In the summer of 1995 when Phil Abbott first outlined his idea to build a sportscar powered by a motorcycle engine, his future business partner, Mick Hyde thought he was mad. But that was the moment when Radical was born. The lessons learnt by Mick during five years of racing in the TVR Tuscan Challenge combined with Phil’s engineering expertise were about to bear fruit. By the end of the year the two enthusiasts had hatched a plan which came to fruition in the spring of ’96.

Their first car was named the Radical 1100 Clubsport. The word Radical came from a brand of tanning lotion that one of Phil’s companies produced, the logo had been designed by Mick’s advertising agency and the 1100 came from the 1100cc Kawasaki ZZR 1100 motorcycle engine the pair chose to power the car.

Motorcycle sidecar ace Ted Hurrell was employed to prepare the engines and Nick Walford joined the team as chief designer. The four pioneers work together to this day.

The first race was a fraught affair. The prototype car had only completed a few laps at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground on its way to Brands Hatch, for a round of the 750 Motorclub’s Sports 2000 series. Mick put the car sixth on the grid and was up to third by the first corner, Paddock Hill Bend, but it was not to last. A coming-together with a Lola at Druid’s, saw Mick spin out. He got back on the circuit dead last and battled his way upto eleventh. Later that year Phil gave the car its first ever win at Pembrey, South Wales.

In the spring of 1998, nine Clubsports took the start at Silverstone’s National Circuit, on a grid of Sports 2000 cars, for the first Radical Clubsport race. Mick put his Clubsport on pole, Phil was sixth and future investor, Tim Greaves, was close behind. Mick took his first pole-to-flag win and Phil fought off all competition to finish a very close second.

Radical had arrived!

The following year the Clubsport Championship went to a double-header format, run by the British Racing Sports Car Club. Twenty-seven cars took to the grid for the first round at Donington Park.

1999 also saw the launch of the Prosport 1300 with its all new Suzuki Hayabusa engine. A new ‘Le Mans’ style series was launched in 2000. The Radical Enduro Championship, as it was named, comprised races between 1 and 2 hours long, for both 1 or 2 driver teams. Sportscar endurance racing had arrived for the club racer! The first race was held at Mallory Park with nineteen cars on the grid.

With sprint racing for the Clubsport and endurance racing for the Prosport, Radical provided motorsport fans with some of the most exciting racing in the UK, as well as in the expanding overseas markets in Europe and the United States.

The move to a new factory and an injection of funds by early Radical racer Tim Greaves saw the company expand its range ever further.  The two seater SR3 Supersport was launched at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya in early 2002 with over 30 Radicals in attendance for the two days of testing.

The stylish two-seater SR4, powered by a 1200cc Kawaski engine, replaced the Clubsport 1100 in 2003 and was a big hit with competitors and spectators.

The Autosport International Show in January 2004 saw the launch of the Radical SR8 Supersport powered by Radical's own V8 engine.  Orders for ten cars were received before anyone had seen the car. In the first year of production the SR8 smashed the lap record around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, a record that it holds to this day.

A new high-downforce aero package was developed for the SR3 in 2005, further reducing its lap times.

Radical stepped up to the “big time” in 2006 by building their very first Le Mans prototype. The first Judd powered car finished the 24 hours of Le Mans only months after the car was completed, while an AER powered version, owned and run by Tim Greaves, finished in the points in 2008.

Radical however never forgot its roots, while developing the SR9. An updated Prosport named the PR6 was designed and produced during 2006. Some argue that the PR6 is Radicals most fun to drive car – ever!

The powerful Honda Vtec engine was the next engine to be installed in a Radical chassis. The SR5 Endurosport was launched in 2007 to fill the gap between the SR3 and SR8.

2008 saw ex-Radical Enduro champion Nick Dove join the Radical team as Sales Director, while the companies development programme showed no sign of letting-up. The SR3, SR5 and SR8 all underwent major aerodynamic upgrades with the introduction of the ‘high nose’ front.

Safety also took major steps forward with the introduction of new chassis which passed the FIA’s rigorous strength and crash tests.

Finally towards the end of the year Radical launched a new low cost 1300cc SR4, bringing Radical ownership to an even wider audience.

And what of the future? Watch this space...