Now this is our kind of safety package, not an overly enthusiastic traction controls system or side-curtain airbag in site. The Caparo T1 relies instead on a Formula 1 style carbon fiber an aluminum honeycomb tub surrounded by a crumple zone made from the same material. Carbon is again employed in the nose, which models itself on the crushable items found on the front of F1 cars. Retardation is supplied by AP racing 14-inch disks all round, with 6 piston calipers at the front, 4 at the rear, capable of hauling the car down from 100mph in under 3 seconds. To ensure that drivers are able to make the most of the T1's incredible handling and braking abilities, Caparo run a mandatory -yes that means everyone - training course for potential customers.
"Even though the T1 is exceptionally light at around 570kg depending on specification, the very high speeds it is capable of mean that conventional road car safety systems can not manage the extreme levels of kinetic energy that could be involved in a crash," explains vehicle co-designer Ben Scott-Geddes. "To solve this, we have incorporated many of the safety systems proven in Formula One, where drivers regularly walk away from horrific accidents that would be fatal in normal road cars."
We'd love to see more mainstream manufacturers adopt a similar, cost-no-object approach to safety. In the average road car, unless you're extremely lucky, you're going kaput at anything over about 50mph.