motor coaxes a maximum 575 ponies out of a virtually unheard of 10,500 rpm and 310 lb-ft of torque at 9,000 rpm. The T1 gloats over securing the all-time highest power-to-weight ratio of a colossal 1,045 bhp per ton. A short-band redlined tachometer summits at a screaming top end of an estimated 200 mph, and hurls the featherweight’s 1,102 lbs from 0-60 mph in under a scalding 2.5 seconds and to 100 mph in sub five seconds depending on the tire setup. This all gets harvested by a six-speed, sequential gearbox comprised of magnesium and carbon.
The mid-engine, RWD coupe incorporates a customizable Pectel ECU mated to a throttle by wire configuration, making the T1 the highest in sophistication as well as speed. There are a slew of available gear ratios that capitalize on the pneumatic shift actuator, along with a limited slip differential and duplicate length, hollow-shell tripod driveshafts; the Caparo engulfs the pilot in the Formula 1 driving experience. It also boasts the ability to laterally accelerate up to a neck-snapping 3 Gs and a braking deceleration of the same capacity. Five-way adjustable race dampers soften the vibration of this extremely low rider, while the near 14-inch steel brakes, six-piston calipers in the front and four in the rear, yield the T1 with ease.
Beyond all of the admirable specs, the Caparo T1’s marketing savvy also branches from the reputation of its creators as it is being promoted as a sister car to the acclaimed McLaren F1. It also claims to be the only vehicle with such an expanse of downforce. So if it were driven into a tunnel and banked against the wall at 150 mph it could actually motor upside down -- makes you want to go out and test that theory, doesn't it?
The T1 devotee is viewed as an enthusiast who shuns the others in this hypercar class as merely Formula-inspired and instead opts to be Formula driven. For $300,000, the consumer appeal is a byproduct of showmanship through flash. And certainly, the T1 accommodates.
The exceedingly minimalistic interior is cramped and cockpit entry is reminiscent of climbing into a bathtub. We’ve heard of “less is more” but this is ridiculous. The cabin is set in a popular, two-seat configuration, but in the interest of skimming excess weight, Caparo has scrapped every conceivable amenity. The passenger’s pod rests slightly diagonal and to the rear of the captain’s chair, allowing them to be in closer proximity in order to reduce the overall width. Made optional are the fittings for a head-and-neck-protecting Hans device, six-point harnesses and a safety cell to include a highly durable, steel roll hoop and fire-extinguishing system. The HUD is modern and multi-functional, but still limited; it features race data logging and speed sensors for traction, as well as a launch control.
Aesthetically, Caparo doesn’t make the most of the handcrafted hours applied to every T1 and goes over with mediocre reviews. The lightweight, carbon-fiber and aluminum, honeycomb monocoque adorned with a front composite impact structure and a rear, tubular space frame bears striking resemblance to that of an open-wheel prototype car. The aerodynamic, low, body-drag design was pieced together in paneled sections to improve wind splitting, and was outfitted with numerous louvers and canards for optimum ventilation. There is a flexible, twin element front wing, single element rear wing, fowler flaps, and a ground-effect diffuser. In an attempt for diversity, the T1’s wings can be alternated to comply with either the road or track.
Entertainment is non-existent and was discarded in favor of performance. This is definitely not the car to roll out of the garage for road trips.
The verdict
The Caparo T1 is space-age in many aspects, from engine format to power to weight ratio, but it puts such a great emphasis on speed that it neglects to deliver even a sliver of comfort or luxury on the whole.Luxury score: 39/50
Practicality
The $300,000 T1 is certainly not for the light of wallet, but in monetary comparison to the likes of the McLaren F1, it is a definite bargain. Being well south of, and in some cases an entire third less, than its competitors aids as much as it can in moving units over the Bugatti Veyron and others, as the T1 offers a somewhat affordable option. Kilogram for kilogram, the Caparo T1 goes unmatched and can truly serve all challengers in terms of speed, even as a base model. Although backed by two of the more respected names in motorsports, the Caparo T1 name does forfeit a lot in recognition, but branding is only half the game and Caparo has missed the mark on some of the important stuff. No matter how well known a name is, if it doesn't shine as a complete package, that name can only take it so far.After acquiring a Caparo creation, some deficiencies should become evident immediately: First of all, you'll have no roof. Keeping within its Formula theme, the T1 doesn’t offer a formal lid; instead it opts for a bubbled cockpit. Because of the unique, dome styling, every decibel of engine noise reverberates back to the operator, and without exaggeration these are literally deafening. A brief overview of safety research would give the T1 the Carfax report from hell. A string of faulty engineering incidents resulting in spontaneous fires, oil-seal issues, suspension concerns, and even serious injury have all caused great uncertainty with the T1.
The EPA has not yet been rated so we can’t be sure how quickly you’ll be refueling the 70-liter tank, but if non-supercar V8s are even the slightest hint then it’s safe to assume you should prepare to stop frequently. City streets are usually laden with potholes, and due to its go-kart-like ground clearance, the T1 is not equipped for any sort of commute and has a complete absence of cargo room to boot.
The verdict
Under a lot of scrutiny for its safety conundrums, the T1 is far less than ideal for road going, ironically despite being street legal. It may seem that the T1 isn't practical at all, but a score of zero is just too harsh, so we've given the Caparo a few points for offering amazing practicality on the track -- where this car belongs.Practicality score: 20/50
and the total is…
As is to be expected from such a new model, the Caparo T1 still has a few major bugs to be worked out of its system before it can really make its mark on the hypercar world. What respect it achieves in record-setting speed it secedes in all other endeavors. Overall, the Caparo T1 is not a complete car and will most likely be overlooked by the supercar mainstream when cars like the SLR and Veyron are out there as more luxurious, comfortable alternatives.67/100
Resources:http://www.caparo-t1.com/
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