Tuesday 14th December 2010

Caterham Readying 'Entirely New' Car

All-new model set for Autosport show debut

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New car will keep 7's motorsport ethos

In a move that is pretty much as rare as a full solar eclipse, Caterham Cars has announced that it plans to introduce an "entirely new model" At the Autosport/ PistonHeads show in January.

These days, when Caterham says it is bringing out something new, we all expect a new 'limited edition' of some sort, but this time Dartford's finest sports car company seems to be planning something rather bigger.

Caterham is keeping tight-lipped about its plans, but this is definitely the biggest thing for Caterham since the CSR evolution of the Seven in 2004 - and possibly the most radically new model since the ill-fated Caterham 21 of the 1990s.

All Caterham will say for now is that the new car will be powered by the next-generation Caterham Motorsport engine and that it will "provide a logical expansion to the company's racing and track day portfolio" as well as remaining true to the Seven's lightweight,minimalist ethos.

The car itself will be unveiled officially on 13 January 2011, but we'll get more details in the next week - so watch this space...

For more information on Autosport International and the PistonHeads Show see here

[MiniMan64]

Gotta be a roadracer/trackday Radical type car surely?

[Animala]

Nah, blaitenly gonna be an MPV

[mrdemon]

I liked the 21 shame it died away.

[ewenm]

MiniMan64 said:

Gotta be a roadracer/trackday Radical type car surely?

Probably, along the lines of the Westfield XTR. However, I'd be much more interested in a Caterham coupe of some sort, perhaps it could race alongside the Ginetta G40s...

[whythem]

I see an expanding range of hire cars. Good news for me

[MiniMadMike]

MiniMan64 said:

Gotta be a roadracer/trackday Radical type car surely?

Was going to say exactly the same. Gotta be radical-esque. Very exciting though, hope it is something as different as they seem to suggest.

[surrey7er]

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!!

[TonyHetherington]

I was thinking exactly the same thing - Radical/Westfield XTR type car was my idea.

[Lordbenny]

'Dartford's Finest Sports Car Company', dont't Caterham's hail from errr...Caterham?

I reckon it's going to be along the same lines as the Atom, new futuristic chassis & more streamlined that a '7'

Edited by Lordbenny on Monday 13th December 16:20

[RobM77]

MiniMadMike said:

MiniMan64 said:

Gotta be a roadracer/trackday Radical type car surely?

Was going to say exactly the same. Gotta be radical-esque. Very exciting though, hope it is something as different as they seem to suggest.

The trouble with that would be the Lotus 2-11 and Radical's range. The 21 (and Renault Spider) was a sales disaster because of the Elise, and the same thing could well happen here. The only way I can see it working is if Caterham launch a race series for the car at the same time, and being a Caterham product I expect it'll race well and also drive well on the road. I expect that's what they'll do, and good luck to them! The 2-11 has no one make race series, and Radicals seem extremely pricey to run from what I've researched, and of limited talents on the road, so if Caterham get it right then it could be a very successful car!

[Insight]

Maybe, just maybe, they've bought the rights to the Mk1 Lotus Elise and they are going to produce that for all eternity!!!

[f1colin]

Let's hope that they have secured the rights to produce the Exige once Lotus stops.... would be a logical extension of the original licensing ethos of the Seven, future-proofing it with a low volume independent manufacturer. Whilst Danny Bahar takes Lotus into a new and exciting chapter for a different audience with a larger wallet (and up against serious global competition), Caterham would still provide the purist with lightweight thrills.

[davepoth]

I guess with the Elise as we know it going all lardy, something in that niche would probably work financially for Caterham if they get it right.

[rhinochopig]

Elise / Exige with Honda power would sell like hot cakes.

[MiniMadMike]

RobM77 said:

MiniMadMike said:

MiniMan64 said:

Gotta be a roadracer/trackday Radical type car surely?

Was going to say exactly the same. Gotta be radical-esque. Very exciting though, hope it is something as different as they seem to suggest.

The trouble with that would be the Lotus 2-11 and Radical's range. The 21 (and Renault Spider) was a sales disaster because of the Elise, and the same thing could well happen here. The only way I can see it working is if Caterham launch a race series for the car at the same time, and being a Caterham product I expect it'll race well and also drive well on the road. I expect that's what they'll do, and good luck to them! The 2-11 has no one make race series, and Radicals seem extremely pricey to run from what I've researched, and of limited talents on the road, so if Caterham get it right then it could be a very successful car!

Yes that's true, it's almost as if they could launch a track day special which would come up and struggle against other very well established machinery (radical, westfield), and the same could be the case if they were to launch a coupe or roadster (again - MX5, Elise). Maybe they'll go completely mad and launch a 4x4 or mpv

Edited by MiniMadMike on Monday 13th December 16:33

[Munter]

Insight said:

Maybe, just maybe, they've bought the rights to the Mk1 Lotus Elise and they are going to produce that for all eternity!!!

[Alfa numeric]

Insight said:

Maybe, just maybe, they've bought the rights to the Mk1 Lotus Elise and they are going to produce that for all eternity!!!

crosses fingers

[Riggers]

Munter said:

Insight said:

Maybe, just maybe, they've bought the rights to the Mk1 Lotus Elise and they are going to produce that for all eternity!!!

Genius! Maybe a Caterham Elise could take the 175bhp Duratec from the R300? I'd definitely like to see that.

Sadly, I believe there's a slice of steak and kidney hiding behind that cloud over there...

[The Wookie]

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.

[rhinochopig]

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.