Radical’s baby race car gets the XXR upgrade treatment.
British racing and sports car maker Radical has revealed a new, updated evolution of its entry-level racing car, the SR1. The new SR1 XXR has been given a host of upgrades, including a new longer-lasting engine and an updated design with an LMP-style dorsal fin. It joins other recently updated Radical models in ‘XXR’ spec, including the SR3 XXR revealed at the end of 2022, and the turbocharged SR10 XXR. First deliveries are set to commence soon.
The SR1 is still Radical’s smallest model in terms of both size and running costs, aimed at both novice drivers new to motorsport and experienced racers. The new SR1 XXR is eligible to race in 12 different Radical series worldwide, including its own SR1 Cup championship in the UK.
Like previous SR1 generations, the XXR is powered by a 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine with its origins in a production Suzuki motorcycle unit, but fettled by Radical’s RPE (Radical Performance Engines) division. This Gen 5 iteration of the engine includes multiple revisions including a new cylinder head, lighter con-rods and crank pins and a new ignition system. The Gen 5 engine has been engineered to take less time to warm up, aiding durability – it’s claimed to offer 25 per cent longer intervals between services, and ten hours rather than six between oil changes.
As before, the SR1 XXR is designed to race on treaded tyres, giving more predictable handling on the limit in the dry, and lower costs than slick tyres. It’s still available with a passenger seat, to help drivers with coaching, making the car a viable option for race schools and also for owners to thrill/scare their friends at track days.
First revealed in 2012, the SR1 was last updated in 2017 with a facelift and a raft of technical revisions. Since then, the Peterborough-based company has sold more than 200 examples to date.
On sale now in Europe, the Radical SR1 XXR is expected to begin deliveries to its first customers mid-2023.