Caterham grows Euro Seven range with 2.0-litre 340
Trusty Duratec reworked to fill the void left by no more Sigma engines
A Caterham Seven could be powered by a lawnmower engine and still be a riot to drive, which you’d have to hope bodes well for the EV future. But there will always be some debate about just which engine best suits the package, especially with the 1.6-litre Ford Sigma - seen by many as the best compromise in power and weight - no longer available.
The solution, for Europe and Japan at least, is the introduction of a new 340 model. It uses the 2.0-litre Duratec, albeit in a milder state of tune than previously seen in any Caterham installation. Where we’re used to the engine screaming out more than 200hp in a 420 (or more than 300 when supercharged in a 620), for this new model it produces a more modest 170hp. Still more than enough for fun in something as light as a Seven, that output slotting it between the old 1.6-litre 310 model (or the 275 offered abroad) and the existing 360.
As with the rest of the range, this 340 will be offered in either the road-biased ‘S’ or track focused ‘R’ specs. The former is a little more accommodating - everything being relative in the Caterham world - with a windscreen (!), black leather seats, 14-inch wheels and the road suspension pack. The R ups the ante for the avid circuit goer (and there are plenty of superb tracks in almost every corner of Europe and Japan), with a limited-slip diff, harnesses, and firmer suspension, plus some carbon goodies.
The Seven 340 is described by its maker as ‘the ultimate do everything Caterham’, with CEO Bob Laishley adding: “We are delighted to expand our EU range with the new Seven 340 following sustained demand to fill the gap in our range left by the discontinuation of Seven 275… It’s a car that lends itself perfectly to those long road trips and Sunday drives, while the R version is more than capable of setting blistering lap times across Europe’s premium race circuits.” The 340 is available to order now, priced at €45,700 for the S and €47,200 for the R, or £39,800 and £41,100 respectively at current exchange rates. Customers in Japan are advised to speak to their retailer. And customers in the UK who feel like they’re missing are advised by us to check out the PH classifieds, as there are almost 40 Caterhams for sale with the Duratec engine. And once you’ve experienced the torque of a bigger engined Caterham with the thrill of nearly 8,000rpm, it might be hard to accept anything else…
I doubt the lack of Sigmas is having much effect on Caterham. Their order books are full and having one less engine to deal with makes things easier from an inventory point of view.
All that said, I love my Sigma 140 and it's going nowhere!
Is that a 2-tone paint scheme btw? Looks well
It was however lumpy as hell, flat off boost, and the power delivery was not suited to a sports car - not to mention the packaging issues.
I think it would be a good laugh though. A friend has a MEV Exocet (mx5 based) that they've turbocharged, it's pretty agile in the bends, but it's laughably quick in a straight line. It could do with some mapping to smooth it out though.
The old R500 K Series , weighed 460kG and put out 230BHP
I have an R400 Superlight K Series it weighs 490kg and the X power cars had 200 BHP
A 620R replete with 310 BHP weighs a very heavy 610 KG , this is the equivalent of adding two c12 stone people before you add the driver to an old K Series R500 !
A 420R weighs 560KG , equivalent to adding an 11 stone passenger next to me in my car.
Added to that its power to weight is 380 per metric tonne not 420 !
The 420 Cup brochure ( just downloaded ) does not even quote a weight ......what are they hiding ? , why ?
Normally cars add weight largely with adding additional safety systems , Caterham cannot use that as an excuse there are no more safety systems on a 420R than there are on a 1999 VHPD Superlight
Caterham need to focus really hard on controlling weight it is the enemy of performance and enjoyment in their vehicles.
Lighter normally aspirated engines are a good place to start
Anyone got any ideas on engines that fit in the engine bay and are lighter than Duractecs and will be around for 7 years ?
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