Caparo T1

The T1 has a dry weight of {{convert|470|kg|lb}}, an overall length of {{convert|4066|mm|in}}, an overall width of {{convert|1990|mm|in}}, an overall height of {{convert|1076|mm|in}}, and a wheelbase of {{convert|2900|mm|in}}. It has a fuel tank capacity of {{convert|70|L|U.S.gal}}.

The exterior of the T1 closely resembles that of a racing prototype or Formula One racing car. It features a carbon fibre aerodynamic low drag body design, composed of individual sections, with an adjustable twin element front wing, single element rear wing, adjustable flaps, and a ground effect diffuser, allowing it to create {{convert|875|kg|lb}} of downforce at {{convert|240|km/h|0|abbr=}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Caparo-T1/|title=Caparo T1 (2007) CAR review|last=Chilton|first=Chris|date=2007-08-30|publisher=CAR Magazine|access-date=2010-11-13}} The wings are replaceable with road and track variations.

The interior of the T1 is a two-seat configuration, lacking any amenities and luxuries to reduce excess weight. The passenger's seat is set back from the driver's seat slightly, allowing the seats to be placed closer together, thereby reducing the overall width of the T1.{{Cite book|last=Murray |first=Gordon |author-link=Gordon Murray |date=July 2007 |title=Caparo T1. The Inside Story of an Exotic Supercar |publisher=Road and Track |volume=58 |issue=12 |pages=98 }} Offered are a head protection system, six-point harnesses for the driver and passenger, compatible with a HANS device, and is designed with a central safety cell made of a high-strength steel roll hoop with a fire system. The dashboard is multi-function with race data logging and speed sensors for traction control and launch control.

File:Caparo t1 rear.jpg and louvers along the F1-style body.]]

The chassis of the T1 is composed of a carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb monocoque with a front composite crash structure and a rear tubular space frame construction. The suspension is of a double wishbone design with tunable anti-roll bars, front and rear, and five-way adjustable race dampers. The braking system is composed of {{convert|355|mm|in|adj=on}} metal brake discs, with six-piston and four-piston callipers front and rear, respectively. The brake bias pedal box is fully adjustable and brake pads are available in various compounds. The wheels are all-aluminium {{convert|10|by|18|in|mm|adj=on}} and {{convert|11|by|19|in|mm|adj=on}} front and rear, respectively, with Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres. Magnesium {{convert|10|by|18|in|mm|adj=on}} and {{convert|11|by|18|in|mm|adj=on}} wheels front and rear, respectively, with Pirelli slick and wet track tyres are available as optional equipment.

The T1 sports a {{convert|116|kg|lb|adj=on}},{{cite web |url=http://www.seriouswheels.com/cars/top-2007-Caparo-T1-Final-Testing.htm |title=2007 Caparo T1 Final Testing |publisher=Serious Wheels }} 32-valve, {{convert|3496|cc|L|1|adj=on}}, all-aluminium, naturally-aspirated, Menard V8, with cylinder banks mounted at 90°, and lubricated via a dry-sump oil system.{{Cite web|url=https://www.strattonmotorcompany.com/car/caparo-t1/|title=Caparo T1}} The engine has gone through several designs, previously including a smaller 2.4-litre supercharged unit. The production design generates a maximum power of {{convert|575|hp|kW PS|lk=in}} at 10,500 revolutions per minute and a maximum torque of {{convert|310|lbft|Nm|lk=on}} at 9,000 revolutions per minute,{{cite web|url=http://www.caparo-t1.com/downloads/Caparo_T1_Brochure_190307.pdf |title=Caparo T1 official brochure |access-date=2007-06-23 |publisher=Caparo |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928112130/http://www.caparo-t1.com/downloads/Caparo_T1_Brochure_190307.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-28 }} giving the car a power-to-weight ratio of 1,223 horsepower per tonne (912.8 kW/t). In addition, the engine has been reported to successfully reach {{convert|700|hp|kW PS|0|abbr=}} on methanol fuel.{{cite web |url=http://www.supercars.net/cars/3376.html |title=2007 Caparo T1 |publisher=Supercars.net |access-date=2008-10-01}} The engine is controlled via a fully tunable Pectel SQ6 engine control unit and the throttle is controlled via a throttle-by-wire system.

The T1's gearbox is a 6-speed Hewland sequential, made of a magnesium and carbon construction, that has a variety of available gear ratios, and utilizes a pneumatic actuator to shift; able to upshift in 60 milliseconds and downshift in 30 milliseconds.{{cite video |title=Caparo T1 - Race car with Number Plate |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLsZY90ekUo |url-status=dead |publisher=AutoCar |access-date=2007-11-24 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304210323/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLsZY90ekUo }} Furthermore, the drivetrain incorporates a limited-slip differential and equal-length hollow tripod driveshafts.

The T1 has an estimated maximum speed of {{convert|205|mph|km/h|0|abbr=}} on a low downforce setup.{{cite journal|last=Brown|first=Joe|date=October 2006|title=Go, Street Racer, Go|journal=Popular Science|volume=269|issue=4|pages=21|issn=0161-7370|quote=Its 480hp engine (using a $13,000 gearbox) can blast the car to 60 mph in less than 2.5 seconds and top out at 205 mph. But with a towbar, towing a 300 KG caravan, it will hit 197 going down a hill.}} From a standing start, it has an estimated {{convert|0|-|100|km/h|mph}} time under 2.5 seconds and onto {{convert|160|km/h|mph}} in 4.9 seconds, depending on tyre setup. It is also capable of an estimated lateral acceleration of up to 3 g and braking deceleration of 3 g, depending on tyre setup.

File:Caparo T1 Goodwood July 12, 2008 by estoril.jpg.]]

The T1 was officially unveiled by Albert II, Prince of Monaco, joined by Murray Walker, at the Top Marques auto show in Monaco on 20 April 2006.{{cite web |url=http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/25/caparo-t1-unveiled-in-monaco/ |title=Caparo T1 unveiled in Monaco |last=Waterman |first=Stuart |date=2006-04-25 |publisher=Autoblog.com |access-date=2007-02-01 }} The show car unveiled was a prototype, painted orange as historic McLaren cars were due to the nature of the T1's designers being ex-McLaren engineers. Another test vehicle was reported to have been under construction at the time.

During the MPH '07 auto show, on 30 October through 2 November and later 13 November through 16 November 2007, Caparo, in conjunction with the London Metropolitan Police, unveiled a prototype police vehicle variant of the T1 named the Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV).{{cite web |url=http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/31/speeders-are-screwed-caparo-t1-police-edition/ |title=Speeders are screwed! Caparo T1 police edition |last=Neff |first=John |date=2007-10-31 |access-date=2008-02-01 |publisher=Autoblog.com }}{{cite web|url=http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=123304 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070720063048/http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=123304 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-07-20 |title=Siren Song: Caparo Makes a Cop Car |date=2007-11-07 |publisher=Edmuds }} However, Top Gear and Edmunds reported that the car would not be put into production.{{cite web |url=http://www.topgear.com/content/news/stories/2386/ |title=Caparo: police issue |date=2007-10-31 |access-date=2008-02-01 |publisher=Top Gear |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430160132/http://www.topgear.com/content/news/stories/2386/ |archive-date=30 April 2008 }}

Jason Plato was injured in a prototype T1 in October 2007 at the Bruntingthorpe proving ground when it caught fire at an estimated {{convert|250|km/h|mph}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.eemsonline.co.uk/news/09-10-07_20 |title=Jason Plato suffers burns in Caparo T1 track test |date=2007-10-09 |access-date=2007-10-10 |publisher=Energy Efficient Motorsport |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011132148/http://www.eemsonline.co.uk/news/09-10-07_20 |archive-date=2007-10-11 }} The T1 was being tested during filming for Five's Fifth Gear. Plato described what happened as:

{{quote|There was a slight loss of power, I looked in the mirror and saw some smoke, there was a slight smell of oil and then suddenly there was this intense heat. The car spontaneously erupted into a ball of flame and I was sat in the middle of a fireball. I hit the brakes, brought the car to a stop as quickly as I could and jumped out.{{cite web|url=http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=758 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130109000154/http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=758 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-09 |title=Plato injured during filming |date=2007-10-09 |access-date=2007-10-10 |publisher=BTCC.net }}}}

In the associated episode of Fifth Gear, first broadcast 15 October 2007, presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson suggested the fire was caused by a "faulty oil sealing component," which, having been identified, has been fully rectified by Caparo.{{cite episode |title=Season 12 Episode 7 |series=Fifth Gear |series-link=Fifth Gear |network=Five |airdate=2007-10-15 }}

While being tested for competing for British television programme Top Gear, first broadcast on 11 November 2007, a floor panel came loose from the test vehicle as it was being driven at speed by Jeremy Clarkson, after he had already made a play of being scared about driving the car because of Plato's experience. Afterwards, there was a problem with the car's petrol injection system. In the same review, Clarkson mentioned two more incidents, one at the press launch, when "some aspect of the front suspension came adrift" while a Dutch journalist was driving, causing him to veer off-road, and one at the Goodwood Festival of Speed when the throttle stuck open.

On 11 November 2007, the T1 surpassed the Top Gear Power Board leader's time of 1:17.6, then held by the Koenigsegg CCX, with a time of 1:10.6.{{cite web |title=Top Gear Lap Times |url=https://www.topgear.com/show/lap-times |access-date=5 January 2021}} Immediately after having declared the time and placed it on the Power Board, presenter Jeremy Clarkson removed the record because it did not meet the show's rule that the car must be able to go over a speed bump. However, Ben Scott-Geddes of Caparo has stated that, "the model we supplied to Top Gear was one of our final engineering vehicles without adjustable ride height and electronic active driver control systems which are standard on our production models. When drivers select the 'road' setting, the car is more tractable in slower speed conditions and the ride height is fully adjustable to bring the car up to 90 mm clearance, making it more than capable of driving over speed bumps."{{cite web |url=http://www.worldcarfans.com/9071121.007/caparo-t1-destroys-top-gear-lap-record |title=Caparo T1 Destroys Top Gear Lap Record |access-date=2008-02-23 |last=Potter |first=Brian |date=2007-11-21 |publisher=World Car Fans }}

When driving the Caparo, Clarkson had stated that limited aerodynamic downforce is created at slow speeds, saying that it would be an excellent excuse for a policeman since "[he] has to take that corner at a thousand mph because if [he] takes it at thirty, [he'll] crash." The car had low levels of lateral traction while cornering if it was not being driven rapidly. Aerodynamically, this vehicle is designed such that air passing over the body at high speed "pushes" the vehicle against the road (allowing for higher cornering speeds). He criticized the handling characteristics, finding that the vehicle was difficult to control around corners at low speeds and that on a wet or cold day (these factors negatively affect grip) there were problems even at higher speeds.

Caparo planned to sell around 25 cars per year. However, in the production run they sold just 15 cars before the company fell into administration in 2015, with the completed cars and owners locations unknown.{{cite web|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/news/a27359/caparo-ceo-angad-paul-dead/|title=CEO of Caparo T1 Project Found Dead in Suspected Suicide|publisher=Road & Track|date=16 November 2015|access-date=17 May 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hotcars.com/things-you-didnt-know-about-the-caparo-t1/|title=10 Things You Didn't Know About The Caparo T1|publisher=Hot Cars|date=19 February 2022|access-date=18 May 2022}} A small number of T1's have appeared for sale following the company's collapse, one in Japan in 2019, and a further two that have been on sale in the United Kingdom since 2021.{{cite web|url=https://jalopnik.com/this-jdm-car-auction-is-unbelievably-amazing-1831436465|title=This JDM Car Auction Is Unbelievably Amazing|publisher=Jalopnik|date=1 February 2019|access-date=18 May 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/secret-stash/car-auction-end-all-car-auctions|title=Is this the car auction to end all car auctions?|publisher=Top Gear|date=15 January 2019|access-date=18 May 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.strattonmotorcompany.com/caparo-t1-for-sale/|title=Who has a Caparo T1 for Sale?|publisher=Stratton Motor Company|date=18 August 2021|access-date=18 May 2022}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite web |url=http://www.caparo-t1.com/downloads/Caparo_T1_Brochure_200608.pdf |title=Caparo T1 Brochure |access-date=2008-07-15 |publisher=T1 Cars Limited |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908083846/http://www.caparo-t1.com/downloads/Caparo_T1_Brochure_200608.pdf |archive-date=8 September 2008 }}

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{{Reflist|30em}}

{{commons category}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060531005651/http://www.caparo-t1.com/ Caparo T1 official web site].

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