Monday 26th September 2011

Caterham Promises High Tech New Sports Car

New engineering off-shoot will develop 'accessible and affordable' future models

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Tony Shute and Mark Edwards

Caterham Cars has launched a standalone engineering business, Caterham Technology and Innovation Limited (CTI), that it says will be responsible for the development of a completely new line of accessible and affordable sportscars.

According to today's announcement, the new models will inspired by the lightweight, minimalist philosophy of the Seven, and will draw on the advanced technologies and materials from the Group's Team Lotus Formula One and Caterham Team AirAsia GP2 motorsport operations.

In addition to the next generation of Caterhams, CTI will undertake advanced projects for external companies operating within the automotive and aerospace sectors.

"The new shareholders are committed to investing in an exciting range of global products over the next 10 years," says Mark Edwards, CTI's Chief Executive. "Tony Fernandes has been very clear from the start that Caterham needed a sustainable research and development business model in order to meet the plans the management have for the road car business.

"By establishing unique operating principles for CTI, we have managed to attract a world-class team of niche vehicle engineers eager to build on the ethos of Caterham and the DNA of the Seven."

Among the first in a series of well-known industry figures to join the new operation will be Tony Shute. Joining as Head of Road Cars for the new business and, as an avid motorsport competitor in his own right, Shute is one of those credited with bringing the ground-breaking Series 1 Lotus Elise to market.

"When the opportunity to be involved with creating the next iconic Caterham arose, I couldn't turn it down," says Shute. "The core principles and ambitions of CTI have enabled us to attract some of the brightest and most respected talents in their fields."

Caterham Technology and Innovation is based in Norfolk near the Group's motorsport operations.

[BuzzLightyear]

Should be interesting! I have always thought there must be room for a Caterham using the traditional core values but in a more modern package. Don't know why the 21 wasn't more successful - I really liked it. Better luck this time.

[kambites]

So it seems that, as expected, Caterham are trying to position themselves to take over from Lotus when they move up to compete with Porsche.

[simonrockman]

And the next step on the road to Tony Fernandes buying Lotus is taken.

Thing is Dany Bahar is taking such a high risk strategy either it will be an amazing success and not for sale or a debt ridden husk and not worth buying.

Maybe that's why Tony Fernandes is building his own Lotus from a kit of parts.

Simon

[PaulB81]

kambites said:

So it seems that, as expected, Caterham are trying to position themselves to take over from Lotus when they move up to compete with Porsche.

This is extremely good business. Lets hope that is what they are doing. It will be good for all involved (except maybe Lotus!)

[Mars]

Part of me misses the old days when Caterham concetrated on the product that made them famous, however I do like the fact that Tony F has a vision and is trying to use those core values to more into other spheres, so I wish them well.

[Ex Boy Racer]

A cracking idea which I'm sure will work if handled correctly.
So different from the Lotus strategy of discarding a positioning and customer base built up over years, hoping to play in a different division.
I bet this move from Caterham gets an overwhelming thumbs up form the knowledgable PH membership!

[MX7]

It'll be interesting to see what they come out with, especially as their statement is exactly what I'd have expected to read for the Elise.

[RTH]

simonrockman said:

And the next step on the road to Tony Fernandes buying Lotus is taken.

Thing is Dany Bahar is taking such a high risk strategy either it will be an amazing success and not for sale or a debt ridden husk and not worth buying.

Maybe that's why Tony Fernandes is building his own Lotus from a kit of parts.

Simon

Good points.

Lotus seem detemined to make a range of cars at prices that will drastically limit sales volume and put them in to an ultra high quality product competitive area at a time when world economies show signs now of going in to a slump which will last some years.

Can anyone out there validate just where all this money is coming from for certain, for both of these empires?

Tony Fernandes recently ordered $20Billion worth of new airbuses the biggest single order from any world airline

Edited by RTH on Monday 26th September 12:46

[bogie]

theres more millionaires in China than the UK already and thousands more each week

selling 100K units across 5 car models worldwide (like Porsche) should be easy enough for Lotus

the UK car market is tiny in comparison and theres a ton more profit in low volume high price, than entry level mass market stuff

good luck to them, I hope we get a real modern day Elise replacement from Caterham, as the Elise itself really moves up to the 300bhp/1000Kg+/£40-50K market

[Beefmeister]

Caterham needs to buy the Elise chassis tech off Lotus, then clothe it in a sexy yet modern body, slap in the required 2.3 200bhp engine and whammo. Charge £30k and you'll be onto a winner.

[RTH]

BuzzLightyear said:

Should be interesting! I have always thought there must be room for a Caterham using the traditional core values but in a more modern package. Don't know why the 21 wasn't more successful - I really liked it. Better luck this time.

Me too, I think it was just down to price. It was a 7 with a full body yet it was 50% more money.It was no Elise yet cost more.
They were trying to get the tooling cost back too quickly. It might well have still been on sale today with more realitic pricing

[A Scotsman]

I just wish someone would design and build a Lotus Seven type vehicle at a sensible price. The whole point of the original Seven was affordable sports motoring. These latest Caterhams are silly money.

[suffolk009]

the 21 was too heavy.

[RenesisEvo]

A Scotsman said:

I just wish someone would design and build a Lotus Seven type vehicle at a sensible price. The whole point of the original Seven was affordable sports motoring. These latest Caterhams are silly money.

I agree to a point, but I struggle to think of any other product capable of delivering the sort of performance a Caterham can for a similar price, that isn't some sort of Locaterfield. As value for money goes, the Caterham really delivers IMO. Don't get me wrong if I could get one cheaper I'd be happy, but I've never looked at one at thought 'that's overpriced', because the car is way more than the sum of its parts.

[MX7]

A Scotsman said:

I just wish someone would design and build a Lotus Seven type vehicle at a sensible price. The whole point of the original Seven was affordable sports motoring. These latest Caterhams are silly money.

They start at about £14k don't they? Admittedly the have extended the range upward, but they still do the affordable stuff.

[lord summerisle]

RTH said:

Me too, I think it was just down to price. It was a 7 with a full body yet it was 50% more money.It was no Elise yet cost more.
They were trying to get the tooling cost back too quickly. It might well have still been on sale today with more realitic pricing

as Jez Coates said in a BBC4 documentary a few years ago - it was his baby, but in the end, it cost more than an Elise and you still had to put it together at that price. It was too soft for the 7ers and too extreme for the rest, tho it had a roof - the side windows were fixed. It had huge sills to clamber over to get in.

Basically it came down to Lotus spent more developing the doors for the Elise, than caterham had available for the entire project, and the lotus has more buyer recognition than some funny little car from caterham.

But i really like them, and would love to own one.

[Black S2K]

Beefmeister said:

Caterham needs to buy the Elise chassis tech off Lotus, then clothe it in a sexy yet modern body, slap in the required 2.3 200bhp engine and whammo. Charge £30k and you'll be onto a winner.

Serendipity!

Only a couple of days back, I was looking at the Lotus website 'future vehicles' section and wondered if it might be possible for the current Elise to reappear as a Caterham!

[j_s14a]

suffolk009 said:

the 21 was too heavy.

I don't think the Ford Mondeo rear lights did it and favours either

[sunsurfer]

lord summerisle said:

as Jez Coates said in a BBC4 documentary a few years ago - it was his baby, but in the end, it cost more than an Elise and you still had to put it together at that price. It was too soft for the 7ers and too extreme for the rest, tho it had a roof - the side windows were fixed. It had huge sills to clamber over to get in.

Basically it came down to Lotus spent more developing the doors for the Elise, than caterham had available for the entire project, and the lotus has more buyer recognition than some funny little car from caterham.

But i really like them, and would love to own one.

Me too although things like fixed side windows would put me off.
If Morgan makes a business out of building 1930's style sports cars.
Caterham makes a business out of building 1950's style sports cars.
Surely there is space for a modern interpretation of a 1960's sports car (Caterham 21?)

[Pat H]

MX7 said:

A Scotsman said:

I just wish someone would design and build a Lotus Seven type vehicle at a sensible price. The whole point of the original Seven was affordable sports motoring. These latest Caterhams are silly money.

They start at about £14k don't they? Admittedly the have extended the range upward, but they still do the affordable stuff.

The Caterham Seven Classic can be bought for less than the list price for a VX Corsa 1.2SX.

That's about £13,500.

Which is pretty affordable sports motoring.

What more could you ask for? (apart from a windscreen and heater...)