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Elemental RP-1 revealed: Road legal track car can be tuned with spanners and Allen key

The road legal Elemental RP-1 track car has been revealed ahead of its official debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.


According to Elemental, the concept behind the RP-1 is a road legal car that can be driven to a circuit, and then tuned for that track with just a few spanners and an Allen key.

The passenger cell is made from a mixture of carbon composite and aluminium. Moulded into the car's central tub are racing bucket seats constructed almost entirely out of carbon fibre. Adjustable pedals allow drivers of different heights to use the RP-1.

In its lightest configuration the RP-1 is said to weigh just 450kg.

Three engine options can be slotted in behind the driver and passenger: the most powerful being a 209kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged Ford EcoBoost engine paired with a six-speed sequential transmission.

A 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder Ford EcoBoost motor sits in the middle of the range, with a 999cc Honda Fireblade motorcycle engine being the lightweight, low cost option.

Measuring 3740mm long, 1775mm wide and with a 2525mm wheelbase, the Elemental RP-1 is longer but slightly narrower than the Ariel Atom.

At each corner the RP-1 matches double wishbone suspension with Eibach springs and Nitron dampers. Bolted to this are 17-inch alloy wheels smothered in 235/45 rubber. Retardation is provided by 280mm disc brakes paired with four-pot calipers on all four wheels.

Ahead of the driver is a configurable display that can display data from the GPS system and G-sensors, and a multifunction steering wheel with backlit buttons. There are two small luggage areas on either side of the engine bay.

The RP-1 will head into production some time in 2015 at a facility in England.

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