If you’ve ever had occasion to see a Radical in person – or for that matter, in photos – you likely couldn’t avoid thinking it looked like a miniature version of a Le Mans Prototype. The ground-hugging ride height, the aerodynamically-optimized bodywork, the open cockpit… but wait a second, don’t most LMPs these days have closed cockpits? Why yes, yes they do.
The Audi R18, the Toyota TS030, even the aborted Peugeot 908 all have fixed roofs and windshields. So if Radical really is going to follow the form of the front-running endurance prototypes, it’s going to need a closed canopy, too. And that, according to the latest reports, is exactly what it is developing.
Called the RXC Coupe, the new Radical appears to still be in the design phase, but is tipped to arrive in time for 2014. The body is expected to be wider than the existing open models, with a completely new aerodynamic shape. Both race and road versions are reportedly in the cards, with a V8 powering a seven-speed sequential transmission in the former good for around 650 horsepower.
All that and roadworthiness, too, stands to make the Radical RXC Coupe one very serious performance machine, whether on the street or on the track. And we’re looking forward to seeing how it shapes up.
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