Original K-Series Superlight
Discussion
I am the current owner of #106 which I purchased from Caterham Cars (South) last year.
I absolutely love the car it is the right spec out of the box, maybe slightly under powered on track however I find you always want a bit more power. In standard form it is a very nicely balanced and sweet car.
I looked at more modern 7's before buying #106 but they didn't have the right spec at the right price. R300's are still £20k+ and didn't have a LSD as standard and are only about 20bhp more powerful. The original Superlight is a very special 7. Infact the prices seems to be on the up with Seven & Classic apparently selling #105 for just under 18K recently! I think the original Superlight is a classic and a keeper.
I maintain a blog on Pistonheads if anyone wants to know more http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showcar.asp?car...
I absolutely love the car it is the right spec out of the box, maybe slightly under powered on track however I find you always want a bit more power. In standard form it is a very nicely balanced and sweet car.
I looked at more modern 7's before buying #106 but they didn't have the right spec at the right price. R300's are still £20k+ and didn't have a LSD as standard and are only about 20bhp more powerful. The original Superlight is a very special 7. Infact the prices seems to be on the up with Seven & Classic apparently selling #105 for just under 18K recently! I think the original Superlight is a classic and a keeper.
I maintain a blog on Pistonheads if anyone wants to know more http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showcar.asp?car...
Edited by Green George on Saturday 4th April 11:10
Edited by Green George on Thursday 16th July 22:38
SidewaysSi said:
Great choice and I agree, think an R300 makes little sense in comparison to an original Superlight. And you have skinny tyres 
It is amazing the grip that the narrow 175/50/13's can generate yet when you want to adjust your line on the throttle it is so responsive. I think the original Superlight is a genuine classic 7 and will become increasingly sought after. The EVO magazine in their Caterham celebration piece on 24th September 2010 described the 1.6 Superlight as follows "Everything that could be made lighter was, so the car got a carbonfibre nosecone, wings and seats. To enhance its dynamics it was fitted with wide-track front suspension, a slippy diff, vented front discs and Formula Ford ACB10 tyres. Best of all, it had the 1.6-litre K-series in 138bhp Supersport trim, mated to a six-speed ’box. With an all-up weight of 468kg, that meant 300bhp per ton", and concluded "With pretty much all the weight-saving features of the JPE, the sweet-spinning 1.6 K-series and all the most desirable extras, it is a perfectly formed Seven. It has historical significance, too, being the grandaddy of all Superlight Rs. But mainly I want one because it’s so good to drive".
It was mainly on the strength of that article I held out for an original Superlight albeit without ACB10's, however with my frame in the car the power to weight ratio declines significantly! It is a very quick car and more than capable of staying with my friends very nice Lotus Elise S1 Sport 160.
Edited by Green George on Monday 6th April 11:46
Green George said:
SidewaysSi said:
Great choice and I agree, think an R300 makes little sense in comparison to an original Superlight. And you have skinny tyres
It is amazing the grip that the narrow 175/50/13's can generate yet when you want to adjust your line on the throttle it is so responsive. I think the original Superlight is a genuine classic 7 and will become increasingly sought after. The EVO magazine in their Caterham celebration piece on 24th September 2010 described the 1.6 Superlight as follows "Everything that could be made lighter was, so the car got a carbonfibre nosecone, wings and seats. To enhance its dynamics it was fitted with wide-track front suspension, a slippy diff, vented front discs and Formula Ford ACB10 tyres. Best of all, it had the 1.6-litre K-series in 138bhp Supersport trim, mated to a six-speed ’box. With an all-up weight of 468kg, that meant 300bhp per ton", and concluded "With pretty much all the weight-saving features of the JPE, the sweet-spinning 1.6 K-series and all the most desirable extras, it is a perfectly formed Seven. It has historical significance, too, being the grandaddy of all Superlight Rs. But mainly I want one because it’s so good to drive".
It was mainly on the strength of that article I held out for an original Superlight albeit without ACB10's, however with my frame in the car the power to weight ratio declines significantly! It is a very quick car and more than capable of staying with my friends very nice Lotus Elise S1 Sport 160.
Edited by Green George on Monday 6th April 11:46
With the Seven you are sliding through a corner whilst in the Lotus you simply scythe through. Both hugely satisfying but very different driving experiences.
I did look at a superlight before i got mine as thought was everything i wanted out of a first 7, but decided its a numbered LTD car and wouldn't be a good base to play with. Ended up with a ex academy car that i could make into the car i want and over time bring the spec up. Biggest issue with a 7 is there never the right spec haha
ForzaGilles said:
L100NYY said:
I do still wonder where my Superlight is now....
Me too. #115 was mine, sold in August 2011 to Millwood.
Colour scheme: Bare carbon and ali
Engine: 1.8SS 140bhp (or 138bhp, depends who you ask!)
I think the registration number was T46 KGO
God I loved that car....!
The Orig Fergie said:
Think the 1st car was a press car, 2nd car went to some chap for hill climb and I bought their show car. Awesome car, best caterham I have driven a poss the best car (owned an M3 CSL which was very good as well)
Nice to hear that you enjoyed owning the show car, I certainly enjoyed building it! (Still have a photo of it stuck to my toolbox)L100NYY,
Your more than welcome to say hello to your old car on Monday, we will be in pit garage no.32.
There will be a few people around the garage in the morning as myself and a colleague, who has her own Caterham and a history of racing them, have invited a work mate, who is petrified of speed, to passenger with us for Prostate Cancer UK. In case anyone would like to donate this is the link https://www.justgiving.com/Jason-Geraghty1/
Every £ raised is matched by our company.
Anyway sales spin over the car has changed very little over the years. ACB10's went, superb on track but the tramlining on roads was interesting! Replaced with CR500's which are a much better allrounder. Aeroscreen added mainly for trackdays and MOTs once the screen was chipped.
The car has only just passed 15,000 miles and whilst I wished I'd used it more it is still amazing when I drive after it has sat for a while. I still remember taking it around the roundabout under J6 of the M25 on my test drive from Caterham and it just gripped the road, this was even more amazing as I had just got out of my previous 7 that was quickly part exchanged!
Simon
Your more than welcome to say hello to your old car on Monday, we will be in pit garage no.32.
There will be a few people around the garage in the morning as myself and a colleague, who has her own Caterham and a history of racing them, have invited a work mate, who is petrified of speed, to passenger with us for Prostate Cancer UK. In case anyone would like to donate this is the link https://www.justgiving.com/Jason-Geraghty1/
Every £ raised is matched by our company.
Anyway sales spin over the car has changed very little over the years. ACB10's went, superb on track but the tramlining on roads was interesting! Replaced with CR500's which are a much better allrounder. Aeroscreen added mainly for trackdays and MOTs once the screen was chipped.
The car has only just passed 15,000 miles and whilst I wished I'd used it more it is still amazing when I drive after it has sat for a while. I still remember taking it around the roundabout under J6 of the M25 on my test drive from Caterham and it just gripped the road, this was even more amazing as I had just got out of my previous 7 that was quickly part exchanged!
Simon
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