New entry-level Radical SR1 breaks cover

Track day car manufacturer Radical has unveiled its new entry-level competition car, the SR1.

The new model is aimed at track day enthusiasts and club racers and is strictly a circuit-biased car. It has been developed to ape Le Mans style sports prototypes yet engineered to provide direct handling on a more modest budget.

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On Bing: see pictures of Radical cars

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The new car is powered by a 210hp Suzuki Hayabusa motorbike engine bored out to 1,340cc, tuned by Radical Performance Engines, the firm’s in-house motor specialists. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox and a Quaife ATB differential to help improve traction.

The engine is currently used in other Radical products – such as the SR3 – and combined with the track car’s specially developed Dunlop slick tyres and 480kg kerb weight is good for 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds, running on to a top speed of 138mph.

The chassis is pure racecar machinery and boasts double wishbone suspension with fully adjustable dampers all-round. Together with the downforce produced by the car’s aero package in the form of a front splitter, rear diffuser and rear wing, the SR1 can generate cornering forces of up to 2.3g.

Radical’s own four-piston brake calipers clamp sizeable 240mm ventilated discs front and rear, ensuring the SR1 has retardation levels to match its prolific pace.

The passenger compartment is protected by a comprehensive FIA-approved safety cell and deformable crash structure and includes race-spec harnesses and integral fire extinguisher, meaning you really can turn up to the track and go racing straight away.

And the price to do so? £29,850 plus VAT, according to Radical.

The firm believes “in this price range, nothing touches it for speed and trackday ability.”

Radical SR3: top 10 track day cars

On Bing: see pictures of Radical cars

Find a used Radical on Auto Trader