If we can all agree there’s a point where a car transcends mere transportation and becomes something else entirely - a statement of engineering obsession, a manifesto against compromise, a spanner in the laws of physics - then perhaps we can agree that this car might just be all of those things. And then some. It’s called, dramatically, the Caterham RS Performance Levante V6 Superlight, though it isn’t just another super-fast Seven. They have been embarrassing supercars for decades. This is something more than that.
Devotees will have deduced from the name that there is something out of the ordinary afoot. The story begins with Richard Lee, a name well-known in Caterham circles. After building a carbon-bodied K-series Seven for his wife, Lee set his sights on creating the ultimate expression of the Seven ethos. At Autosport International, he connected with Russell Savory of RS Performance - the chap behind the original V8-powered Levante series - and a new collaboration was born.
Unlike the eight "standard" Levantes built on the larger SV chassis, Lee's vision called for a narrower, stiffer S3 chassis - modified by Arch Motors to house the bespoke powerplant - cloaked in full carbon bodywork. Tragically, Lee passed away in 2009 before seeing his creation completed. The current owner acquired the unfinished project from Lee's widow, commissioning Steve Walshaw of SWR to bring the vision to life with RS Performance's continued involvement.
The resulting machine is nothing short of staggering. At its heart sits a 2.3-litre supercharged V6 producing 570hp - an engine that weighs just 83kg, and revs to a stratospheric 10,000rpm. It could go higher, apparently, but they've capped it to protect the six-speed Sadev sequential gearbox. The numbers don’t get any less eye-popping from there: with a wet weight of just 536kg (including 20 litres of fuel), this Levante achieves a power-to-weight ratio of 1,063hp per tonne. That’s senior superbike territory.
But crude hot rod this is not. The engineering is said to be exquisite throughout, from the carbon fibre propshaft to the Freestyle extra-wide track front suspension with custom pushrods. Quantum three-way adjustable dampers keep everything planted, while a bespoke De Dion rear assembly ensures power gets to the ground rather than being converted into smoke and YouTube views. Despite the eye-watering performance - it's rumoured to be capable of lapping Silverstone GP in under two minutes - the car is said to be ‘easy to drive’, which is some claim for a Seven with a good shout of being among the quickest ever made.
Happily, you won’t be left to figure it out on your own. The sale includes a dedicated test and shakedown track day with Steve Walshaw himself, who's managed the car for years and will obviously be able to appraise you of its quirks. At almost £100,000, it isn't quite as expensive as the Levante was at launch, though it's not far off. Nevertheless, for someone seeking perhaps the most visceral driving experience this side of a Formula car, it’s hard to argue with ‘Levante Superlight’ as a singular vision - and well worth the asking price on that basis.
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