World's first T1 prototype from Caparo stable
NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul’s Caparo Group has built the first of two Caparo T1 prototypes, the world’s first sports car to surpass 1,000-BHP-per tonne.
By Agencies |
LONDON: NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul’s Caparo Group has built the first of two Caparo T1 prototypes, the world’s first sports car to surpass 1,000-BHP-per tonne.
Caparo Vehicle Technologies, a Caparo Group subsidiary, has completed the initial trial run of the ultra-lightweight car that can reach a speed of 100 miles per hour in just five seconds and attain a maximum speed of 200 miles per hour.
The car’s creators - design director Ben Scott-Geddes and engineering director Graham Halstead - occupied the high performance two-seater vehicle last week for the test run.
On hearing about the preliminary run, Caparo group chief executive Angad Paul, authorised the procurement of 10 sets of items required for the first production of cars, which are destined for customers next year.
“I am delighted the first prototype is up and running and at the progress we’re making, especially given that we only started the business earlier this year,” Mr Paul said.
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“It shows what you can achieve with a small team underpinned by high levels of expertise. And it’s the same experienced team that’s also delivering lightweight vehicle design solutions and a carbon composite production capability to aerospace and automotive manufacturers.”Mr Paul, who took the decision to invest in the high-technology company, has also approved additional manufacturing investments for the new factory. Although the company occupied brand-new premises when it was formed earlier this year, it has already shifted to a new and bigger location to accommodate more staff and production facilities to help produce lightweight structural parts for the aerospace and automotive industries.
Caparo Group chairman Lord Paul said the ‘T1’ is a high-profile flagship project for the entire group and he was proud of what had been achieved in such a short space of time.
“It’s been a fantastic achievement to get this far so quickly,” said Scott-Geddes. “I’m very proud of everyone involved who has helped us so much on a project like this. It takes a very special team to deliver this kind of result in a short time.”
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The Caparo T1 is being assembled at the same facility and the company is on target to launch the first car in March next year. The highly exclusive ‘T1’ will be built at a rate of just two cars a month, redefining the aerospace and automotive industry definition of ‘ultra-low volume production’.“The Caparo T1 represents but one-tenth of the business plan,” said Richard Butler, chief executive of Caparo Vehicle Products and director of Caparo Vehicle Technologies.
"The Caparo T1 is a real demonstration of our lightweight vehicle design and materials production capability. But it’s also more than a concept inasmuch as there’s a real - albeit exclusive - market for the car and real customers who not only demand the highest possible performance from a track car, but also need it to be driveable on the road and street legal."
"In addition, our long-term objective is to help the aerospace and automotive industries reduce the weight of their vehicles and hence carbon emissions with affordable and practical composite solutions. In essence, we’re applying highly-technical lessons learnt from the motor sport industry."
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