Freestream | Caparo T1

[PerfAdv]

Simply awesome! This concept is what I had suggested as the ultimate sports car in the thread asking for, "ultimate light weight sports car". An F1 based, light as possible, minimalist sport scar. The beauty of this car is the simplicity of its design while still achieving phenomenal performance.

A couple of comments/questions come to mind. The front wheels need a more complete shrouding to limit spray-up on wet roads. Image, so important in how a car is perceived, how will this car be received? As a Supercar or the ultimate Ariel/Caterham-type LWS?

[Matra et Alpine]

A couple of comments/questions come to mind. The front wheels need a more complete shrouding to limit spray-up on wet roads.

if you look at their brochure it's more noticable that the winglet holding the front wheel shrouds extends back quite far and is going to provide low speed protection and high speed air flow to redirect the spray.
The angle on the cover is also quite noticable and possibly is used to "move" the spray to the outside. ( again only something likely to work at speed tho' )
But yeah put some serious wet tyres on and I think you might get a little muck on that pretty cockpit bubble. Or maybe not as the aerodynamics are quite interesting.

Image, so important in how a car is perceived, how will this car be received? As a Supercar or the ultimate Ariel/Caterham-type LWS?

Hard to call.
For definite an ultimate trackday car.
A lot of folsk use F40s, Diablos. Lotii, 7s, Nobles etc etc
WOudl definately grab the top echelon of those spenders for sure.
Will it make it as a "road" car ?
I think yes for the rich aspirational who wants to go one better than the Atom

[RacingManiac]

its lighter AND more powerful than the Atom, plus it uses aero......

3G of cornering and braking would mean it needs pretty serious tire....

[austin healey]

looks like a starving ferrari enzo UGLY!!!

[johnnyperl]

as a trackday-only car its stupid cause you might as well buy a real open wheel single seater. like most supercars, it will be just a status symbol. its a good ideabut def not ground breaking. the execution is also poor (looks quite odd overall).

incredible monocoque, any pics without those guys on it?

[Matt]

Freestream T1 addresses fundamental car design issues

As the world’s first road car to exceed 1,000bhp-per-tonne the Freestream T1 is perhaps bound to grab the headlines. Yet the car couldn’t be further removed from the ‘no expense spared high technology approach’ that might be imagined. Indeed the same key issues facing mainstream car designers – such as active and passive safety, vehicle performance as well as weight, complexity and cost – were all addressed at a fundamental level when the Freestream T1 was conceived and was a primary inspiration for the car.
"To demonstrate our understanding of these fundamental vehicle engineering issues we set out to design an optimum package for delivering 1,000bhp-per-tonne," says Freestream co-founder Ben Scott-Geddes. "Interestingly, the sweet spot on the curve that satisfies many of these issues is 500 horsepower in a vehicle with a mass of 500kg."

"You can deliver higher engine outputs up to 1,000bhp and beyond," explains fellow director Graham Halstead, "but that means more weight, which adds significant cost and complexity to the car. Conversely, a 300bhp-per-300kg approach can severely compromise crash worthiness because of insufficient structural mass. An extremely lightweight approach can cause costs to spiral through the use of exotic materials. And less horsepower means a restricted top speed and aerodynamic performance."

"Having arrived at the optimum power-to-weight ratio a major engineering challenge was to design a powertrain of around 100kg; without which it would have been impossible to meet our overall vehicle design requirements," says Scott-Geddes.

Halstead and Scott-Geddes share an impressive track record and formed part of the small engineering team that worked on the McLaren F1 and Mercedes-McLaren SLR. In terms of sheer vehicle performance their vision for the Freestream T1 was an ultra-lightweight car capable of reaching 100mph in five seconds, with a top speed exceeding 200mph depending on the adjustable aerodynamic set-up, with enough downforce to corner at more than 3g – about the same as a Le Mans prototype – and the ability to stop on the proverbial sixpence.

However, in terms of addressing fundamental automotive industry issues – such as safety and CO2 emissions for example – the car will showcase the consultancy’s core credentials. "Concept vehicles are ten-a-penny and this is more than a one-off prototype," says Scott-Geddes. "The only way to truly convince car makers that we have the experience and skills to design and engineer a safe, reliable, cost-efficient albeit high-performance car is to actually design and build one. We then have something to discuss."

"In addition, there is a global market for an exclusive ultra-high performance track car that can also be used on the road; so in effect we’ve found an exciting way of funding our demonstrator," added Halstead. "Customers for the car will either be private individuals with a passion for high performance sports cars or corporate clients requiring an affordable yet prestigious track car for the fast growing market of hospitality race experience events. Meanwhile, we look forward to working closely with automotive clients to help tackle their design engineering issues."

The Freestream T1 powertrain comprises a bespoke 2.4-litre supercharged V8 aluminium engine with a mass of approximately 85kg. Similarly, the 6-speed sequential transmission with magnesium casing is a bespoke design with a mass of approximately 30kg. The carbon/aluminium honeycomb monocoque features a separate composite crash structure at the front, while the rear sub-frame specifies aerospace grade steel. The non carbon-fibre steel suspension, for example, illustrates the company’s ability to specify structural materials that can deliver the maximum performance at the lowest possible cost. Overall, the £150,000 price tag underlines the company’s ability to design and build an exclusive car at a relatively low price despite its ultra high performance.

[Matt]

Freestream T1 #3

[johnnyperl]

thanks again!!

[Matra et Alpine]

as a trackday-only car its stupid cause you might as well buy a real open wheel single seater.

But not if you want to take a passenger
Or want to get tuition from a professional driver on getting the most from it on trackdays.
So all in all a good tool for showing off to your mates.
It's got the looks, goes fast AND you can scare the sh!t out of them by putting them in it
The only similar opportunity would be from one of the specialised two-seater single-seaters of which few examples exist and aren't road legal.
I think they've got hteir market and the price that market will stand spot on !

the execution is also poor (looks quite odd overall).

Aesthetics are always personal.
But whether the aerodynamic and chassis balance execution is "poor" will be proven on teh track. But I doubt it woudl be anywehre near the "poor" end of the scale
And even on llooks I think they've tagged their market well !!

[Coventrysucks]

as a trackday-only car its stupid cause you might as well buy a real open wheel single seater.

Cars with two seats already exsist, why bother building any more?

In fact, cars already exsist, so manufacturers should just stop building any new models.

Those arguments aside,

This is an excellent lesson in "how to build supercars" that many people would do well to listen to.

Not too much of anything:
In terms of performance - not making claims you cannot live up to (Bugatti)
In terms of building - not going to town on exotic materials for the sake of it and ending up with a car that costs much more than it should (MBR)

[Vaigra]

1000bhp/tonne and it still takes over 4 seconds to reach 60...that's confusing.

[Matra et Alpine]

1000bhp/tonne and it still takes over 4 seconds to reach 60...that's confusing.

It's currently only an estimate and possibly quoted for road spec. I suspect rather than typical over-hype from some you're seeing the usual English "aplomb" that cites Bentley perfomance only ever as "sufficient".
So I expect THIS car will meet the 4 sec target easily and immediately on first outing. How long has the Veyron taken ( and how much money ) to start coming close to the early numbers being thrown about by the PR guys ?? I prefer realism over hype any day

Also, TRACTION. If you want fast straight line you want BIG rubber to get the grip. BUT that is then a negative when it comes to handling. SO I suspect we're seeing the results of the compromise.

I suspect we'll see it reach 3 secs on road rubber.
If they make the suspension and transmission strong enough tehn down in the Ultima numbers

[johnnyperl]

RE aerodynamics, they went through the trouble of creating "body work" rather than just putting fenders on it but i dont think they did a good job. alot of the drag from open wheels is behind the wheels. all the body work they have is in front of them which can/will only do so much. instead of attaching the front fenders to the body with that side-wing thing they could have run them directly into the upright (so that they are fixed but the wheel is free to turn). this would have been much more effective.

The mirrors (im assuming thats whats at the end of the chopped off front fenders) will get very dirty.

i wish it was just the tub, engine, and simple fenders. like a safer/faster Atom. they've hidden all the bits that make these cars special (exposed drivetrain and suspension).

[Matra et Alpine]

RE aerodynamics, they went through the trouble of creating "body work" rather than just putting fenders on it but i dont think they did a good job. alot of the drag from open wheels is behind the wheels.

In open wheelers I was always taught it is in the top /rear of the tyre because the tyre is rotating and that part of the surface is moving in opposite direction to the airflow thus preventing laminar flow and causing massive turbulence as two airflows of near equal speed encounter each other head to head.

Do you have references on the actual effects of the various parts ?

I was also interested to see they ran the top surface at approx 15 deg angle and looks like they are intending the airflow to split down the sides of the tyre. Intrigued to see how it breaks away from that wing connecting to the bodywork.

all the body work they have is in front of them which can/will only do so much. instead of attaching the front fenders to the body with that side-wing thing they could have run them directly into the upright (so that they are fixed but the wheel is free to turn). this would have been much more effective.

But forgets that the "wing" may be there for a purpose to control and direct the airflow for minimum drag to the rear profile. When you look at the wing/mirror assembly as a medium for creating a laminar flow and directing that it starts to make sense. From the shape it's possible they are even getting downforce from it ??
They are clearly using the front bodywork and wings for aerodynamic benefit. Something near impossible to do with wheel mounted fenders.

The mirrors (I'm assuming thats whats at the end of the chopped off front fenders) will get very dirty.

?heh? ONLY if the air flow is turbulent enough off their rear edge to draw dirty water in far enough to meet the mirror surface. There will be a very clean laminar flow along those surfaces and I think it will exit the edge with little turbulence. Can't see from any of the pics how far set in teh mirrors are either

i wish it was just the tub, engine, and simple fenders. like a safer/faster Atom. they've hidden all the bits that make these cars special (exposed drivetrain and suspension).

They're not competing with the Atom and an Atom is beyond the limit of safe/comfortable driving already. Visible engineering has a limited life IMHO as it presents major issues ( like aero ) that fundamentally limit top speed and safety.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Design Appears Ripped off from the Hulme F1 (A New Zealand Supercar, of all things)

It's ugly, in either incarnation.