2013 Radical RXC

Love Le Mans? And speed? And cars that look like they've just eaten a tablespoon of horseradish sauce? We have just the thing...

This is the RXC, the latest track-day toy from Radical. And it's biblically fast. Powered by a 380bhp 320lb ft 3.7-litre Ford V6, and running through a bespoke Quaife paddleshift ‘box (one of those clever ones that blips the throttle when you drop a gear), it'll get to 60mph in 2.8 seconds and go on to 175mph.

How? Lightness. Even though the power output's a little on the miserly side, it only weighs 900kg, which means it makes 422bhp per ton. That's the same as a Ferrari F50 and more than a Maserati MC12.

Underneath the sinusy composite body, there's a high-tensile tubular steel spaceframe, developed in the same way as Radical's FIA-approved SR series chassis. The integral rollcage stiffens things up, with both the nose and tail getting their own monocoque crash boxes. Radical's so confident in its integrity that it'll be submitting it to the same FIA crash test that Le Mans cars are subjected to.

As you'd imagine, it's riddled with racecar tech. The body and carbon bi-plane rear wing musters 900kg of downforce at 175mph, equalling the weight of the car. Then there's adjustable double wishbone suspension front and rear, optional carbon ceramic brakes, six-pot calipers, and FIA-spec Corbeau bucket seats with six-point harnesses.

Inside, it's incongruously lavish compared with other Radical fare. You get decadent appointments like electric power steering, electric heated mirrors, a heated windscreen, adjustable steering wheel and pedal box and even air conditioning.

The best bit, though, is round and stuck to the windscreen. It has a tax disc. Which means it's road legal...

But it's not what you'd call cheap. It is what you'd call £89,500, though you'll have to wait till January 10 to buy it (and, indeed, see the real thing).

Reckon the LMP buzz is worth the cash, TopGear.commers?