RE: Caterham Readying 'Entirely New' Car
Discussion
Autocar said:
Powered by Caterham’s next-generation Motorsport engine, the car will be pitched at the track day and racing markets and is a “logical expansion” to the firm’s current portfolio of models.
The firm is promising the new model will stay true to the “lightweight, minimalist DNA of the legendary Seven”.
As much as I'd love to see another attempt at the 21, I doubt that will happen. Shame really as I loved that thing.The firm is promising the new model will stay true to the “lightweight, minimalist DNA of the legendary Seven”.
total guess here,
but going by their manufacturing facilities and experience, you would have to bet against any form of composite tub, so i am thinking 7-style manufacture (they have tubular chassis down to a fine art) with ecoboost power and radical style aero. it is a fairly logical extension of their existing skills and deals with the obvious problems associated with the 7, namely brick like aerodynamics
Greg
but going by their manufacturing facilities and experience, you would have to bet against any form of composite tub, so i am thinking 7-style manufacture (they have tubular chassis down to a fine art) with ecoboost power and radical style aero. it is a fairly logical extension of their existing skills and deals with the obvious problems associated with the 7, namely brick like aerodynamics
Greg
rhinochopig said:
The Wookie said:
With the use of the term 'next generation motorsports engine', they almost certainly mean the Ford Ecoboost engine, i.e. a Turbo Duratec
I'm guessing a rejigged Turbo CSR, perhaps even with some sort of bodywork.
Yuck - a turbo in a seven. As Westfield have proved they just don't work. The key USP of a seven (and copies) is their throttle adjustability and you lose that with a turbo.I'm guessing a rejigged Turbo CSR, perhaps even with some sort of bodywork.
Also, I'm not sure the Westfield can be held as an example for an argument against forced induction, by most accounts the relative rubbishness of the handling wasn't caused by the response of the forced induction.
MarJay said:
What is the betting that their 'entirely new car' will have the same silhouette as a 7?
An interesting bet - and one I wouldn't take. Even my most wheedling phone technique wouldn't prise anything out of 'em as to whether it will look like a Seven or no...We shall soon see, I guess.
Riggers said:
MarJay said:
What is the betting that their 'entirely new car' will have the same silhouette as a 7?
An interesting bet - and one I wouldn't take. Even my most wheedling phone technique wouldn't prise anything out of 'em as to whether it will look like a Seven or no...We shall soon see, I guess.
surrey7er said:
ewenm said:
I'd be much more interested in a Caterham coupe of some sort, perhaps it could race alongside the Ginetta G40s...
This, please please please this!! Not sure they have the ability to do doors and roof but good grief I hope they do!!Caterham's CEO, talking about the change in focus at Lotus, said he was "hopeful that the Lotus announcement would open doors for Caterham". Now that Lotus want to turn the Elise into a tart's handbag Boxster rival, I really hope Caterham can offer a genuinely lightweight sportscar with just enough practicality to be a daily driver for sane people.
I wouldn’t be surprised if its an Electric Caterham with acceleration to out run the Millenium Falcon.
I recently witnessed a Westfield with a new UK made YASA EV motor in it (as made in Oxford…) and to say the power was something else would be an understatement.
These new pancake motors are just 3 inches thick and only a 13 inches in diameter (and can be 'stacked' for even more power etc, or even one per wheel with suitable vectoring control). But here's the killer point .. it has 500 Nm of torque, or about 375 Lb ft in old money.
In other words, the incredibly small size and weight of these new motors compared to the weight of old internal combustion lumps, and the resulting weight savings overall and the need for remarkably compact high power LiFePO4 pack … are all starting to make a lot of sense !
I recently witnessed a Westfield with a new UK made YASA EV motor in it (as made in Oxford…) and to say the power was something else would be an understatement.
These new pancake motors are just 3 inches thick and only a 13 inches in diameter (and can be 'stacked' for even more power etc, or even one per wheel with suitable vectoring control). But here's the killer point .. it has 500 Nm of torque, or about 375 Lb ft in old money.
In other words, the incredibly small size and weight of these new motors compared to the weight of old internal combustion lumps, and the resulting weight savings overall and the need for remarkably compact high power LiFePO4 pack … are all starting to make a lot of sense !
I think it's best we all prepare ourselves to be massively underwhelmed. Let's face it- this thing will look bloody identical to what they're making now- they're just doing some good PR.
It'll be like the new fast Ford- where we all hope it'll crack 60mph in less than 5 seconds- but it never does, because everything they make weighs more than a Bus.
It'll be like the new fast Ford- where we all hope it'll crack 60mph in less than 5 seconds- but it never does, because everything they make weighs more than a Bus.
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