Caterham Cars

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Caterham Cars Ltd

Type	Manufacturing Company
Founded	1973
Founder	Graham Nearn
Headquarters	Dartford, Kent,, England
Industry	Automobiles
Products	Caterham CSR, Classic, Roadsport, SV, Superlight - see Model line-up
Website	www.Caterham.co.uk

Caterham Cars is a manufacturer of specialist lightweight sports cars based in Caterham, Surrey, England and part of the British motor industry. Their only current model, the Caterham 7, is a direct evolution of the third-series Lotus Seven designed by Colin Chapman. Caterham had been a major supplier to Lotus during the 60's, and its founder, Graham Nearn, purchased the rights to continue manufacture of the Seven design from Chapman in 1973, after Lotus announced their intention to discontinue the model.

As with their Lotus Seven precursors, Caterhams are constructed of aluminium sheet attached to a tubular steel chassis, brazed together by hand. Their extremely high performance is achieved through light weight (less than 500 kg on some versions) rather than particularly powerful engines.

In the United States Caterhams are sold as kits only, lacking some modern safety features required of manufacturers but which are not required for individually-assembled vehicles. Buyers can either choose to construct the cars themselves or pay their regional dealers or local builders to assemble them. Typically the engine and transmission are sourced separately as a unit- often from Caterham- but all other components (including frame, suspension, differential, driveshaft, interior, wiring and instruments) are provided in kit form. In the UK, the vehicles can be obtained as kits or entirely assembled by Caterham and registered for the road under SVA (Single Vehicle Approval) regulations. In the 60's the original Lotus Seven was sold only in kit form in both the UK and the US, in order to evade the very high taxes on complete new cars that were not assessed on automobile parts.

In the late 90's, Caterham also produced a model called the '21'. Mechanically the 21 was almost identical to the 7, but instead of the uncompromising narrow, open body and wheels, the car had a wider roadster body, including a proper windscreen and fold-away hood (convertible top). While a solid car, the 21 never sold particularly well because of the Lotus Elise and was discontinued after only a few years.

1 Model Line-up
2 Engines
3 Motor racing
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Model Line-up

A Classic Caterham

[edit] Classic

The 'original' Caterham had a live rear axle, which was generally held to have poorer handling on rough roads than the later-option de Dion rear axle, the sole currently-offered option. Engine: 1.4-litre (105 bhp).

[edit] Roadsport

The Roadsport offered an updated rear suspension with a de Dion tube and optional Watts linkage, paired with an adjustable anti-roll bar allowing for more detailed control of the rear wheels during heavy cornering. Engines: 1.6 and 1.8-litre (115 to 160 bhp).

[edit] SV

A Caterham SV

The SV was similar to the Roadsport, but lengthened by 80 mm and widened by 110 mm, resulting in a slightly-less-cramped interior at the cost of 25 kg (55 lb) extra weight. The handling penalty of the additional weight was offset by the wider stances of the front and rear wheels. Engines: 1.6 and 1.8-litre (115 to 160 bhp).

[edit] Superlight

A Caterham Superlight

The Superlight was a pure track version of the Roadsport with nose cone, fenders and other parts replaced by carbon fibre. The wind deflector in place of the windscreen made a helmet more or less mandatory. Engines: 1.8-litre (160 to 230 bhp). The Superlight lineup included the R300, R400, and R500 (named after their power-to-weight ratios of 300, 400, and 500 BHP/Tonne, respectively).

[edit] CSR

Main article: Caterham CSR

Introduced in late 2005, the CSR was similar in size to the SV but with a completely new (and heavier) chassis including independent rear suspension and F1-style inboard, pushrod-style front suspension. The aerodynamics of the vehicle were greatly improved, with roughly 50% less front-end drag at 100mph. In place of a MG Rover powerplant was a Cosworth-tuned Ford Duratec engine. Engines: 2.3-litre (200 to 260 bhp). The 260bhp variant was capable of a 0-60 mph time of 3.1 seconds.

[edit] Engines

Historically, engines have been supplied by Ford, specifically Ford Kent engines or Cosworth-derived race-prepared BDG units, enlarged to 1.7 litres and generating 150 bhp. In the late 80s, Caterham started using powerplants from other sources, with the least expensive models using 1.4-litre K series engines from MG Rover for the base model, and 1.8-litre Ford Zetecs and race-tuned Vauxhall engines, capable of achieving 175 or 210 bhp, at the top.

In 2001, Caterham designated MG Rover the sole engine supplier for factory-built Sevens, with Ford Zetec, Honda Fireblade, Yamaha Firebird and Suzuki Hayabusa engines still available for kit assembly. The Rover engines were based on the K series and carried the 'Xpower' branding. However, the partnership evidently came to an end with the introduction of the 2005 model, powered by a Ford Duratec engine.

Typical powerplant output ranges from 140 to over 300 bhp, depending on specs and modifications.

The gearbox is either the classic Ford T9 five-speed or Caterham's own six-speed box. The T9 is cheap and durable, but has gear ratios meant for a much heavier car. The six-speed gearbox is expensive and had early 'toothing' problems, but its ratios are considered the perfect match for the Seven. Independent companies such as Quaife do offer replacement gearkits for the T9 as well as sequential boxes for those with a racing fever and a large wallet.

The most extreme engine/chassis combination available from the factory as of 2004 was the R500 with the 230 bhp (169 kW) MG Rover engine, bringing the car's 430 kg (948 lb) from zero to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. This model also has the current production car world record (as of 27 April 2004) for 0-100-0 mph at 10.73 seconds.

[edit] Motor racing

Because of its relatively high power-to-weight ratio and its exceptional, Lotus-heritage handling, the Caterham has been a favourite among club racers since the beginning of its career. In the United Kingdom and elsewhere, the Caterham is used in a variety of one-make series and sports car championships, both regional and national.

However, the Caterham has proven so successful against bigger and more powerful sportscars that it has been banned from FIA competitions and most international races, coining the phrase "too fast to race".