Elemental to debut Rp1 sports car at Goodwood Festival of Speed
British carmaker Elemental Motor Company will debut the Rp1, its first lightweight sports car, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb. The British automaker has been developing the sports car over a four-year period and recently completed its first production specification car at its new production facility in Hambledon, Hampshire.
The Rp1 is powered by a choice of two turbocharged Ecoboost engines - a 1.0litre three-cylinder engine producing 182PS and a 2.0litre four-cylinder engine putting out 324PS . The engines can launch the car from 0-100kmph in 3.2sec and 2.8sec respectively.
At the heart of the Rp1 is a lightweight carbon fibre and aluminium composite structural tub. Elemental's patented CarbonAI tub weighs just 65kg and integrates a feet-up driving position. It is the same driving position that is found on F1 and World Endurance prototypes. Mark Fowler, bodywork and aerodynamics lead and Elemental co-founder said: "The feet-up driving position puts the Rp1 at the forefront of its sector as it provides space to accommodate a diffuser under the front half of the car as part of the cutting edge aerodynamics package."
Fowler further said that taking the Rp1 up to 241kmph generates 400kg of downforce the figures being recorded when the car was in the standard road height set-up. The automaker is running its final verification tests on the car and is confident of achieving an even greater figure in the more aggressive track-focussed set-up.
The Rp1's suspension can be easily adjusted by the user, either by hand or by using basic tools. To optimise the suspension settings of the car, the user will require the services of a fully trained mechanic. Switchable traction control is fitted as standard, with up to five traction control and engine map settings.
Elemental will have its second production specification model ready for display in the Goodwood festival. The company will be launching the sports car in the markets by later this year.
