Caterham Superlight Twenty
Discussion
Quickmoose said:
I want it.
That looks totally focused and ALOT of fun.
I think perhaps I should start to seriously plan for one. I already have a 2nd weekend only car...and I've always wanted a 7. If I wait much longer I won't be able to get in or out of the thing...hmm... spring 2017...
Thanks for the comment,, it certainly is very focused, but then all Caterhams are I geuss!That looks totally focused and ALOT of fun.
I think perhaps I should start to seriously plan for one. I already have a 2nd weekend only car...and I've always wanted a 7. If I wait much longer I won't be able to get in or out of the thing...hmm... spring 2017...
If you want to truly become as nutty for Caterhams as I am, why not do the same as me, and build yourself one as a kit, just as this one was.
Here's the link to my blog, on the complete build from delivery day, to collection day from the new Caterham BookaTrack dealership at Donington.
Here's the link to my blog:-
http://superlighttwenty.blogspot.co.uk
It really is very easy to build, and so very very rewarding too!
neil-935ql said:
Hi again , looks really good. One thing I find amazing is the weight of the paint , it's 6kg I think seems a lot to me ! Good saving though , nearly as much as my road bike weighs
Hi again Neil,Yes your right, the paint is a surprising amount of weight.
If you recall when Caterham released the original Superlight, the options including the paint and other items like screen Heater etc were listed not by price but by weight!
I still think it takes a very very committed person to not tick some boxes and have it just as it comes from the factory with no options whatsoever added!
thecook101 said:
I'm considering a Caterham for track days. Have driven one at Jonathan Palmer a couple months back and I loved it. Just need to make up my mind as to which one. What are you planning to use this one for and why this model in particular - besides the fact that it looks chuffing amazing!
Yep so. Many people get their very first fix of a Caterham on track at a Jonathan Palmer day,,it's a great way to be introduced as the team at JP really know how to show you to push them to their limits.This Superlight Twenty is a fairly low power model compared to my precious Caterhams, I have built snd owned 5 other cars previously, the last one being an R500, which actually had twice the BHP of this new Superlight Twenty.
This model is actually based on the current 270R model Caterham, with a few nice additions as part of the limited edition status, that includes full carbon race tillet seats, all carbon interior panels carbon dash, carbon front and rear wings, carbon nosecone plus a whole raft of items unique to the twenty limited edition.
My car is number 7 of 20, we have a Facebook owners page for the Twenty limited edition too,,currently we have 16 of the twenty cars owners signed up.
This will be used exactly the same as all my previous Caterhams,,lots of fun weekends on the twisty B roads, track days, sprints, hill climbs and longer trips to Southern Europe too.
Quickmoose said:
that's a nuts idea... however with no other earthly commitments, research on exactly that might well fill my weekend 
Indeed, all my nuts ideas always end up being my best ones!I hope you spend many many hours of fun researching it.
One of my other Caterham Buddies, Daniiel French also has a very fanatical build blog too, check this one out:-
http://www.caterhamr500.co.uk
GFWilliams said:
Touché 
Give me time, my wallet is hurting at the moment! I'll probably get my clear aeroscreen on next week though, can't wait!
As you know, I absolutely love your 7 mate, it's a beautiful build
Cheers ears, only having a bit of fun you know!Give me time, my wallet is hurting at the moment! I'll probably get my clear aeroscreen on next week though, can't wait!
As you know, I absolutely love your 7 mate, it's a beautiful build
We all love our mad little cars don't we, I feel a couple,of trips out to somewhere nice this weekend coming!
jimmy7 said:
Looking great Nigel, will have to arrange a drive out somewhere soon!
Shame I had the full screen on here really, but had to leave the car over night! Not strictly part of the 'Superlight' ethos!
Yes of course James, plenty of lovely country pubs in your neck of the woods!,Shame I had the full screen on here really, but had to leave the car over night! Not strictly part of the 'Superlight' ethos!
Must meet up for a pie and a pint!
mak250300 said:
Lovely car. Enjoy I am not jealous one bit.
Where was the picture taken? Looks a bit like the Torridon road.
Are you asking about my photos? Of the ones of james car, they are both Superlight Twentys, as you know.Where was the picture taken? Looks a bit like the Torridon road.
My shots were taken at a local,lake, arrow valley,,very local to me, then the other ones at the long Mynd in Shropshire.
James shots were taken in Wales I think, I believe he was on the Evo triangle , sure james will confirm.
Daveyraveygravey said:
Have pined for a Caterham since the Performance Car "Prisoner" issue in the 80's. To me, it is the best car, if you want anything else, you don't really get cars. Leccy chairs, Bluetooth and self-park? For f
k sake! Even leccy windows are pointless
Good man, great point, and your right, Colin Chapmans ethos of add lightness and simplify still stands.k sake! Even leccy windows are pointless And yes I take for granted just how Simple and " right " Caterhams can be.
And to add to your points..
no power steering.
No abs.
Not even any servo assistance on the brakes.
And as you said, it's all,the better for it too!
Matt Bird said:
You're welcome, it was too lovely to pass up. Enjoy!
Thanks again Matt, it was very special to be featured as " Readers Car of the Week! "Isn't there some form of special Pistonheads sticker for members of that exclusive club?
I would love to proudly display that on my Supelight Twenty for all to see!
By the way, due to being featured on readers car of the week, my views on my blog went through the roof yesterday.
We got 2300 views yesterday and nearly all of them came from Pistonheads pages! So thanks again, as we normally only get about 3000 a month!
http://superlighttwenty.blogspot.co.uk
Hi there,
Nope both of my R500's are sold, my last one was the green R500 with the six speed box.
My new twenty has the six speed box, I do much prefer the 6 speed gearbox for road caterhams,
The Quaife sequential box in my white R500 was very harsh and noisy, great for a track weapon but not for everyday road use.
Nope both of my R500's are sold, my last one was the green R500 with the six speed box.
My new twenty has the six speed box, I do much prefer the 6 speed gearbox for road caterhams,
The Quaife sequential box in my white R500 was very harsh and noisy, great for a track weapon but not for everyday road use.
SidewaysSi said:
Nigel, how does the 20 comparing to your old R500 as a driving machine?
I have one of the last original K Series Superlights and think it is sodding brilliant as a road and occasional track car. I am a Caterham 'lifer' and do think I may go for a 420 or 500 at some point. Problem is that my 140 ish bhp SL is pretty much perfect.
Not sure my car plus £20k will give me any bigger thrills and will mean I may be deep into licence losing territory.
I recently drove a 360R back to back against mine and didn't think thr newer car was better for a variety of reasons. And didn't feel night and day faster.
It's an interesting comparison, of course they are both and different ends of the spectrum in performance.I have one of the last original K Series Superlights and think it is sodding brilliant as a road and occasional track car. I am a Caterham 'lifer' and do think I may go for a 420 or 500 at some point. Problem is that my 140 ish bhp SL is pretty much perfect.
Not sure my car plus £20k will give me any bigger thrills and will mean I may be deep into licence losing territory.
I recently drove a 360R back to back against mine and didn't think thr newer car was better for a variety of reasons. And didn't feel night and day faster.
But the difference is not a much as you would imagine.
My Superlight Twenty seems alive and so much more fun to drive, even with half the power of my R500.
I'm not sure if it's the fact that it's lighter at the front due to the sigma engine, or if the whole balance of the car is better.
Anyway it's a lot of fun,,and I don't miss the R500 one bit.
RenPug said:
Really nice 7 Nigel.
I've wanted a Caterham for years and always told myself one day it would happen. I went to Asda Make your Marks day at Bruntingthorpe about 4 years ago and Caterham Midlands were there and doing a raffle to win a weekend hire. Obviously I bought a few tickets and kept my fingers crossed. I then managed to get a passenger lap in an R500 which I later realised was yours after seeing some of your photos. Less than 10 minutes after getting out of your car I got a phone call to say I had won the raffle and the weekend hire was mine.
Being unable to wait I booked it for a month later taking a gamble the weather would be ok. On the Friday afternoon I turned up to Caterham Midlands (in the rain typically) and was given a bright orange 125 Sigma for the weekend.
Not really wanting to use my mileage limit up in the rain I took it home and hoped the rain would have stopped by the morning. Saturday morning came and the rain had cleared so off I went to get some miles in. Less than an hour later I left a friends house got just up the road and the car cut out, completely dead. After waiting for the AA and being recovered back it turned out the starter motor had stuck on, overspun and fried itself knocking out the rest of the electrics to the vehicle causing it to stall and that was the end of my weekend.
Luckily Caterham Midlands gave me another weekends hire and being sensible i decided to wait until the following year to improve the chances of good weather. I booked it for my birthday weekend and turned up to collect it and was presented this time with a 140 Sigma.
]
I had an excellent weekend in this car and it made me realise that I really need a Caterham in my garage. The following birthday I was still in no better place to be affording one so booked another weekend hire and had the same green and yellow car for the weekend and the need for a Caterham hadn't faded.
That was 2 years ago now, finally 2 weeks ago I picked my own car up, an original Superlight.
Roll on the British summer!
Great stuff, glad I inspired you!I've wanted a Caterham for years and always told myself one day it would happen. I went to Asda Make your Marks day at Bruntingthorpe about 4 years ago and Caterham Midlands were there and doing a raffle to win a weekend hire. Obviously I bought a few tickets and kept my fingers crossed. I then managed to get a passenger lap in an R500 which I later realised was yours after seeing some of your photos. Less than 10 minutes after getting out of your car I got a phone call to say I had won the raffle and the weekend hire was mine.
Being unable to wait I booked it for a month later taking a gamble the weather would be ok. On the Friday afternoon I turned up to Caterham Midlands (in the rain typically) and was given a bright orange 125 Sigma for the weekend.
Not really wanting to use my mileage limit up in the rain I took it home and hoped the rain would have stopped by the morning. Saturday morning came and the rain had cleared so off I went to get some miles in. Less than an hour later I left a friends house got just up the road and the car cut out, completely dead. After waiting for the AA and being recovered back it turned out the starter motor had stuck on, overspun and fried itself knocking out the rest of the electrics to the vehicle causing it to stall and that was the end of my weekend.
Luckily Caterham Midlands gave me another weekends hire and being sensible i decided to wait until the following year to improve the chances of good weather. I booked it for my birthday weekend and turned up to collect it and was presented this time with a 140 Sigma.
]
I had an excellent weekend in this car and it made me realise that I really need a Caterham in my garage. The following birthday I was still in no better place to be affording one so booked another weekend hire and had the same green and yellow car for the weekend and the need for a Caterham hadn't faded.
That was 2 years ago now, finally 2 weeks ago I picked my own car up, an original Superlight.
Roll on the British summer!
Edited by RenPug on Saturday 25th June 18:36
Was it one of these?
https://youtu.be/gQzCpFfNg4w
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