Thinking of leaving Lotus! HELP
Discussion
I am currently driving an Exige Cup 240 as my daily driver and bfoe that an Elise, next year my toy will only be for fun use so I do not need to think about practicality, have you guys any suggestions as to which Caterham would be a good alternative. The bulk of my driving will be in Scotland, west coast and highlands with occasional track days.
Many thanks in advance.
Stuart
Many thanks in advance.
Stuart
http://scottishsevens.proboards28.com/index.cgi
and
http://www.scottishelises.com/phpbb/index.php
come on over and ask some questions and see some cars
and
http://www.scottishelises.com/phpbb/index.php
come on over and ask some questions and see some cars
Just a late thoughts guys, although I have had a few pretty quick cars over the last few years i enjoyed having the elise 111s before the Exige Cup 240 and am sure it helps me drive the Cup better. Should I think about buying something like roadsport and learn to exploit that before gettin a real mental quick one, i dont mind taking my time getting into the ownership thing properly, rather than buying a really quick one and having my learning curve rushed through lack of self control etc.
Just a thought
Just a thought
Get the quickest one you can afford. It doesn't take long before most people want more power.
Just make sure you buy one with all the goodies on it, then you won't get upgradeitus.
You obviously know how to handle quick cars, so it won't be that big a learning curve, you don't have to drive like a lunny from the off..
Just make sure you buy one with all the goodies on it, then you won't get upgradeitus.
You obviously know how to handle quick cars, so it won't be that big a learning curve, you don't have to drive like a lunny from the off..
stuart1969 said:
Should I think about buying something like roadsport and learn to exploit that before gettin a real mental quick one, i dont mind taking my time getting into the ownership thing properly, rather than buying a really quick one and having my learning curve rushed through lack of self control etc.
I did just that, well sort of, and bought a R300 when I really wanted a R400. After a handful of trackdays I was wishing I'd got the R400.The new R400 with 210bhp would be hard to fault IMHO.
I have a modest 135 bhp x-flow but I'd say you'll run out of talent light years before you run out of performance with a 200bhp Caterham particularly on the road. On many track days a well pedalled 1.4 k-series can take out most R300s, R400s etc in the right hands. Worth noting that several very well built but unofficial Duratec powered cars (i.e. not R400s or CSRs) have gone for sub-20k - thios is where I;d spend my money together with plenty of driver training, Le Sept 11 booking (amazing circuits planned for next year) and maybe the Swiss trip.
jcelee said:
I have a modest 135 bhp x-flow but I'd say you'll run out of talent light years before you run out of performance with a 200bhp Caterham particularly on the road. On many track days a well pedalled 1.4 k-series can take out most R300s, R400s etc in the right hands. Worth noting that several very well built but unofficial Duratec powered cars (i.e. not R400s or CSRs) have gone for sub-20k - thios is where I;d spend my money together with plenty of driver training, Le Sept 11 booking (amazing circuits planned for next year) and maybe the Swiss trip.
A well pedalled 1.4 will get nowhere near a reasonably well pedalled Rxxx.Most people who do a lot of trackdays in their Caterhams can normally drive quite well. I'd spend my money if buying again, on a SLR, there are some great bargains around.
Got a mate who raced on the caterham graduates, moved on to an R400, a year with that then gagging for a CSR.
Get the CSR, the car is only as fast as your right foot so you can still stick to speed limits on the road, but when it comes to track days you've got the ability to mince a lot of machinery.
Get the CSR, the car is only as fast as your right foot so you can still stick to speed limits on the road, but when it comes to track days you've got the ability to mince a lot of machinery.
Casbar, not meaning to be too rude here but I havn't seen that many well pedalled caterhams on track.
The only place I have ever timed a 1400 and an r300 was the old anglesey circuit. I managed just over a tenth of a second quicker one up in the r300 compared to 2 up in my partners old 1400 ss.
Power in a caterham is only really useful for burning tyres, it doesn't make a great deal of difference to lap times.
If you want lap times with a caterham, get one with a bike engine, if you want to have fun, get one with 200bhp. If you want to get the most out of yourself and the car, get a standard superlight.
The only place I have ever timed a 1400 and an r300 was the old anglesey circuit. I managed just over a tenth of a second quicker one up in the r300 compared to 2 up in my partners old 1400 ss.
Power in a caterham is only really useful for burning tyres, it doesn't make a great deal of difference to lap times.
If you want lap times with a caterham, get one with a bike engine, if you want to have fun, get one with 200bhp. If you want to get the most out of yourself and the car, get a standard superlight.
RMac said:
Casbar, not meaning to be too rude here but I havn't seen that many well pedalled caterhams on track.
The only place I have ever timed a 1400 and an r300 was the old anglesey circuit. I managed just over a tenth of a second quicker one up in the r300 compared to 2 up in my partners old 1400 ss.
Power in a caterham is only really useful for burning tyres, it doesn't make a great deal of difference to lap times.
If you want lap times with a caterham, get one with a bike engine, if you want to have fun, get one with 200bhp. If you want to get the most out of yourself and the car, get a standard superlight.
I wonder whether you may be basing your assumption on that one outing at Anglesey? If you were to run your car on-track at somewhere like Snetterton, Silverstone GP or Brands GP, you'd see just what a difference the extra bhp makes to lap times in a Caterham. I'm by no means the greatest driver, but my lap times in my R500 versus my VX HPC are seconds better. Aside from that, one doesn't have the frustration of being baulked by cars on trackdays....something that happens with the lower powered Caterhams.The only place I have ever timed a 1400 and an r300 was the old anglesey circuit. I managed just over a tenth of a second quicker one up in the r300 compared to 2 up in my partners old 1400 ss.
Power in a caterham is only really useful for burning tyres, it doesn't make a great deal of difference to lap times.
If you want lap times with a caterham, get one with a bike engine, if you want to have fun, get one with 200bhp. If you want to get the most out of yourself and the car, get a standard superlight.
I do agree that a standard Superlight is a great car with a balance of grip and grunt to use on-track. The more powerful cars (200 bhp plus) demand a different technique, although on slicks, my R500 is wonderfully benign and offers a balance that closely matches that of a Superlight spec car on track.
My experience of BEC is limited to passenger laps in a Fireblade car where the key was maintaining momentum. I personally didn't find that as entertaining as the experience one gets in a car with a bit more torque.
BEC powered cars are brilliant when set-up correctly and with a light driver. Depands on the track though. The drivers wieght will have a significant effect on the car as we all know but i think it is more so with bike power. Most quick lap times are to do with the driver, ive seen a Caterham with slicks and 300bhp, a Focus with 650bhp/ slicks and a silver pheonix R1 with 180 odd bhp on treaded tyres all in a battle for first place with the pheonix winning.
On a twisty track I would agree a 1400 would be as quick, you can only go around a corner at a certain speed.
But as already suggested, somewhere like Snetterton, once you hit the straight bits, a R300 will leave a 1400k for dead.
In my car, I can keep with most Caterhams on a track, but even with the R300 engine, as soon as you get to a decent straight, getting past a 200bhp car is difficult as they have the grunt.
Now bike engined cars are good, but you need to be able to carry speed through the corners, or when you hit the straight bits, a good car engined car, will have the torque to get its power down quicker. Only speaking from my own experiences at Cadwell and on the 7 Le Sept trip. Of course the drivers might have had a hand in it
A bike engined car driven by someone like Brody B, is a really quick machine
But as already suggested, somewhere like Snetterton, once you hit the straight bits, a R300 will leave a 1400k for dead.
In my car, I can keep with most Caterhams on a track, but even with the R300 engine, as soon as you get to a decent straight, getting past a 200bhp car is difficult as they have the grunt.
Now bike engined cars are good, but you need to be able to carry speed through the corners, or when you hit the straight bits, a good car engined car, will have the torque to get its power down quicker. Only speaking from my own experiences at Cadwell and on the 7 Le Sept trip. Of course the drivers might have had a hand in it
A bike engined car driven by someone like Brody B, is a really quick machine
sam919 said:
Got a mate who raced on the caterham graduates, moved on to an R400, a year with that then gagging for a CSR.
Get the CSR, the car is only as fast as your right foot so you can still stick to speed limits on the road, but when it comes to track days you've got the ability to mince a lot of machinery.
A 125hp roadsport will mince most cars at a trackday.Get the CSR, the car is only as fast as your right foot so you can still stick to speed limits on the road, but when it comes to track days you've got the ability to mince a lot of machinery.
If you have 35-40k to spend you can get something really trick, R400/500 std chassis with a aftermarket duratech, CSR260 etc, etc. Speak to Stuart Faulds @ Fauldsportrt, he will build you something very special.
Nice dilema to have by the way
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