Caterham: the future

Tony Fernandes is certainly not lacking in ambition then!

By Matt Bird / Monday, 23 September 2013 / Loading comments

If you thought models like the

and

seemed like bold moves, you ain't seen nothing yet. Well that's the basic jist of Tony Fernandes' grand plan for Caterham, and very exciting it sounds too.

Caterham range now bookended by 80hp 165...

Though rather tenuous to claim them all has new models, Caterham has bolstered its range by four already in 2013. Along with the aforementioned pair, the

Seven 485

has given EU markets a taste of properly wild Caterhams and the

620R

has also made a loud, fast, sideways debut.

But there's yet more to come, says Fernandes. We've still got a while to wait for the Alpine-Caterham sports car, but crossovers and small cars are in planning too. That's quite a sea change for Caterham, but look at what a similar tangent produced for Porsche; the Cayenne is hugely popular, which consequently means cars like the 911 GT3 can continue be justified. And given Renault's experience in those areas, we wouldn't be surprised to see a little postive French influence.

Fernandes says Caterham will, under his tutelage, 'show itself to be a progressive, open and entrepreneurially powered car brand that will deliver and surprise in equal measure', and also talks of the 'nimbleness and discipline' imbued from the F1 team. He uses the success of AirAsia (he's CEO there, don't forget) as an example of his previous success. QPR being relegated from the Premiership with Fernandes as Chairman isn't mentioned, so his record isn't flawless.

... and 310hp 620R, plus there's more coming!

But look at what Caterham can boast already. Along with the F1 and GP2 teams, Caterham has also recently launched its Technology and Innovation (CTI) division as well as Caterham Composites, both of which are integral to the development of the Alpine sports car.

The vision for Caterham's future is certainly exciting, but our sceptical journalistic side has to have some reservations. We'd love to see the Seven thrive and prosper, but sales volumes are never likely to be huge. It's the small car and crossover that are particularly intriguing; can a niche brand like Caterham make proper inroads in those areas? And can it do so whilst maintaining its reputation as the maker of excellent sports cars? The recent expansion of Caterham has been encouraging, but it's these future products, plus the Alpine sports car, that will be crucial. In the meantime, we can't wait for a three-cylinder Seven...