Radical RXC

Last updated

Radical RXC
RadicalRXCV8.jpg
Radical RXC 2.7 L V8
Overview
Manufacturer Radical Sportscars
Production2013–present
Assembly Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England
Designer Vincent Rassat
Body and chassis
Class
Body style
Layout RMR layout
Doors Gull-wing doors
Powertrain
Engine
Transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,560 mm (100.8 in)
Length4,300 mm (169.3 in)
Width1,960 mm (77.2 in)
Height1,127 mm (44.4 in)
Kerb weight
  • 1,010 kg (2,227 lb) (RXC Spyder)
  • 1,130 kg (2,491 lb) (RXC 600R)
  • 1,130 kg (2,491 lb) (RXC GT)
  • 1,170 kg (2,579 lb) (RXC GT3)

The Radical RXC is a line of track-only race cars and street-legal road cars built by British manufacturer Radical Sportscars. The first street-legal RXC was unveiled in January 2013 at the Autosport International auto show, and it has since been offered in many different engine and racing configurations.

Contents

Models

RXC (2013–2016)

The original RXC launched in 2013 for the 2014 model year in two street-legal forms: the RXC V6 and the optional upgraded RXC V8. The standard V6, a modified version of the 3.7 L Ford Duratec 37 Cyclone, produces 350 hp (261 kW; 355 PS) @ 6,750 rpm and 320 lb⋅ft (434 N⋅m) @ 4,250 rpm. [1] The V8 came in two engine configurations, a 2.7 L and a 3.0 L, both in-house designs based on the inline-four engine used in the Suzuki Hayabusa. The 2.7 L produces 430 hp (321 kW; 436 PS) @ 9,500 rpm and 260 lb⋅ft (353 N⋅m) @ 7,200 rpm, while the 3.0 L produces 480 hp (358 kW; 487 PS) @ 9,100 rpm and 280 lb⋅ft (380 N⋅m) @ 7,500 rpm. [2] The RXC was based on the design of the previous Radical SR9 Le Mans prototype, and features a body made out of mostly carbon fibre composites. [3] Both engines are mated to 7-speed semi-automatic transmission manufactured by Quaife, mounted transversely and driving the rear wheels. Standard features inside the RXC include air conditioning, power steering, heated windscreen and mirrors, and a multi-function adjustable steering wheel.

RXC Turbo / RXC GT (2014–present)

The RXC Turbo was unveiled at the 2014 Autosport International show, one year after the reveal of the original RXC. The RXC Turbo adds a new powerplant to the RXC lineup in the form of Ford's 3.5 L twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine, producing 448 hp (454 PS; 334 kW) @ 5,500 rpm and 500 lb⋅ft (678 N⋅m) @ 3,500 rpm. [4] [5] The RXC Turbo is also available with additional levels of sound deadening equipment in the interior to eliminate NVH at the cost of weight savings.

In 2017, the RXC Turbo was renamed the 'RXC GT'. It is now available with two optional tunes of the EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 engine, producing 400 hp (406 PS; 298 kW) in standard configuration, with the optional 650 hp (659 PS; 485 kW) tune shared by the contemporary RXC Spyder and RXC Turbo 600R. [6]

RXC Spyder (2015–present)

In January 2015's Autosport International show, Radical revealed its new track-only model, the RXC Spyder. Intended to replace the Radical SR8 RX as the company's flagship track car, the RXC Spyder features an open cockpit and significant aerodynamic additions over previous RXC models. [7] The RXC Spyder was initially offered with only the 3.0 L RPE RPX-V8 engine from the RXC V8, producing 440 hp (328 kW; 446 PS) @ 9,100 rpm and 280 lb⋅ft (380 N⋅m) @ 7,500 rpm. [8] In 2016 after the release of the RXC Turbo 500R, the RXC Spyder became available with the 500R's 3.5 L twin-turbo EcoBoost engine, producing 600 hp (608 PS; 447 kW) @ 6,700 rpm and 465 lb⋅ft (630 N⋅m) @ 4,200 rpm–6,200 rpm. [9] Similarly, after the release of the RXC Turbo 600R in 2017, the RXC Spyder became available with the 600R's further upgraded 3.5 L twin-turbo EcoBoost engine, producing 650 hp (659 PS; 485 kW).

RXC Turbo 500 (2015–2016)

Radical RXC Turbo 500 Radical RXC 500 Turbo Top Marques 2019 IMG 1143.jpg
Radical RXC Turbo 500

At the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, Radical introduced a higher-performance version of the existing turbo road car, the RXC Turbo 500. All internals and externals of the car are carried over from the original Turbo, with the exception of the new uptuned 3.5 L EcoBoost engine. The RXC Turbo 500's EcoBoost V6 now produces 530 hp (537 PS; 395 kW) @ 6,100 rpm and 481 lb⋅ft (652 N⋅m) @ 5,000 rpm. [10]

RXC Turbo 500R (2016–2017)

A further development of the RXC Turbo 500 would come at the next year's 2016 Geneva Motor show in the form of the RXC Turbo 500R. The 500R features new weight-saving carbon fibre techniques that Radical claims cuts 50 kg from the original 500 model, as well as larger brakes paired to a new ABS system. [11] The 3.5 L EcoBoost engine in 500R tune now produces 600 hp (608 PS; 447 kW) @ 6,700 rpm and 465 lb⋅ft (630 N⋅m) @ 4,200 rpm–6,200 rpm. The RXC 500R was produced on both track-only and road-legal Dunlop Tires. [12]

RXC GT3 (2016–present)

Radical RXC GT3 Radical RXC Turbo GT3 Monaco IMG 1209.jpg
Radical RXC GT3

Also introduced in 2016 was the Radical RXC GT3, a modified version of the RXC Turbo homologated to FIA GT3 standards. Homologation was achieved with the RXC Turbo's 3.5 L EcoBoost engine, detuned to produce around 500 hp (507 PS; 373 kW) depending on individual championship rules, and a 6-speed semi-automatic transmission. [13] Other differences from the RXC Turbo road car include a redesigned splitter, front canards, a modified rear wing and larger brake rotors and callipers. [14]

RXC Turbo 600R (2017–present)

At the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Radical made a surprise appearance with the new RXC Turbo 600R model. The 600R is designed and sold as a track-only racecar, although Radical produced a one-off road-legal car that they premiered at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. [15] The RXC Turbo 600R features the same 3.5 L EcoBoost engine from prior Turbo models, now tuned to produce 650 hp (659 PS; 485 kW) paired to a 6-speed semi-automatic transmission. [16]

Specifications

Powertrain

The Radical RXC's powertrain has consisted of four different engines over its many models, although current RXCs now use Ford's EcoBoost turbocharged V6 exclusively in many different tunes. The engines are mid-rear mounted and drive the rear wheels.

EngineModelPowerTorqueYears
3.7 L Ford Duratec 37 Cyclone V6Radical RXC V6350 hp (261 kW) @ 6750 rpm320 lb⋅ft (434 N⋅m) @ 4250 rpm2013–2016
2.7 L RPE-RPX V8Radical RXC V8430 hp (321 kW) @ 9500 rpm260 lb⋅ft (353 N⋅m) @ 7200 rpm2013–2016
3.0 L RPE-RPY V8Radical RXC V8480 hp (358 kW) @ 9100 rpm280 lb⋅ft (380 N⋅m) @ 7500 rpm2013–2016
Radical RXC Spyder440 hp (328 kW) @ 9100 rpm280 lb⋅ft (380 N⋅m) @ 7500 rpm2015–2017
3.5 L twin-turbocharged Ford EcoBoost V6Radical RXC Turbo448 hp (334 kW) @ 5500 rpm500 lb⋅ft (678 N⋅m) @ 3500 rpm2014–2017
Radical RXC Turbo 500530 hp (395 kW) @ 6100 rpm481 lb⋅ft (652 N⋅m) @ 5000 rpm2015–2016
Radical RXC Turbo 500R600 hp (447 kW) @ 6700 rpm465 lb⋅ft (630 N⋅m) @ 4200-6200 rpm2016–2017
Radical RXC GT3>500 hp (373 kW) @ –2016–present
Radical RXC Turbo 600R650 hp (485 kW) @ –2017–present
Radical RXC Spyder650 hp (485 kW) @ –2017–present
Radical RXC GT400 hp (298 kW) @ –2017–present
650 hp (485 kW) @ –2017–present

Transmission

The RXC began production with a 7-speed semi-automatic transmission manufactured by Quaife, but as of 2017 the 7-speed has been phased out in favor of a 6-speed semi-automatic also manufactured by Quaife specifically for the RXC.

Suspension

The RXC uses double wishbone suspension on the front and rear axles, with interchangeable and adjustable anti-roll bars and Intrax dampers.

Chassis

The RXC's chassis is a carbon tubular steel space frame with fibreglass body panels. Many RXC models are available with an optional upgrade that incorporates more carbon-fibre body panels in place of fibreglass for additional weight savings.

Wheels

The RXC uses cast aluminum wheels of 17" diameter for the RXC GT and 18" for other current production models. Its disc brakes are sized at 350 mm (13.8 in) front and 310 mm (12.2 in) rear for the RXC GT, 360 mm (14.2 in) front and 330 mm (13.0 in) rear for the RXC Spyder and RXC Turbo 600R, and 390 mm (15.4 in) front and 360 mm (14.2 in) rear for the RXC GT3.

Performance

Below is a table of manufacturer-claimed performance values for the currently available models of the Radical RXC.

Model0-60 mph (seconds)Top speed (mph)Power (hp)Power-to-weight ratio (bhp/tonne)Lateral force (g)
RXC GT2.71806505752.1
RXC Spyder2.71806506442.1
RXC 600R2.71806505752.1
RXC GT32.7180>500>4302.1

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lotus Esprit</span> British sports car

The Lotus Esprit is a sports car built by Lotus Cars from 1976 to 2004 at their Hethel, England factory. It has a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Together with the Lotus Elise / Exige, it is one of Lotus' most long-lived models.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitsubishi Eclipse</span> Sport compact car that was produced by Mitsubishi Motors

The Mitsubishi Eclipse is a sport compact car that was produced by Mitsubishi in four generations from 1989 until 2011. A convertible body style was added during the 1996 model year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari F430</span> V8 sports car manufactured by Italian automobile manufacturer Ferrari as a successor to the 360

The Ferrari F430 is a sports car produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Ferrari from 2004 until 2009 as a successor to the Ferrari 360. The car is an update to the 360 with exterior and performance changes. It was unveiled at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. The F430 was succeeded by the 458 which was unveiled on 28 July 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge Durango</span> American mid-size SUV

The Dodge Durango is a mid-size/full-size SUV produced by Dodge in three generations starting with the 1998 model year. The first two generations were very similar in that both were based on the Dodge Dakota and Dodge Ram, both featured a body-on-frame construction and both were produced at the Newark Assembly Plant in Newark, Delaware through the 2009 model year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lotus Exige</span> Car model

The Lotus Exige is a sports car made by the British company Lotus Cars from 2000 until 2021. Originally a coupé version of the Lotus Elise roadster, since the Series 3 the Exige has been the larger-engined model of the family, featuring a V6 engine in place of the Elise's straight-four. Convertible versions of both models are available.

The Ferrari Dino engine is a line of mechanically similar V6 and V8 engines produced by Ferrari for about 40 years from the late 1950s into the early 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontiac Grand Am</span> Motor vehicle

The Pontiac Grand Am was a car model produced by Pontiac in various years between 1973 and 2005. Produced as a RWD mid-size car on the LeMans GM A platform in its first two generations, the Grand Am name was reused for a FWD compact car for its last three generations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Performance Vehicles</span> Vehicle make

Ford Performance Vehicles was the Melbourne-based, premium performance arm of automobile manufacturer Ford Australia. The company produced a range of Ford-based models from 2002 to 2014 under the FPV marque name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radical Sportscars</span> British car manufacturer

Radical Motorsport is a British manufacturer and constructor of racing cars. The company was founded in January 1997 by amateur drivers and engineers Mick Hyde and Phil Abbott, who built open cockpit sportscars which could be registered for road use and run on a track without modification. Radical produce a mix of purpose built race cars as well as road legal sports cars in varying specifications. Their most popular car is the Radical SR3.

Callaway Cars Inc. is an American specialty vehicle manufacturer and engineering company that designs, develops, and manufactures high-performance product packages for cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs. They specialize in Corvettes and GM vehicles. New GM vehicles are delivered to Callaway facilities where these special packages and components are installed. Then the vehicles are delivered to GM new car dealers where they are sold to retail customers, branded as Callaway. Callaway Cars is one of four core Callaway companies, including Callaway Engineering, Callaway Carbon and Callaway Competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Mustang (fourth generation)</span> Motor vehicle

The fourth-generation Ford Mustang is an automobile that was produced by the American automobile manufacturer Ford for the 1994 through 2004 model years. Marking the first major redesign of the Ford Mustang in fifteen years, the fourth generation of the pony car was introduced in November 1993 with the launch taking place on December 9, 1993. The design, was based on an updated version of the Fox platform and was the final vehicle underpinned with this platform. It featured styling by Bud Magaldi that incorporated some stylistic elements from the classic Mustangs. A convertible model returned, but the previous notchback and hatchback bodystyles were discontinued in favor of a conventional 2-door coupe design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Falcon (FG)</span> Motor vehicle

The Ford Falcon (FG) is a full-sized car that was produced by Ford Australia from 2008 to 2014. It was the first iteration of the seventh and last generation of the Falcon. Its range no longer featured the Fairmont luxury badge, replaced instead by the G Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford EcoBoost engine</span> Series of turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engines

EcoBoost is a series of turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engines produced by Ford and originally co-developed by FEV Inc.. EcoBoost engines are designed to deliver power and torque consistent with those of larger-displacement naturally aspirated engines, while achieving up to 20% better fuel efficiency and 15% fewer greenhouse emissions, according to Ford. The manufacturer sees the EcoBoost technology as less costly and more versatile than further developing or expanding the use of hybrid and diesel engine technologies. EcoBoost engines are broadly available across the Ford vehicle lineup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 918 Spyder</span> Plug-in hybrid hypercar

The Porsche 918 Spyder is a sports car manufactured by German marque Porsche. The 918 Spyder is a plug-in hybrid powered by a mid-mounted naturally aspirated 4.6 L (4,593 cc) V8 engine, developing 447 kW at 8,700 RPM, with two electric motors delivering an additional 210 kW for a combined output of 652 kW (875 hp) and 1,280 N⋅m (944 lbf⋅ft) of torque. The 918 Spyder's 6.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack delivers an all-electric range of 19 km (12 mi) under the US Environmental Protection Agency's five-cycle tests.

Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) is an American hypercar manufacturer and high-performance vehicle creator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Mustang (sixth generation)</span> Motor vehicle

The sixth-generation Ford Mustang (S550) is a pony car that was manufactured by Ford from 2014 until 2023. In departure from prior Mustang models, the sixth-generation Mustang included fully independent rear suspension on all models, as well as an optional 2.3L EcoBoost turbocharged and direct injected four-cylinder engine. The Mustang was introduced as a 2015 model year vehicle, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Ford Mustang, which was revealed as a 1965 model year vehicle on April 17, 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé is an executive car (E-segment) introduced in 2018 by Mercedes-AMG. It is marketed as a five-door variant of the AMG GT two-door sports car. Despite the name and style, the GT 4-Door Coupé is closely related to E63 wagon with its performance chassis, and is featured by the AMG-specific rear frame and a different front axle for better kinematics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audi R8 (Type 42)</span> Sports car

The Audi R8 is the first generation of the R8 sports car developed and manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Audi. Conceived in 2003 in concept form, the R8 was put into production in June 2006. The Type 42 is based on the Lamborghini Gallardo and shares its chassis and engine. Audi's parent company Volkswagen Group owns Lamborghini as well and components of both of the cars were shared mainly to save development costs. Production of the Type 42 ended in August 2015, following the introduction of the Type 4S at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show which was based on an entirely new platform.

References

  1. "Radical RXC 3.7 V6". Radical Sportscars. Archived from the original on 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
  2. "Radical RXC V8". Radical Sportscars. Archived from the original on 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
  3. Simona (2012-12-12). "2014 Radical RXC Coupe". TopSpeed.
  4. "Radical RXC > Technology". Radical Sportscars. Archived from the original on 2015-05-15. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
  5. Moe, Christian (2014-01-17). "2015 Radical RXC Turbo". TopSpeed.
  6. "RXC GT - Road". Radical Sportscars.
  7. Lopez, Jonathan (2015-01-29). "2015 Radical RXC Spyder". TopSpeed.
  8. "RXC Spyder". Radical Sportscars. Archived from the original on 2016-01-06.
  9. "RXC Spyder". Radical Sportscars. Archived from the original on 2016-09-16.
  10. Elliott, Andrew (2015-03-03). "Geneva 2015: Radical RXC Turbo 500". GTSpirit.
  11. Joseph, Noah (2016-03-02). "RXC Turbo 500R is the fastest Radical ever". Autoblog.
  12. Frankel, Andrew (2016-03-02). "Radical unleashes its fastest road car yet at Geneva show". Autocar.
  13. "RXC GT3". Radical Sportscars.
  14. Florea, Ciprian (2016-02-08). "2016 Radical RXC Turbo GT3". TopSpeed.
  15. Ingram, Antony (2017-06-30). "Radical RXC Turbo 600R 20th Anniversary - 650bhp special debuts at Goodwood". Evo.
  16. "RXC 600R". Radical Sportscars.