Hold onto your hats because the Striker is a specialist sports car with "gentlemanly qualities" that will surprise you when you hit the gas. Coupled with a Toyota engine package and many other modern units, this car has got some outstanding agility. It is also cost effective to build and maintain so you are going to be in for a big surprise when you put the pedal to the medal. Its going to blow your old style hat right off your head.
If you are looking to compete in a race series or for to set out on track day, you are really going to want to consider the Striker by Raw. It is engineered with exceptional handling and the looks of this machine are astounding. Builders can begin with a Ford Sierra based self-build kit and usually keep the price under $12,000. What’s even better, most of the parts are upgradeable and the regular track car chassis is the same as the one on the road car.
The Striker was one of the most successful competitors in the 750 Motor Club race series and regarded by many as the benchmark in terms of handling and driving dynamics. There are two suspension options available in the basic ‘live axle’ and the fully independent. Raw supplies different engine specs, transmissions and braking systems. They specialize in the Toyota 4age twin cam 1600cc engine in 16, 20 valve and supercharged form.
Located in Herefordshire, UK, Raw was originally started by Mel Coppock in 1999. A solid foundation on what is right in manufacturing, they have over 20 years of engineering experience among the team members. Chief Engineer, Martin Jones, joined the company shortly after Mel began and Raw acquired the Striker in 2002. Intent on keeping a green philosophy, they use recycled, reconditioned components retrieved from major motor manufacturers. This protects our natural resources and prevents high costs for their customers.
You don’t have to look far to find out what an amazing vehicle the Striker really is. Track and Race Car Magazine voted it the Car of the year in 2005 when the Raw Striker T150 raced against the Ginetta G20. Acording to the magazine itself, ‘...the overall consensus was that the Raw Striker was just a more focused machine. The Toyota engine was an absolute peach and happily let you explore the upper echelons of the 8000rpm rev range without so much as a whimper.’
Actually, the critics can’t get enough of this amazing vehicle and Track and Racecar Magazine went on in January 2006 to say the following; ‘The gearbox, which was aided by a short shift was tidy and precise and didn’t leave you fumbling around for fifth and hitting third by mistake and the pedals were well spaced and easy to find. In short, you get in and everything feels right which in turn makes you feel more confident and able to push harder and faster than in the Ginetta and Tiger.’
The Striker has certainly proven itself to race car enthusiasts and you can learn a whole lot more by checking them out on the web at http://web.mac.com/rawuk/iWeb/Raw/Home.html.
