Radical Sportscars, the purveyor of track-focused
machines, has introduced its latest creation at this year’s Goodwood Festival
of Speed. Called the Rapture, it’s the company’s new flagship, road-legal sports
car that continues to delivers an “unapologetic assault on the senses.”
Don’t let the cool demeanour of the models in the
photo fool you, the Rapture comes with very little creature comforts to deliver
as raw a driving experience as possible. Without a roof or windscreen, your
exposure to the elements is rather high.
At the core of the Rapture is a lightweight
spaceframe chassis, which features an FIA-compliant safety cell and crash
structure. What little bodywork fitted is made of a composite material, with an
adjustable bi-plane rear wing and double-tunnel diffuser for real downforce.
The chassis also gets an enhanced version of the
firm’s proven Nik-link suspension system with Intrax Racing adjustable ARC
dampers, and the company says these items have been optimised for both road and
track use. Stopping power is provided by 300 mm (front) 280 mm (rear) disc
brakes with four-pot calipers.
Motivation comes in the form of a Ford EcoBoost 2.3
litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that you’ll also find in the Focus RS
and Mustang, albeit reworked by Radical’s engine division to push out 350 hp
and 434 Nm of torque. Mounted midship, the mill sends drive to the rear wheels
through a six-speed sequential gearbox and Quaife ATB differential.
The Rapture is predicatably a light car, tipping the
scales at just 765 kg, allowing it to accelerate from zero to 96 km/h in just three seconds, and up to 161 km/h after another 5.4
seconds. The top speed here is 265 km/h. What about the interior? Well,
you get two moulded racing seats with integral headrests and multi-point
harnesses, an AiM MXS LCD display with data-logging functions, heating and
buttons on the steering wheel. Oh, there’s a 12-volt power socket and a fire
extinguisher system too.
