Supersport R or R400 ?

[onward]

Which one for mainly road use? Drifting round corners is important to me although I know all models can do.

Which one is more fun ? Obviously the R400 is quicker but is it needed ? - price or age not important.

I hope it doesn't sound like a stupid post !

[anonymous-user]

I recently ordered an R400, due for November delivery in kit form after ordering the same question.

Although the car will be used on the road, I don't subscribe to the school of thought that it's OK to 'drift around corners' on the road so it will only be really stretched on circuits. Each to his own.

For this use I thought the suspension and brake differences, the extra power, 6 speed and dry sump made the R400 the right choice for me.

[Andy Bell]

supersport R is very new (R300 replacement) so to get one 2nd hand would be far harder than an R400 second hand i imagine. Plus cost is also going to be far higher. For road I imagine R is more than enough - i find my supersport more than enough for road but i track so dont feel need to drive like idiot on road

Guess depend if you want to build or have it done for you

Edited by Andy Bell on Thursday 21st August 16:40

[framerateuk]

The R400 with the dry sump is certainly more suited to track use than the Supersport R. You also get the upgraded 4-pot front brakes as standard.

[tomwoodis]

I can confirm that the SuperSport R has more than enough power to overwhelm the rear grip if drifting is your thing. I've got the 8" rears too and you can do it no problem. If you think that's over tyred then go for the normal 6" rears and then it's even easier.

The SuperSport R is more than fast enough on the road but In my opinion you can never have too much power.

If I'd had the money to do so, I'd have bought an R400. As it was, I wanted to build it so SuperSport R was as far as I could stretch.

Do I regret not getting an R400?

Nope, still very smily me!

Tom

[R300XXX]

Personally I'm a sucker for a six speed box so went for an R300 over a Supersport R

[onward]

Yeh - didn't want to sound like an idiot driver as I'm by no means not - I used to have a caterham HPC on a P reg and managed to drive it very safely but quite well round little sharp corners.
Driving (and selling) a 911 C4S at present but dare not to do the same as I did in the 7, 10 years ago.
Hardly use the 911 and miss the 7 very much
Only sold it cos of kids etc... Now they are 10/8 and I'm going through another mid life crisis it's time to get another 7 -
The other obvious answer is that I need to test drive both.
Loved Chris Harris video review as well with the Morgan 3 wheeler
If money was no object would it really be the R400 ?
Thanks for all your responses so far

[anonymous-user]

onward said:

Yeh - didn't want to sound like an idiot driver as I'm by no means not - I used to have a caterham HPC on a P reg and managed to drive it very safely but quite well round little sharp corners.
Driving (and selling) a 911 C4S at present but dare not to do the same as I did in the 7, 10 years ago.
Hardly use the 911 and miss the 7 very much
Only sold it cos of kids etc... Now they are 10/8 and I'm going through another mid life crisis it's time to get another 7 -
The other obvious answer is that I need to test drive both.
Loved Chris Harris video review as well with the Morgan 3 wheeler
If money was no object would it really be the R400 ?
Thanks for all your responses so far

I'm doing a similar thing. Had a '07 997S from new. Only did 1000 miles in the last year, just bored with it. That's gone and now just waiting for R400 to arrive.

[onward]

REALIST123 said:

I'm doing a similar thing. Had a '07 997S from new. Only did 1000 miles in the last year, just bored with it. That's gone and now just waiting for R400 to arrive.

brilliant -

Even if I have to drop the kids off one by one to what ever event it means I will have to do two trips ! haha

mine is an 07 plate as well - I can wash it and not even use it and then have to wash it again. Sadly no garage -

Its time to go - I also want to get a really economic run around - Citroen C3 ? Peugeot 107 ? 4-5k worth with less than 120 Co2 ?? any ideas??

[rubystone]

[quote=REALIST123]
Although the car will be used on the road, I don't subscribe to the school of thought that it's OK to 'drift around corners' on the road so it will only be really stretched on circuits. Each to his own.

/quote]

beat me to it!

R400 will be easier to drive on the throttle on circuit. My SLR was the best balanced 7 I have ever owned or driven except for CC's DR175 which we tested on both road and race suspension some years ago for track and racecar mag (RIP). That was a great car...

[Far Cough]

If you are coming from a relatively quick road car then an R300 ( supersport R ) will not feel that quick. The R400 which is only another 50bhp or so will satisfy you. Small bhp gains make quite a big difference when the cars weigh so little to start with.

Both will go round a corner at the same speed and much faster than a lardy old tin top but the R400 will have the legs on the straights in between. I came from a GT3 and was underwhelmed when I test drove an R300. The R400 however got my attention enough to stop me looking at an R500 or 620r.

[onward]

Far Cough said:

If you are coming from a relatively quick road car then an R300 ( supersport R ) will not feel that quick. The R400 which is only another 50bhp or so will satisfy you. Small bhp gains make quite a big difference when the cars weigh so little to start with.

Both will go round a corner at the same speed and much faster than a lardy old tin top but the R400 will have the legs on the straights in between. I came from a GT3 and was underwhelmed when I test drove an R300. The R400 however got my attention enough to stop me looking at an R500 or 620r.

From the advice so far........Looks like it's gonna be the R400

Now reading about how much difference an aero screen makes ! Another thing to research !

Cheers all

[PAULJA]

R300XXX said:

Personally I'm a sucker for a six speed box so went for an R300 over a Supersport R

Off topic I guess - but did you miss the LSD (or did it have one)?

[onward]

PAULJA said:

Off topic I guess - but did you miss the LSD (or did it have one)?

They both come with LSD as standard -

[one eyed mick]

onward said:

brilliant -

Even if I have to drop the kids off one by one to what ever event it means I will have to do two trips ! haha

mine is an 07 plate as well - I can wash it and not even use it and then have to wash it again. Sadly no garage -

Its time to go - I also want to get a really economic run around - Citroen C3 ? Peugeot 107 ? 4-5k worth with less than 120 Co2 ?? any ideas??

[one eyed mick]

onward said:

brilliant -

Even if I have to drop the kids off one by one to what ever event it means I will have to do two trips ! haha

mine is an 07 plate as well - I can wash it and not even use it and then have to wash it again. Sadly no garage -

Its time to go - I also want to get a really economic run around - Citroen C3 ? Peugeot 107 ? 4-5k worth with less than 120 Co2 ?? any ideas??

citroen ds3 1.6 turbodeisel so green no road tax av mpg over 12000 miles 62 /gal cracking car

[thequietone]

onward said:

They both come with LSD as standard -

Not true I'm affraid. R300 Duratec doesn't get it as standard. SSR does.

[PAULJA]

thequietone said:

onward said:

They both come with LSD as standard -

Not true I'm affraid. R300 Duratec doesn't get it as standard. SSR does.

I thought that as I'd been looking at the spec of this

http://uk.caterhamcars.com/pre-owned/1243-superlig...

[onward]

PAULJA said:

I thought that as I'd been looking at the spec of this

http://uk.caterhamcars.com/pre-owned/1243-superlig...

Thats a beaut. Only really just been run in as well !

The supersport R comes with LSD as standard, thats what i meant.

Thanks for the info though - migt have to go and see it.

[Tin Hat]

onward said:

PAULJA said:

I thought that as I'd been looking at the spec of this

http://uk.caterhamcars.com/pre-owned/1243-superlig...

Thats a beaut. Only really just been run in as well !

The supersport R comes with LSD as standard, thats what i meant.

Thanks for the info though - migt have to go and see it.

A Roadsport would be more than enough for your driving skills