10 Featherweight Cars That You Mustn't Disappoint
You'll have seen Richard Hammond's spell in the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento the other night. For a supercar, its sub-tonne kerb weight is pretty impressive these days. That means, while it may use relatively humble Gallardo mechanicals, it's a whole lot quicker and sharper.
That's the beauty of light weight in cars. It has a huge impact on performance. And handling. And grip. And even economy, if that floats your boat.
We've compiled a list of some of the lightest cars on sale - every single one a Weight Watchers meeting lighter than the Sesto Elemento. They're not all performance vehicles, but if you go up for thirds at that Chinese buffet, their performance will suffer and they will be disappointed in you...
1. Renault Twizy - 474 kg
Renault's Twizy stretches the "car" definition somewhat, but there's no denying its low weight. In fact, lack of mass is a large reason the Twizy is one of the most entertaining plug-in cars around - it's about as close as you'll get to driving a go-kart on the road.
2. Caterham 7 Superlight R500 - 506 kg
The clue's in the name. There's no such thing as a heavy Caterham - apart from maybe the town in Surrey - but the Superlight really is super light, at half the weight of the most trimmed-down superminis. That's why a mere 263 horsepower is enough to launch it to 62 mph in under 3 seconds. Even the less powerful Supersport is a rocket thanks to its minimal 520kg weight:
3. Morgan 3-Wheeler - 525 kg
"Of course the 3-Wheeler is light," you're probably thinking. "It's missing a wheel". Well yes, there's that, but it's also tiny, has a tube frame chassis and an air-cooled motorcycle engine, which naturally requires no weighty cooling system. Oh, and it only has three wheels.
4. BAC Mono - 540 kg
You know the BAC Mono is quick. You've seen the Stig wrestle it around the Top Gear test track. It's all about the low weight - just 540 kilos. And you can't blame excess weight on any passengers either, since there's only one seat. At least your own considerable bulk is placed dead centre, for the best weight distribution.
5. Ariel Atom - 612 kg
It would be a crime if the Ariel Atom was heavy, as there's barely any of it there. Scientists say that 99 percent of an atom is empty space, and they could well have been referring to the car. If you have a beer belly, people will see it. At least you can make a quick exit.
6. KTM X-Bow - 790 kg
Best known for its motorcycles, there's no real surprise that KTM's road car is also a featherweight. And a bit mental. Its turbocharged Volkswagen group-sourced engine is normally found in heavy Golf-sized cars, so in the X-Bow its potential can finally be released.
7. Smart Fortwo - 750 kg
Don't laugh - the Fortwo really does deserve to be in this list. It's one of the lightest modern production cars but the dinky proportions hark back to a time when all city cars were this light, or even less - Fiat 500s, Minis, Citroen 2CVs and more. And just think how slow it'd be if it were any heavier.
8. Citroen C1 - 805 kg
Perhaps a better representation of the flyweight city car than a Smart, a good thrash in a Citroen C1 (or its Peugeot and Toyota cousins) will remind you what small cars were like in the 1980s. And we don't just mean the quality of the interior plastics.
9. Toyota iQ - 845 kg
Like the Smart, the iQ's biggest (or should that be smallest?) asset is its size. Surprisingly, it also feels like a quality product, which shows that you don't have to make too many sacrifices if you get the engineering right. One day, all small cars will once again weigh less than an iQ.
10. Morgan 4/4 - 838 kg
It's a double-whammy for Morgan, which really seems to appreciate the benefits of low weight. A lightweight (but strong) ash wood frame helps, as does a shape which harks back to a time when all cars were this light. And it makes the 4/4 a bit of a blast to drive as a result.
Any we've missed? Drop your comments below.
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