RE: Driven: Caterham R600

[framerateuk]

Wow. The video was insane, that was mind-blowingly quick. Great driving Dan!

Wished I had the cojones to drive my (albiet slower!) Caterham like that!

[ItsJustARide]

Dan Trent said:

Sorry but all sympathy lost when you said you're within driving distance of Pemberton! Enjoyed two trips mountain biking there and both were the most amazing time on two wheels I've ever had... I'll trade twisty B-roads for easy access to those trails if you fancy a swap?

If you want to keep in touch with home and fly the flag maybe a Bowler EXR-S is the way forward for the logging roads?

Yes you're right. It is a good exchange - lose some B roads for the mountains around here.

A Bowler would be perfect. Getting vehicles imported is hard unless the vehicle is 15 years old or older though. But yes a Bowler, an R400 and perhaps an S8 would be a nice stable out here.

I need to work harder and save some cash!

[El Guapo]

The car looks like huge fun but I wonder why they fitted it with the ugliest rollcage ever made.

[BBS-LM]

Love the performance, but I have to admit, that chassis is showing it's age, and I don't think it handles the increased power very well at all from the video footage, it looks like the driver was correcting over steer more then driving the car.

Edited by BBS-LM on Saturday 22 December 01:38

[MrQuick]

Oversteer in 5th? fk yeah!

I can't imagine what a road car would be like.

[red_slr]

El Guapo said:

The car looks like huge fun but I wonder why they fitted it with the ugliest rollcage ever made.

Thats the standard cage for the R cars, been around a long time... and tested many, many times so it works - which is the main thing for a cage IMHO!

[anonymous-user]

BBS-LM said:

Love the performance, but I have to admit, that chassis is showing it's age, and I don't think it handles the increased power very well at all from the video footage, it looks like the driver was correcting over steer more then driving the car.

Phah, spoil sport! Looked fine to me......... (proper cars should drive as if there is a piece of string attached between the top of the handwheel and the accelerator pedal, so, accelerate = steer left or right every time, whatever the gear ;-)

[RacerMike]

There's some slightly less shakey footage here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KctByNN--bA

and here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZU66-QS8MQ

[soad]

RacerMike said:

There's some slightly less shakey footage here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KctByNN--bA

and here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZU66-QS8MQ

That's more like it, thanks chap!

[BBS-LM]

RacerMike said:

There's some slightly less shakey footage here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KctByNN--bA

and here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZU66-QS8MQ

I will eat my words then, that looked allot better.

[The Penguin]

Awesome, will be waiting for the road legal version.

[HustleRussell]

BBS-LM said:

Love the performance, but I have to admit, that chassis is showing it's age, and I don't think it handles the increased power very well at all from the video footage, it looks like the driver was correcting over steer more then driving

I don't know what you were expecting a 550kg car with this sort of power on a cold track to handle like?

[mrclav]

Daveyraveygravey said:

If you don't get Caterham, why even come here?!

Different strokes for different folks. I fully respect Caterham's ethos but personally they do nothing for me (and yes I've driven one, a Roadsport), I would never want to own one nor would I care to drive one again. Does that make me less of a petrolhead? No, just one with a different set of values that "work" for me.

[GreigM]

mrclav said:

Daveyraveygravey said:

If you don't get Caterham, why even come here?!

Different strokes for different folks. I fully respect Caterham's ethos but personally they do nothing for me (and yes I've driven one, a Roadsport), I would never want to own one nor would I care to drive one again. Does that make me less of a petrolhead? No, just one with a different set of values that "work" for me.

Indeed, just because some people aren't obsessed by track cars doesn't mean they aren't an enthusiast - I understand where all the detailers, modders, classic enthusiasts etc are coming from.

[Fury1630]

MagicalTrevor said:

Nice driving!
You guys need to invest in a reasonable external mic for your camera along with an array of mounts. That would have been much better attached to the roll bar with a mic near the exhaust

Actually I'd disagree - not about the driving, that was heroic.

The video is shocking, the sound is awful - BUT - as a demostration of the driver experience it's fantastic. Crystal clear graphics & hi-fi sound can be got from a video game. If the intention is to show a watcher in an armchair what it was like out there, on that day, in that car - that vid does it for me.

[Niffty951]

I love the middle of the track entry into corners. The natural stance that comes with the anticipation of possible big sideways moments. I remember that, not always fondly from time spent driving the Z4m

[Nerra]

RacerMike said:

There's some slightly less shakey footage here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KctByNN--bA

and here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZU66-QS8MQ

That first one looked like a very quick lap especially on such a cold day. Track and tyre temps could not have been optimal. Just shows that even with such a high power to weight it can still be driven smooth (and very quick) in the right hands.

[RacerMike]

Nerra said:

That first one looked like a very quick lap especially on such a cold day. Track and tyre temps could not have been optimal. Just shows that even with such a high power to weight it can still be driven smooth (and very quick) in the right hands.

Precisely why Jon has done pretty well for himself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Barnes

[rubystone]

HustleRussell said:

BBS-LM said:

Love the performance, but I have to admit, that chassis is showing it's age, and I don't think it handles the increased power very well at all from the video footage, it looks like the driver was correcting over steer more then driving

I don't know what you were expecting a 550kg car with this sort of power on a cold track to handle like?

Indeed. The car looks like it was setup with the usual factory fresh understeer though. Those that drive these cars know that the oversteer corrections we see on film become automatic when one drives any powerful 7 on track. Was it on road tyres or slicks?

[rubystone]

RacerMike said:

Nerra said:

That first one looked like a very quick lap especially on such a cold day. Track and tyre temps could not have been optimal. Just shows that even with such a high power to weight it can still be driven smooth (and very quick) in the right hands.

Precisely why Jon has done pretty well for himself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Barnes

Yes, but then he did have very well prepared cars