Preview: Radical RXC

Radical, as the name suggests, make some pretty radical track cars, with which some of us at Winding Road have had some great experiences. It’s no surprise then, that we’re pretty excited about Radical’s newest model, the Le Mans-inspired RXC, which the company is calling the “world’s most extreme road-legal coupe.” We’re hoping that “road-legal” part extends to the US, too, as it is slated to become available here.

 

The RXC is powered by a Ford Duratec 3.7-liter V-6 engine producing 380 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. Shifting duties go to a seven-speed Quaife gearbox with paddle shift and autoblip functions. The car weighs a total of about 1984 pounds and, interestingly, achieves the same amount of downforce at its top speed of 175 miles per hour. 0-62 miles per hour comes in just 2.8 seconds, which puts it on par with the Porsche 918 Spyder and Lamborghini Veneno in terms of straight-line acceleration.

 

Certain markets will have the option of a 300-horsepower, 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost Engine, or a 480-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-8 used in the Radical SR8 RX.

 

The RXC uses an Intrax Racing Suspension inboard push rod suspension system with double wishbones, and optional four-way damper adjustment is available. It rides on 17-inch center-lock wheels, and disc brakes with six-piston calipers bring things to a stop. Buyers can upgrade to a set of carbon ceramic brakes.

 

The car’s multi-piece bodywork is designed to be aerodynamic, and features cooling vents for the engine and brakes. Racecars take a lot of wear and tear, and these body pieces are designed to be easy and cost-effective to replace. The RXC also features a set visually exciting and accessibility-minded gullwing doors.

 

Inside the car is an adjustable pedal box, six-point harnesses on the bucket seats, a multifunction adjustable steering wheel, and air conditioning. The RXC features an AIM MXL2 dashboard with an optional data logging and SmartyCam system.

 

The price tag for a Radical RXC should be about $144,000, according to Edmunds.

 

Expect to hear and see more about the Radical RXC when it arrives at Salon Prive in September. Until then, for more information, visit Radical’s website. Scroll down for two videos, the first from Radical, the second being an introduction to the RXC from XCar.