It’s not uncommon for British performance car manufacturers to reveal their latest creations to the public at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. In fact, it’s something happens just about annually. In 2012, Bentley chose the Goodwood FoS to unveil the new (at the time) Continental GT V8, 2013 saw Bentley return with their monstrous Continental GT3, while Caterham revealed their clinically insane 620 R. This year’s no different, as a new British sports car manufacturer, Elemental Group, who are based in Surrey, have chosen the annual motorsport event to unveil their RP1 track car.
Elemental RP1 – Goodwood
Elemental Group is a Surrey-based British manufacturer so new that the paint on the walls is likely still drying. The company was founded upon the ideas of a new automotive creation from the minds of John Begley and company, an idea to create a new lightweight, two-seater, road-legal track car. Such aspirations usually mean good things for car enthusiasts, and the numbers behind the Elemental RP1 all hint towards automotive goodness.
Tech Specs
At 450kg, the RP1 almost rivals the weight of your uncle following Christmas dinner. Three engine options are available for propelling the RP1 to speeds expected to rival that of the Ariel Atom 3.5R, BAC Mono, and KTM X-Bow; a 1.0-litre Ford Ecoboost engine, a 2.0-litre variant of that same engine with tune available up to 280bhp, and a 999cc Honda Fireblade unit are the three powerplant choices to pick from to send you hurtling towards the horizon at face-warping speeds.
The options do not cease at the different power sources to choose from, as customers may fancy a limited-slip differential and alternative gear sets if the track-focused aspect of the car is something they take especially seriously. Power is transferred to the rear via a six-speed sequential shifter, the likes of which can also be found in a Formula Three racer.
What’s inside?
Inside of the Elemental RP1, the driver can expect to find himself sitting in a racing-inspired seating position which has the driver’s feet raised in order to maximize underfloor downforce. Along with a quick-release multi-function steering wheel, carbonfibre bucket seats, adjustable pedals (both the seats and pedals allowing accommodation for drivers up to 6’6″), and four-point racing harnesses, the RP1’s interior allows the car’s buyers to live their race driving dreams to the highest extent.
Rivals
How the RP1 compares to its open-top rivals is yet to be known, however we imagine it would be awfully fun to try to decide which of the lot is the best for those who would rather wear a helmet than have a proper windshield.
