caterham - superlight or roadsport?
Discussion
I was wondering if someone could tell me the difference between a Caterham Superlight and a Caterham Roadsport B? I'm thinking about hiring a Caterham for my first track day, but can't work out whether it is worth paying £495 for a Superlight from Book a Track of £595 for a Roadsport B from Track-Club?
Would hiring a Book a Track/Track-Club Caterham be suitable for someone with no previous track day experience? Are instructors on hand to help? Has anyone had any experience using either company?
Thanks,
Peter
Would hiring a Book a Track/Track-Club Caterham be suitable for someone with no previous track day experience? Are instructors on hand to help? Has anyone had any experience using either company?
Thanks,
Peter
Possibly the perfect post for me to respond to. Today I was at a taster day from track car club at Bedford Autodrome and drove the roadsport B. Last year I drove the superlight from Book-a-track at Donnington.
I had the full day with the superlight from BAT and had a fabulous time, today I had about 20 mins in the roadsport. Whichever one you choose you will have a fabulous time and the support from both is excellent. If you have not done a trackday before I would strongly recommend that you get tuition to start with. I learn loads today as I had instruction for each session and got better as the day progressed.
In terms of the differences of the car IIRC the superlight from BAT has an aerofoil for a windscreen (at least the one I had did, can't remember what the other 2 had) whereas the roadsport has a full windscreen. The BAT is a 6 speed box rather than the 5 speed on the roadsport.
My preference was for the superlight, but that was possibly because I spent hours in the car rather than a taster with about 20 mins, and that Donnington was much easier to learn than the flat expanse of Bedford.
If you get an instructor (and I advise it strongly) then make sure they have an intercom system as otherwise it will be hand signals only and you will learn very little.
Speak to both Stephen at Track Car Club and Jonny at BAT (they are both good guys) and see what availbility they have as this may be the deciding factor. Don't get hung up on the differences in the specs of the cars as you will have a great time whichever you choose.
In the words of the great marketing campaign from Nike "Just Do It"
Hope this helps.
Edited to add that if you hire off Track car club then you will get the full day with the Roadsport B and you will get as much time in the cars as you can stand, whichever one you choose. Today was just a taster day for the track car club and I got to drive a number of different cars. I am joining track car club but still want to be impartial with my advice.
BTW Stephen (if you are reading this), thanks for a great day and I am still buzzing from it. I will be in touch this week.
I had the full day with the superlight from BAT and had a fabulous time, today I had about 20 mins in the roadsport. Whichever one you choose you will have a fabulous time and the support from both is excellent. If you have not done a trackday before I would strongly recommend that you get tuition to start with. I learn loads today as I had instruction for each session and got better as the day progressed.
In terms of the differences of the car IIRC the superlight from BAT has an aerofoil for a windscreen (at least the one I had did, can't remember what the other 2 had) whereas the roadsport has a full windscreen. The BAT is a 6 speed box rather than the 5 speed on the roadsport.
My preference was for the superlight, but that was possibly because I spent hours in the car rather than a taster with about 20 mins, and that Donnington was much easier to learn than the flat expanse of Bedford.
If you get an instructor (and I advise it strongly) then make sure they have an intercom system as otherwise it will be hand signals only and you will learn very little.
Speak to both Stephen at Track Car Club and Jonny at BAT (they are both good guys) and see what availbility they have as this may be the deciding factor. Don't get hung up on the differences in the specs of the cars as you will have a great time whichever you choose.
In the words of the great marketing campaign from Nike "Just Do It"
Hope this helps.
Edited to add that if you hire off Track car club then you will get the full day with the Roadsport B and you will get as much time in the cars as you can stand, whichever one you choose. Today was just a taster day for the track car club and I got to drive a number of different cars. I am joining track car club but still want to be impartial with my advice.
BTW Stephen (if you are reading this), thanks for a great day and I am still buzzing from it. I will be in touch this week.
Edited by rex on Saturday 26th January 23:29
Edited by rex on Saturday 26th January 23:31
The BaT Superlights are all the same track-focused spec, the main differences over the Roadsport being an LSD, close ratio 6 speed 'box, aeroscreen, big brakes, more power and race spec springs & dampers. The only variations are there being a couple of them with the wider SV chassis for the larger driver, and one being a Duratec engined R400 (not for the faint-hearted).
The real answer lies in the spec as I suspect neither will be exaclty as per factory spec.
The track-club car is not a roadsport B as it has more bhp.
The BaT cars are unlikely to be real superlights as they won't have carbon bits (too expensive).
That being said, the main difference you will feel on track will be that the BaT cars have no screen and the track-club one does. Also as has been said, the track-club car does not have a 6 speed box which does add to the experience.
You pays yer money and makes yer choice, they will both be about as fast (same engines) and if both on the same tyres will both corner pretty mcuh the same. The BaT ones will feel more raw.
Bert
The track-club car is not a roadsport B as it has more bhp.
The BaT cars are unlikely to be real superlights as they won't have carbon bits (too expensive).
That being said, the main difference you will feel on track will be that the BaT cars have no screen and the track-club one does. Also as has been said, the track-club car does not have a 6 speed box which does add to the experience.
You pays yer money and makes yer choice, they will both be about as fast (same engines) and if both on the same tyres will both corner pretty mcuh the same. The BaT ones will feel more raw.
Bert
Edited by BertBert on Sunday 27th January 23:20
Jonny probably hasn't responded to this because neither he nor I will get into a "my car is better than your car" debate!!
Simple facts are that the BaT superlights are a higher spec car than a Roadsport B - they run the wider track suspension and a six speed box with an LSD. They also run aero screens and have an FIA roll bar, I think BaT run them on Yokohama rubber.
The track-club Roadsport has evolved from a ex race Roadsport B, it's lighter, has a McMillan Motorsport engine with Omega pistons and a few other bits and is a little up on what it would normally be, it has the standard 5 speed box with no LSD and for has a full 'tall' race cage, we run it on either Avon CR500s.
They are differnt cars but in the same hands the BaT cars are quicker. Prices vary according to circuit and whether you are a track-club member or not but in general there isn't a lot in it, BaT operate an 'airline' style pricing, track-club operate a flat rate for most circuits and hire the car exclusively.
Whether you hire from track-club or BaT (or U Drive cars for that matter) you will get a well prepped reliable car with back up in the event of a problem and a satisfaction guarantee, you will know that the origanisaion is carrying appropriate liability cover. If you hire from one of the "I need to find some work for my track toys \ race cars \ eBay offer \ etc" then you're on your own.
Horses mouth........so to speak....
Stephen
www.track-club.com
Simple facts are that the BaT superlights are a higher spec car than a Roadsport B - they run the wider track suspension and a six speed box with an LSD. They also run aero screens and have an FIA roll bar, I think BaT run them on Yokohama rubber.
The track-club Roadsport has evolved from a ex race Roadsport B, it's lighter, has a McMillan Motorsport engine with Omega pistons and a few other bits and is a little up on what it would normally be, it has the standard 5 speed box with no LSD and for has a full 'tall' race cage, we run it on either Avon CR500s.
They are differnt cars but in the same hands the BaT cars are quicker. Prices vary according to circuit and whether you are a track-club member or not but in general there isn't a lot in it, BaT operate an 'airline' style pricing, track-club operate a flat rate for most circuits and hire the car exclusively.
Whether you hire from track-club or BaT (or U Drive cars for that matter) you will get a well prepped reliable car with back up in the event of a problem and a satisfaction guarantee, you will know that the origanisaion is carrying appropriate liability cover. If you hire from one of the "I need to find some work for my track toys \ race cars \ eBay offer \ etc" then you're on your own.
Horses mouth........so to speak....
Stephen
www.track-club.com
sfaulds said:
BaT will be gutted to learn they've spent all that extra money on Superlights when they could just have taken the screen off. Makes you wonder how Caterham get away with it.
Yep, exactly so especially in regard to the OP's question about a hire for his first track day. That's probably the most striking difference the OP would recognise.Bert
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