1st drive: Caparo T1 ... Yes it does 0-100 in 5 seconds

No pain, no gain. The Caparo T1 hurts. It's a bruising process just clambering over the sides and squeezing into the carbon tub, grazing yourself on all the hard edges that crowd in, pulling muscles as you reach for the harness. And the noise, even at idle! If you don't have earplugs or ideally a full helmet, it shoots an agony into your auditory canals.

Something this extreme demands sacrifice. It has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any road-legal car, by dint of light weight as much as power. Its maker is using it as an advertisement for its composites expertise, in the hope of gaining bigger OEM contracts. This prototype, carrying overweight test parts, is under 1400 pounds. But it has power too: some 550-plus horses, courtesy an Indy-derived 3.5-liter V-8. Zero-to-60 in 2.5 seconds, zero-to-100 in five. The aero package supplies enough downforce for 2.5g high-speed cornering.
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trackturtle - 8/8/2007 2:50:23 PM

+1 Boost

Sigh.... now this is a car I dont mind driving everyday. Even if I break it and it sits on the side of the road, I'd still have a bigger smile then.... say anything else.... ok I lied... maybe an Ariel Atom or a Caterham would come close.

Will_ - 8/8/2007 3:15:52 PM

+1 Boost

But can it beat the M5 'round the track? No, definitively. BMW has years of experience in building cars. Caparo has no heritage...

richardp996 - 8/8/2007 4:09:29 PM

+3 Boost

Will, your comments are trite. "No heritage this" to "Engineering excellence that". You should do PR work. Do you have anything original to say?

What Caparo does have are three ex-McLaren engineers with one being Gordon Murray himself. And of course the car Caparo has no heritage but that doesn't mean the T1 and the company will not meet its goals.

Heritage or whatever you want to call it does not guarantee a bullet-proof product. Even BMW's legacy did not save the M3 from the media. Even BMW can drop a turkey.

Bmw8ter - 8/8/2007 4:59:22 PM

+1 Boost

Heritage isn't much of a factor when you're pulling 2.5g's...that's engineering.

candywhite - 8/8/2007 5:14:37 PM

+1 Boost

I think Will was poking fun at the bmw fanboys

Bmw8ter - 8/8/2007 5:15:54 PM

+1 Boost

I know....i was just adding my 2 cents.

cpruitt - 8/8/2007 3:33:39 PM

+1 Boost

Well it is obvious this is a track car, but still 0-100 in 5 seconds is pretty crazy. If you have the money to buy this car you're not going to be driving it everyday anyways. I'm not defending this car but I think it's grouped in the TOY section. If you read the article, it says the company built it as a statement/advertisement for lighter composites...in which they really do business.

jon21 - 8/8/2007 4:27:55 PM

+1 Boost

No racing heritage...no soul...no magic pixie dust! :)

Will_ - 8/8/2007 4:46:38 PM

0 Boost

;)

gsh23 - 8/8/2007 4:47:21 PM

+1 Boost

i agree, this car looks to have no soul. yah sure, its fast in the straights, but the 335i can take it in the corners. plus wheres the luxury if you have to wear a helmet?

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 8/8/2007 5:36:38 PM

+1 Boost

ROFL

Spectator - 8/9/2007 8:47:02 AM

+1 Boost

Ditto

LOMA

Spectator - 8/9/2007 8:48:04 AM

+1 Boost

LMAO

Porschinator - 8/8/2007 9:22:16 PM

+1 Boost

Dont knock it! Just jealous that you dont have a ride that requires you to wear a helmet to and from the office :)

Def a toy for the rich and looks extremely fun. Where can I test drive it?!?

richardp996 - 8/8/2007 9:39:52 PM

+2 Boost

If Will was mocking the BMW boys, fair enough. I do not know the members here enough to know when they are kidding or not.

alfistiDK - 8/9/2007 8:01:32 AM

-1 Boost

You dont need to. Everything will says are ironic, cause he is pissed that his beloved lexus brand dosent make a proper sports car yet.

t_bone - 8/9/2007 9:52:19 AM

+1 Boost

Nice to see something other than a performance sedan making the rounds on the site.

Threepoint1415926 - 8/9/2007 3:24:09 PM

+1 Boost

Kinda ugly isnt it? Fun no doubt but still ugly. At least with the Atom they were able to give it some style without taking away the fun.