Freestream T1 news - Brits build F1-style supercar - 2006

Bugatti had better start looking in the Veyron's rear-view mirror because a British company is working on a supercar with a 1,000bhp per tonne power-to-weight ratio. 

Yep, you read that correctly - one thousand brake horsepower.

However, the Freestream T1 will rely on light weight rather than outrageous power for its performance.

Weight has been pared down to just 465kg, making it lighter than a Formula One car.

Power comes from a 2.4-litre V8 engine that mashes out 480bhp, and a six-speed sequential gearbox is worked by Formula One-style paddles attached behind the steering wheel.

Freestream reckons the T1 will cover 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds and head on to 200mph, with the performance varying depending on whether a customer chooses a more road- or track-oriented set-up.

The Formula One influence also extends to the suspension, styling and materials used, which is not surprising when you find out the men behind the company used to work at MacLaren and helped developed the MacLaren F1 road car.

Ben Scott-Geddes and Graham Halstead are the engineering brains and they expect to sell 25 T1s each year at £150,000. Production is expected to start at the end of 2006.

Halstead said: "Our aim is set a new benchmark for a road car. We've torn up the rule book to give customers an uncompromised yet safe performance experience."

Looks like the MacLaren F1 could be beaten by its own creators.