A Perth man whose extremely rare racing car regularly attracts attention throughout the city is displaying it at a classic cars event on Sunday.
Neil Stewart has the only Radical SR8 registered for road use across the whole of England, Scotland and Wales.
The open-top car holds the Nürburgring lap record for a legal road vehicle and is almost as quick as a Formula One motor, achieving 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds.
Self-employed consultant engineer Neil, 62, purchased the Radical SR8 from a dealership in England six months ago.
He says many people gaze in his direction when he takes the it for a spin in Perth.
“You can’t go anywhere without people coming over to look,” said Neil, who runs Fairfield Technologies.
“It makes an unusual noise when you are driving, with a continual hiss of a gear change as well as the rev of the engine.
“If you drive it anywhere it attracts a lot of attention.”
The red Radical SR8 will be one of 120 classic cars due to set off from McDiarmid Park on Sunday April 23 for the Rotary Club of Perth’s Perthshire Classic Car Tour.
This article has more revelations about the Radical SR8 and gives full details of where and when to see the vehicles at Sunday’s event.
SR8 has supreme reputation
Neil’s car is one of only two road-registered SR8s in the UK.
The other, in Northern Ireland, is the same vehicle that set the lap record in Nürburgring of 6.48.28 minutes in 2009.
The Perth-based car belonged to Steve Prentice who designed its RPE 2.7 litre V8 engine, which has a rev limit of 10,500 rpm.
It weighs 650kg and is fitted with Le Mans style quick lift jacks, centre lock wheels, a hi-force bi-plane rear wing, quick release steering wheel, disc brakes, heated seats and sat nav.
Its Quaife six-speed semi-automatic gearbox has a paddle shift and the vehicle can achieve 50-100 mph in 4.4 seconds and has a top speed of 178 mph.
In 2015 the SR8 won the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb.
£10,000 engine rebuild every 10 hours
Neil’s SR8 is worth only a modest £30,000 because the practicalities involved in keeping it roadworthy are significant.
It requires a complete £10,000 engine rebuild every 10 hours of driving and is far from an easy drive.
“As a racing car it needs continual maintenance – if you just jump in and drive you may break something,” he said.
“First of all you have to get it up to temperature and if you get in and stall it is not going to restart. It has sensors that lock everything down.
“The engine has to be above 60C and gearbox has to be up to a certain temperature.”
Then there is the driving itself.
“It has a steering wheel like a Formula One car,” Neil added.
“It takes a lot of concentration to drive it.
“What with cats eyes, white lines, speed bumps, speed ramps and tram lines in the road you have to be on your game all the time to drive it.”
Vehicle is a star on Forza
Perhaps only a few of those who see Neil driving the SR8 in Perth will be aware of this inconvenience.
Certainly, the many young people who are fascinated by the vehicle will surely be blissfully unaware of its drawbacks.
“Petrol unites everyone,” Neil said.
“What’s amazing is the number of kids who come up and say ‘I have your car.’
“They race it on computer games such as Forza.
“In car shows we let children sit in the car.
“They can put one hand on the steering wheel and let their mum and dad take a picture.”
When and where you can see classic cars
This opportunity will arise this Sunday not only for the SR8 but for the other vehicles on display.
The collection of 120 vintage, classic and prestige cars will leave McDiarmid Park at 9.30am.
There will be a chance for pictures from 8am, when the cars will begin to arrive.
Likewise, photo opportunities will be available at the finishing point of Crieff Hydro as vehicles begin to arrive from around 3.30pm.
In between, the parade will pass Almondbank, Dunkeld, Aberfeldy, Kenmore, Crianlarich and Bridge of Orchy before lunch at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel in Ballachulish at around 11.45am.
The return journey takes in Lochearnhead and Comrie before arriving at Crieff Hydro Hotel where a gala dinner and awards ceremony will take place.
The charity event is organised by the Rotary Club of Perth.
Last year the tour raised more than £28,000 for regular charities Prostate Scotland, Alzheimer Scotland and Carers Trust Scotland.
To donate online, sponsor a driver or find your ideal spot on the tour go to the Rotary Club of Perth website.
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