Automotive

Ford-powered Radical RXC brings full-on race car design to the streets

Ford-powered Radical RXC brings full-on race car design to the streets
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC uses a 3.7-liter Ford V6 and a V8 option will also be available
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The Radical RXC uses a 3.7-liter Ford V6 and a V8 option will also be available
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
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There are a lot of sports cars on the road that make claims of being street-legal race cars. Few of those claims are as legitimate as the Radical RXC's. A Le Mans prototype-inspired racer that looks like it was plucked from the circuit and slapped with a pair of license plates, the RXC is the car that a company named "Radical" calls its most advanced ever.

Even cars as heavily race-inspired and track-cozy as the LaFerrari and McLaren P1 have been tamed and tucked for on-road suitability. Designed to be the world's most extreme road-legal coupe, the RXC receives no such tucking. If you saw it driving next to you on the highway, you might think that a race car fell out of its trailer and was desperately trying to catch up. In Radical's words, the car brings "current Le Mans Prototype (LMP) styling and aerodynamics to the street." And what it lacks in prettiness it makes up for in a level of performance that Radical promises will cost well less than comparably-performing supercars.

Formed in 1997 by Phil Abbott and Mick Hyde, Radical is a British motor firm that got its start building lightweight race cars based around motorcycle engines. It claims to be the "the first company to create a bespoke powertrain system for a superbike-powered sports racer." During its 16-year run, it's built several club and track day race cars and has recently gotten into building dual-use, street-legal cars that have all the same track power and grace of its racers. The SR9 Le Mans Prototype, a record Nurburgring time of 6:48 and the Radical Masters Euroseries race series are other accomplishments to Radical's credit.

While Radical calls it a "supercar," the rear-wheel-drive RXC belongs more to a different niche of car, alongside other lightning-quick, ultralight, track-focused racers like the Ariel Atom and KTM X-bow GT. It looks like an evolution of the other race cars in Radical's line, but the manufacturer maintains that it was designed from a clean slate and shares only a few components with its other cars.

The primary engine is a 380-bhp version of Ford's 3.7-liter V6, optimized by Radical's powertrain doctors. The RXC can also be fitted with an in-house 480-bhp 3.0-liter RP-series V8 engine, a version of the engine used in the SR8 RX race car. Either way, shifting comes by way of a bespoke 7-speed transverse Quaife gearbox with paddle shifters. The car also employs a fly-by-wire throttle.

The Radical RXC uses a 3.7-liter Ford V6 and a V8 option will also be available
The Radical RXC uses a 3.7-liter Ford V6 and a V8 option will also be available

The powertrain is fitted in the rear of a car that weighs just 1,984 lb (900 kg). The carbon fiber and composite body panels are fitted atop a tubular steel spaceframe that Radical plans to put through FIA crash testing. The chassis includes front and rear monocoque crash boxes. The car uses a bespoke Intrax Racing Suspension inboard push rod suspension system with double wishbones all round. Fully floating disc brakes with 6-pot calipers inside the 17-inch wheels handle stopping duties.

Radical is still testing the RXC but has whet car lovers' appetites with an impressive spec list. The car's top speed of 175 mph (282 km/h) falls short of the "supercar" class (though it's plenty fast for the average drive down the highway), but in just 2.8 seconds it arrives at 62 mph (100 km/h) quicker than most cars not named Veyron. It's sure to perform equally impressively around curves and corners thanks to the fact that it's sucked to the ground with up to its weight in downforce.

The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road
The Radical RXC is a true race car for the road

Radical introduced the RXC at the Autosport International Show this past January and is still testing and developing it. Watch a teaser of the RXC below and get a closer look inside and behind the scenes by checking out XCAR's YouTube video.

Source: Radical via XCAR (YouTube)

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6 comments
6 comments
Craig Jennings
Going fast is fun. End Transmission.
The Skud
Trying to imagine that V8 version taking Mum [90+ years] down to the shops - wheeeeh! She gets twitchy enough at 50-70 mph out of town. Unfortunately, I've never really been a big fan of gull-wing doors - pull up in a car park between a couple of SUVs (or any narrow slit in a multi-story) and that's it! Shuffling sideways in through a just-open ordinary door is hard enough!
Slowburn
re; The Skud
Actually that is the advantage of gull-wing doors. They only require a few inches of space to open all the way. if you have enough space to shimmy between the car and obstacle you have enough to get the door all the way open, and get in and out of the car.
Riaanh
It looks like real fun. Would be interesting to see at what price they can bring it to the market.
The only problem I forsee is that, especially where I live, you would forever be getting stuck to speed bumps and potholes!
....... I will need to sit out on this one, it won't even get into my driveway with that ground clearance.
warren52nz
Sorry but man! that's one ugly sports car! Would be interesting to see Stig take it around Top Gear's track to see how well it goes. Bad looks can be forgiven if the performance is good enough, otherwise... ughhh.
Gabriel Jones
Race car desperately trying to catch up to a truck?
''If you saw it driving next to you on the highway, you might think that a race car fell out of its trailer and was desperately trying to catch up.''