The prospect of a sub-£17K Caterham Seven is a hugely exciting one, as the 260 comments following
our original story
attests to. Today we have some further details on the car, including that it will debut in 'prototype concept form' at Frankfurt.
The inevitable used alternative...
Perhaps the biggest news thus far is the new car's name: Seven 165. It doesn't take a genius to realise this is a nod to the car's power-to-weight ratio, which it is. Kind of. This is the car's European designation, with the 5 relating to the Seven's Euro 5 emissions compliance. In Britain, the car will be known as the Seven 160. Given Caterham has today revealed its base Seven will have 80hp, a 500kg kerbweight of course gives 160hp per tonne and also makes it the lightest Seven yet by 5kg.
Currently the 'enhancements' made by Caterham Technology and Innovation to liberate another 28hp from Suzuki's three-cylinder K6a are a closely guarded secret. Given the forced induction nature of the engine, that has that to be the focus of the modifications, with some upgrades likely to the exhaust and turbo for starters. Torque is rated at 79lb ft. No tyre size yet though...
According to Caterham's CEO Graham Macdonald, the engineering of the Seven 160 is "nearing completion" and the car will "inspire a new generation of drivers to become Caterham enthusiasts."
Those enthusiasts will need less than £17,000 for a 160 in Britain, or under 25,000 euros in Europe. Production will start early in 2014, with sales beginning as the sun emerges once more in the spring.