Revolution A-One Is a New Breed of Lightweight Race Cars, Sounds Like Thunder

You may not have heard about Revolution Race Cars, but I bet you're familiar with Radical Sportscars. Yes, I'm talking about the small British firm responsible for the SR8 LM, the car that held the Nürburgring lap record from 2009 to 2017. The SR8 set the previous benchmark in 2005, so we can say that Radical Race Cars was the king of the 'Ring for about 12 years.

Now you can argue that the SR8 and SR8 LM aren't exactly production cars, but that's not the point. The only reason I'm talking about this company and its achievements right now is that the Revolution A-One is the brainchild of Radical co-founder Phil Abbott.

Do I have your attention now?

The Revolution A-One isn't exactly new. The prototype racer broke cover in 2019, and just 12 months later, it hit the track as a full-blown race car in a Formula 1 support series. Now, the A-One is prepared for the new Revolution Trophy that has been included in the Sports Prototype Cup calendar. This year's series will see the A-One hit various European circuits, including the iconic Monza.

Long story short, this is why the Revolution A-One was spotted testing around the Italian track in May 2021. Sure, it's a bit early to test for a race that will take place in September, but this is a great opportunity to see and hear this lightweight prototype in action.

Speaking of weight, the A-One is impressively light. Built around a carbon-fiber tub, the British race car tips the scales at only 795 kg (1,753 pounds). With the naturally aspirated, 3.7-liter Ford V6 engine rated at 400 horsepower, the A-One also boasts a tremendous power-to-weight ratio. To put that into perspective, it almost matches the power-to-weight ratio of an LMP3 prototype.

On top of that, this particular car looks mean too, thanks to a black livery with gold accents. Based on the graphics, this livery is inspired by the classic John Player Special "suits" that Lotus F1 cars used to wear.

As an extra goodie to chew on, the car in the video features an aftermarket exhaust that makes the Ford-sourced V6 sound louder than usual. Make sure you don't miss them thunderous gear shifts.