R400 Options and Spec

[darth_pies]

I strongly suggest that anyone considering purchasing a new R400 has a chat with the Caterham sales team. The specification and pricing have both been improved since the announcement of the car last year.

The delay is because the C400 race series highlighted a few cooling issues and Caterham decided to delay the launch until after the new 'Sigma' engine so it would be right first time.

This information is not on general release yet pending an 'official' launch to the press very soon, however the sales team can fill you in.

[Pugsey]

darth_pies said:

I strongly suggest that anyone considering purchasing a new R400 has a chat with the Caterham sales team. The specification and pricing have both been improved since the announcement of the car last year.

The delay is because the C400 race series highlighted a few cooling issues and Caterham decided to delay the launch until after the new 'Sigma' engine so it would be right first time.

This information is not on general release yet pending an 'official' launch to the press very soon, however the sales team can fill you in.

Thanks for that - all my info, posted here today, I got from Caterham during course of the day - so I assume it's up to date!

[subirg]

Re spec and pricing - I will speak to the sales team again - may be tomorrow (was going to call them today, but got timed out).

Re colours - now that's a huge problem, and no, I don't have an answer yet. Current thinking is something like blue with silver stripe/noseband, bare carbon cycle wings. Alternative is white with a blue stripe/noseband and again, prob keep the cycle wings bare carbon.

What are you thinking of re colours?

[POORCARDEALER]

subirg said:

Re spec and pricing - I will speak to the sales team again - may be tomorrow (was going to call them today, but got timed out).

Re colours - now that's a huge problem, and no, I don't have an answer yet. Current thinking is something like blue with silver stripe/noseband, bare carbon cycle wings. Alternative is white with a blue stripe/noseband and again, prob keep the cycle wings bare carbon.

What are you thinking of re colours?

The R500 I have just had built is Porsche Colbolt Blue with Silver stripe/noseband and bare c/f front cycle wings..........spooky!

[fergus]

subirg said:

Now I'll probably have to order to carbon seats as well...! Today is turning out to be very expensive - have so far added adjustable dampers (£1K), d/s (£1k?), carbon seats (£550), heater (£250ish)... STOP IT YOU LOT!!!

heater?!

for seats, try going direct to Steve Tillet. As usual Caterham seems to make a more than healthy margin on many parts. If you can be bothered, shopping around/going straight to the manufacturer can soon make the savings add up......

[Pugsey]

subirg said:

Re spec and pricing - I will speak to the sales team again - may be tomorrow (was going to call them today, but got timed out).

Re colours - now that's a huge problem, and no, I don't have an answer yet. Current thinking is something like blue with silver stripe/noseband, bare carbon cycle wings. Alternative is white with a blue stripe/noseband and again, prob keep the cycle wings bare carbon.

What are you thinking of re colours?

Currently thinking that orangey/yellow colour with band of carbon showing round nose and front of cycle wings - not very original I know. Don't have to decide until ten weeks before delivery so plenty of time to change mind many times yet!

[jeremyc]

Pugsey said:

Currently thinking that orangey/yellow colour with band of carbon showing round nose and front of cycle wings - not very original I know. Don't have to decide until ten weeks before delivery so plenty of time to change mind many times yet!

Yellow with carbon/black works well (all IMHO of course ).

[rubystone]

Jeremy, anyone would think you had a yellow Caterham - nice helmet colour - I don't recall seeing that before.

If I don't find a Yellowbird, I may end up looking for a Mk 1 GT3 - which I guess you'd recommend too...?

[mic]

The wet sump they are using is well proven, it has been used on track without any problems. The Duratec dry sump they are using at the moment on the CSR uses an internal pump driven by the internal chain. The new R400 engine is really nice, and should be a real step up from the old R400.

[jeremyc]

rubystone said:

If I don't find a Yellowbird, I may end up looking for a Mk 1 GT3 - which I guess you'd recommend too...?

Only if it's orange ...

[subirg]

That is a great photo! Even makes yellow look good! Hahahaaaa. Where was it taken?

Re R400 engine - I can't believe that Caterham would release a new updated R400 without the engine/spec being a step up on the outgoing model. However, there are lots of rumours re who is going to be making the engine - some suggest that Cosworth won't be doing it, but who knows? All will become clear when the new car is released... hopefully sooner rather than later! The suspense is too much!

[jeremyc]

subirg said:

That is a great photo! Even makes yellow look good! Hahahaaaa. Where was it taken?

Folembray, in France. If you get a chance to drive the circuit make sure you take it - fantastic in a Caterham.

[subirg]

Latest news from Caterham re R400:-

Spoke to them today, news as follows:-

Re dry sump - not needed unless it's a pure track car or running slicks (academy and roadsport race series cars don't even have them). Caterham aren't evening going to have it available for the first customer cars as the system has yet to be finalised/developed. Will be offered though at some point.

Re engine - will be an inhouse Duratec, not cosworth developed. Interestingly enough, the reason given for this was that the inhouse design is giving the same power, but has better reliability.

Re availability of cars - first ones due in 4 -6 weeks

Re 50th Anniversary - there are a couple of paint jobs being offered, but no news on special cars/performance bits.

[jeremyc]

subirg said:

Re dry sump - not needed unless it's a pure track car or running slicks (academy and roadsport race series cars don't even have them). Caterham aren't evening going to have it available for the first customer cars as the system has yet to be finalised/developed. Will be offered though at some point.

Or put another way, having the insurance of a dry sump system will give you tyhe option of running slicks on track days.

[subirg]

very true! Probably something I will put on the future upgrades list when I decide that slicks are the only way ahead..! But initially I'll stick with good old CR500s (or maybe mildly upgrade to ACB10s). Either way, my car will prob do more road miles than track miles. I anticipate doing 2/3 track days a year in it (I have a westy XTR2 for hardcore track action), plus a trip to the nurburgring, plus the odd weekend country lane blast...

[Pugsey]

jeremyc said:

subirg said:

Re dry sump - not needed unless it's a pure track car or running slicks (academy and roadsport race series cars don't even have them). Caterham aren't evening going to have it available for the first customer cars as the system has yet to be finalised/developed. Will be offered though at some point.

Or put another way, having the insurance of a dry sump system will give you tyhe option of running slicks on track days.

Thanks for that subirg. As I've already said (and jeremyc above) if the car's going to be put on sticky tyres and do long track days - much, much harder on car than a 10/15 lap race - then dry sumping has to be the way to go. I'm sure that if you're going to leave the car on road tyres and only do the occasional trackday it'll be OK without though. I was told if I order now then system would be available for my June build car. I'd go for it even if budget meant leaving say, some carbon bits off.

Edited by Pugsey on Wednesday 24th January 15:15

Edited by Pugsey on Wednesday 24th January 15:15

[jackal]

jeremyc said:

subirg said:

Re dry sump - not needed unless it's a pure track car or running slicks (academy and roadsport race series cars don't even have them). Caterham aren't evening going to have it available for the first customer cars as the system has yet to be finalised/developed. Will be offered though at some point.

Or put another way, having the insurance of a dry sump system will give you tyhe option of running slicks on track days.

i personally wouldnt even use ACB10 with a wet sump
they can corner pretty damm hard in the right conditions
and harder than some ex-race slicks that are past their best

but then ive had some bad experiences

[Pugsey]

jackal said:

jeremyc said:

subirg said:

Re dry sump - not needed unless it's a pure track car or running slicks (academy and roadsport race series cars don't even have them). Caterham aren't evening going to have it available for the first customer cars as the system has yet to be finalised/developed. Will be offered though at some point.

Or put another way, having the insurance of a dry sump system will give you tyhe option of running slicks on track days.

i personally wouldnt even use ACB10 with a wet sump
they can corner pretty damm hard in the right conditions
and harder than some ex-race slicks that are past their best

but then ive had some bad experiences

Agreed - I raced on ACB10s and bolting a set of slicks on didn't show much gain over nicely buffed ACBs. Caterhams are light with no downforce and tend to move around at the limit on pretty much any tyre really. I never thought they made a slick work in the same way as a Radical does for instance.

[Bafty_Crastard]

Why CC cant fit this is beyond me......

[url]www.cosworth.com/shop_range.php?row=18&f_id=&level=2&typeid=9[/url]

Bafty

[Bafty_Crastard]

Buy the way if your looking for a reg for your car, you can have......

"R400 MMM" for £200

e-mail me

Bafty

Edited by Bafty_Crastard on Wednesday 24th January 20:31