It all started in 1996 when Brit car designer Phil Abbot built Radical’s first car based on a Kawasaki motorcycle engine and open-cockpit chassis.
Now, celebrating its 28th anniversary, Radical Motorsport [Radical], the world-renowned British race car manufacturer, has just announced the production of its 3,000th race car.
That car, a colorful example of Radical’s iconic SR3 in a two-toned color combination, rolled off the production line at the company’s Peterborough headquarters ready for delivery to long-term Radical customer and Radical Cup UK racer, John Hewitt. To mark this special occasion, the vehicle features a unique one-off chassis, powder-coated in bronze and black, with matching bronze wheels and decals, celebrating Radical’s racing heritage.
Since the 90s, Radical has revolutionised the motorsport industry by making high-performance racing accessible to enthusiasts and professionals alike. From grassroots racing to international championships, Radical has become synonymous with track racing and value. Now represented in over 20 countries by a 30+ strong dealer-network, it also supports 14 single-make Radical Cup championships around the world.
Despite a turbulent landscape for the UK automotive sector, Radical has achieved sustained profitability, growing both its domestic and international presence. While the broader industry faces challenges from declining production volumes—Jaguar for eg, will not launch one new car this year—and economic uncertainty, Radical has bucked the trend by focusing on niche markets, customer engagement, and global motorsport programmes.
“Reaching the 3,000th car milestone is a testament to the dedication and talent of our team,” said Dan Redpath, Chief Commercial Officer of Radical Motorsport. “Our success demonstrates that by focusing on what we do best – delivering world-class race cars and unrivalled customer experiences – we can thrive even in challenging times.”
CARLIST THOUGHTS
Fittingly, this milestone vehicle is being delivered to a UK customer. The date of 28th January marks 28 years exactly since the company was founded, ahead of debuting the first Radical model, the 1100 Clubsport, in April 1997 at Brands Hatch. In just two years, there were enough Radical customers to fill an entire grid, and Radical racing was underway.