Caterham CSR 300 Makes Information-Free Debut

The Caterham CSR 300 debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show, equipped with a Ford 2.0-liter Duratec engine. It's the latest in the "evolution" of the Seven Design — whatever that means.

Top Gear Approves Of The Lego Caterham R500

The chaps at Caterham will do anything to save weight. This time, they've taken the Caterham R500 and cast it in Legos. We can't wait to see The Minifig Stig toss it around the Top Gear track. More »

Caterham Sales Up As Drivers Trade In Super Cars

One positive thing about the Carpocalypse? Caterham is reporting sales are up as super car owners trade in Ferraris and Porsches for the faster and cheaper Sevens. More »

Project Splitwheel Wants You To Build The Next Caterham Sports Car

Project Splitwheel wants your help in designing the world’s first user-generated car, in conjunction with Caterham, who will put the resulting car into production. “Cars are amongst the most hotly debated topics on the internet and for the first time we are going to channel some of that passion and energy into an exciting high-profile project with a real-world outcome," says the company. More »

Caterham RS Levante Sold Out; All Eight Of Them

Remember the Caterham RS Levante? It's a fire-breathing version of the lightweight Catherham SV, with a supercharged 2.4-liter V8 making 500 HP. With that kind of power sent to street tires in a car that only weighs a few feathers over 1100 lbs, the RS Levante is the kind of ride that would make even the Stig's pants turn yellow. Not surprisingly, they've sold all of them. Sure, they only made eight, but that just means there's eight people who have purchased a $198,000 suicide kit. At least they'll go out smiling. More »

Elfin Type 5 Clubman Goes From Zero To Sydney In 3.7 Seconds

Down under in Sydney at the Australian International Motor Show, the new Elfin Type 5 Clubman has been revealed. The latest offering from Australia's own hardcore roadster builders, the Type 5 follows on the heels of the popular MS8 models. The new car is powered by GM's 260 HP 2.0-liter turbocharged Ecotec four-banger. It's the same setup found in the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline, but the Elfin weighs significantly less at about 1600 pounds. That may not be as light as a Secma, but it's enough to allow for 0-62 MPH jolts in just 3.7 seconds. Even better, they say it's affordable. More »

Secma F16 Roadster Provides Cheap Thrills

The tiny Secma F16 Roadster may not be angry or aggressive like a KTM X-Bow or a Caterham, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to have some good, clean fun in it. The 1.6-liter Renault four-banger powering the French track car produces just 105 HP, but it's mounted in the back for 40/60 front/rear weight distribution and Porsche-like handling. What's more, the whole car weighs just 1200 pounds, meaning the sprint from 0-62 MPH takes 5.9 seconds. Of course, the top speed is only 112 MPH, but you won't care, with a price equivalent to just over $23,000. Think of the Secma as part Meyers Manx, part Ariel Atom, but completely French. More »

Caterham Now Offering Insurance, Super Lightweight Insurance

Owning a rare, exotic car comes with its own unique set of challenges. This is especially true for cars like the Caterham Seven, which tends to be raced and modified by a high percentage of its owners. In that spirit, Caterham is now offering insurance to its customers. The best part is the new plan covers track-day certified repair and is friendly to the kind of modifications that Seven owners are likely to make. This follows the Caterham CDX and other offerings from the company that shows its commitment to the unique brand of customers they serve in the UK. More info from the company below. More »

IFR Aspid Rears Ugly Head, 2.8-Second 0-To-62 Time, At British Motor Show

The IFR Aspid is capable of some seriously staggering acceleration, jumping from 0 to 62 MPH in just 2.8 seconds. That's what a 400 HP supercharged 2.0-liter inline-four bolted in a car with a curb weight of just 1543 lbs will do. Though, if you don't need that much speed, you can get the engine sans supercharger, which still makes 270 HP. That's still plenty of power, considering the bare chassis weighs just 175 lbs. But don't think that rigidity weight was sacrificed in the name of weight loss. IFR Automotive claims the Aspid is the first car ever to meet FIA safety requirements and EU homologation standards, making the Aspid legal on the street and the track. Despite all these impressive points though, we can't help but wonder why anyone would bother building it. More »

Caterham Releases CDX Limited Edition Seven, Could Glass Roof Version Be Next?

It looks as though Caterham is starting to go the Mustang route with special editions of the Seven, though most of these actually improve the performance and don't have strange movie tie-ins (Caterham R500 FTW!). This newest Seven commemorates 15 years of the Caterham Driving Experience (CDX) and includes more than just a paint job. Similar to the Caterhams they use on track days, the new CDX Seven gets push-button engine start, Momo leather steering wheel, a 135 horsepower version of the K-Series mill, limited slip differential and a track-day roll-over bar. All that for around $40,000 when built from the factory. Press release below the jump. More »

ThoRR Electric Se7en Should Have Shocking Performance

Thor is of course the Norse god of thunder, thunder comes from lightning and lightning is made of electricity, thus naming an all-electric se7en ThoRR is appropriate. The chassis we all know and love is largely unmolested, but the powertrain is pure electrons with a Siemens 3-phase electric motor sporting a redline of 10,000 RPM, a peak horsepower of 272, and max torque of 331 lb.ft. Interestingly, there is no transmission to get in the way so this gets even closer to go-kart like driving. More »

Caterham R500 Does the 0-60 Run in 2.88 Seconds

We brought you some of the first images of the Caterham R500 yesterday and today we've got all the details and the high-res images to match. Weighing in at just over 1,115 lbs, the latest kidney-punisher from Caterham features all sorts of goodies that set it apart from the more brutal CSR. Chief among them is sweet 263 HP Duratec mill and the the all electronic gee-whiz dash and keyless start. Also tossed in for good measure are thinner body panels, kevlar seats, and that new six-speed sequential shifter. All of those goodies get you to sixty in a chest-compressing 2.88 seconds, which in case you weren't paying attention is Bugatti Veyron territory. Full deets and pricing below the fold. More »

Caterham R500 Superlight Pictures and Details

Following hot on the heels of the teaser image of the Caterham R500 Superlight the other day, we now have some nice, but unfortunately small images of the new car — and details. Apparently the car will be available with a 263 HP 2.0L Duratec with a redline somewhere around 8,500 RPM, a normal six-speed manual or a sweet six speed sequential box. The car also gets aerodynamically shaped front wishbones, 13 inch anthracite wheels, and launch control. What we don't know yet is the weight, but if you've got a spare £37,000 it'll get you to 60 in under 3 seconds. More »

Caterham Releases R500 Superlight Teaser

Modern cars continue to get bigger, heavier, and more complicated. We understand all the added safety features, electronic goodies, and interior space have their appeal to consumers, but we've gotta respect a return to the basics. What are those "basics"? Well as Colin Chapman said, "add lightness." Even though lightweight performance roadsters have taken a sharp turn towards overkill as of late with cars like the Ariel Atom 500, Caparo T1, and even the V8 RS Caterham Seven, what might we expect from this latest Caterham? More »

Caterham To Partner With RS Performance for V8 Seven

Sure the garden variety Caterham Seven is fast, but what if you want to smoke your buddy the shah's Bugatti Veyron on the cheap? Enter the Caterham Seven RS. Caterham has joined up with speed freaks RS Performance to bring to life a real fire breathing bug killer. RS will be dropping its race proven 40-valve, 2.4 liter RST-V8 into the fully massaged carbon fiber and space frame Seven chassis. That engine will be available in supercharged form up to 500 hp (coming in at 10,000 rpm - wow!). With the whole assembly clocking in at 500 kilos, the Caterham Seven RS will sport a 1000 hp per tonne power to weight ratio - besting the Veyron - all at a price of £115,000. Full raft of details and the spec sheet below the fold. More »

Jalopnik Presents The Se7en Se7en Se7en Awards

To recap: About 55 Se7ens from USA7s descended on the idyllic hamlet of Deal's Gap to beat the bejesus out of the Dragon. Naturally, Jalopnik was there. You can read all about the exploits in yesterday's Se7en, Se7en, Oh My Se7en! . Today we're going to focus on some of the individual cars that piqued our fancy and hand out some "awards." The word "awards" in quotes because this article is 5 egos past subjective. The deal is that the entire 7-7-7 event was a function of a car club (USA7s). As such, each car is somebody's pride and joy. Moreover, the owners' wanted their spouse or an actual friend to ride shotgun. Not some dirty old blogger. The result was that I didn't get to spend as much time with as many of the cars as I would have liked. Plus, I only had two days. And had to enjoy some beers with Norm and Mike. So, that killed an hour or so right there. But enough with the excuses, let's go! More »

Se7en, Se7en, Oh My Se7en!

1957: Colin Chapman draws the design for his boyhood dream car in one week's time. This becomes the Lotus 7. 1973: Chapman sells all remaining Series IV 7s to Caterham. Lotus is out of the 7 business for good. 1974: Caterham stops selling Series IV 7s. However, due to enthusiast interest, they began producing the older but more favored Series III car. In the subsequent years, production of 7s (now often referred to as "Se7ens") blossoms around the world, with a variant of Chapman's dream machine being built in 17 countries including Estonia and India. 1985: Austrian rock singer Falco records, Rock Me Amadeus. 2007: The USA7s, whose Acting President just happens to be Jalopnik's own Al Navarro, stages a 50th birthday Se7en Se7en Se7en bash at, up, down and all around the legendary Tail of the Dragon. Oh, and they invited us to come along for the ride. More »

Caterham Works up Ultralight Concept for 50th Anniversary

If you're near Donington Park in Derbyshire, UK this weekend (and frankly, who isn't), get thee to see the latest Caterham Seven concept. It's dubbed X330, and that sound you just heard was Al Navarro banging his head on the ceiling. Caterham is 50 years old this year, and the celebrations involve tweaking out a CSR with a supercharged 2.3-liter Ford Duratec producing 330 hp and torque of 220 lb-ft, and linked to a flyweight six-speed manual. That the company could shave even more weight off the CSR testifies to the miracle that is carbon fiber. The company has no plans to produce the extreme Cat in number, but it shows what can be done if Al Navarro constituted the ruling class. – Mike Spinelli More »

All Your Kit Cars Are Belong to Carlisle

I used to think Spinelli, Wert, and company had the best jobs ever because they got to drive concept mules, travel to exotic places sponsored by Bruce, and cover car shows for a living. Well, having visited the recent Carlisle Import/Kit/Replicar Nationals show with an eye toward writing something worth guest posting, I can tell you that it is not the easiest way to make a living. First of all, try walking miles in the midday sun for a few hours. Resisting the temptation to stop at every funnel cake vendor you see. All the while keeping an eye out for the diamonds among the rough...and at Carlisle, there was plenty of rough. I am still amazed at the lengths people will go to ruin a perfectly good Fiero. Then you've got to take photos that add enough visual interest to keep the commenters off your back. Which may or may not include shooing people out of your frame. Mike Bumbeck, you are my hero. More »

Ooh! Hayabusa Caterham Video!

Hi Al. We thought we would post this. It's a video of a Caterham with a Hayabusa motor. We're sure you know more about it than we do. We just like listening to that 1.3L Suzuki mill wind out. Humina. – Davey G. Johnson More »

I Am The Gert: Riding Shotgun In A Se7en Over Decker Canyon

For part 47 of "Why My Job Is Better than Your Job," I direct your attention to how I spent my Saturday. Turns out that Jalopnik blabbermouth commenter and all around righteous dude Al Navarro is president of USA7s.com, a new club dedicated to all cars inspired by the legendary Lotus 7. He sent the Postfather a query wondering if any of us So-Cal Jalopnikos would be interested in riding a Se7en around Decker Canyon. I was screaming "YES!" at the top of my lungs. At 6:30 am. On a Tuesday. Alone in my room. I was all set to get whipped about the mountains in a Caterham by a man named Doug when freak weather caused the "Malibu Blizzard." Stupid global warming. My fantastic hoonage ride was delayed. More for those who dare to jump. More »

Jalopnik Road Trip Report: Sevening on the Tail of the Dragon

Last weekend, I drove for 32 hours and more than 1,700 miles in the process of making an increasingly popular vehicular pilgrimage. No, not Bowling Green, nor Indy, nor Pebble nor Laguna. There was no factory tour waiting for me at the end of my journey. No concours of priceless Italian bella macchina. Just a $59/night motel and some of the best damn driving roads in the US of A. More »

Whither, Koenigsegg? Caterham Unofficially Breaks Top Gear Lap Record

And speaking of Cosworth ... If you thought the Koenigsegg CCX's dominance of the Top Gear test track was unassailable, there's a little matter of the Caterham CSR 260 we'd like to point out. Piloted by a member of Dunlop's Injection team, the little Cat — powered by a Cosworth-stroked 2.3-liter Ford Duratec — smokes the Dunsfold aerodrome, leaving the K-egg's lap time in its wake. It makes sense, since the 1,315-pound wonder can do zero to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. Now get it into the Stig's hands. – Mike Spinelli More »

Cat on the 'Ring: Evo Staffer Floggs a Caterham on the Green Hell

Frequent commenter, tipster and Caterham owner, Al Navarro brings us this clip of Evo magazine ad manager Duncan Clarke lapping the N rburgring in a high-spec Cat. Anyone from the states who's unfamiliar with the Caterham's performance would be well served by checking out this vid with the volume turned up to 11. He may have even done better if there'd been fewer of those slowpoke superbikes around. More »

Modified Caterham Seven Hits 131 mpg in Eco Marathon

Think the Caterham Seven roadster was only good for track days and carving up country lanes? You're absolutely correct, but the company found out if you also slap on a bunch of aerodynamic gear and skinny tires, you can get one to hit 131 miles per gallon (though, to be fair, that's probably those bloated UK royal gallons). Still, it's a matter of bragging rights for the roadstermaker, which showed off its eco-minded prototype at the recent Shell Eco-Marathon at Rockingham. The concept was based on Caterham's outgoing 1.6-liter Rover K Series engine (the new models have Ford engines), with a carbon-fiber aero kit from Axon Automotive. A company rep also said they used "careful driving" to blast through the original target of 100 mpg. More »

Think Global, Drive Local: Westfield's Recycled Mazda Kit Car

Got a rust-bucket Mazda MX-5, but you really want a Caterham? If you're in the UK, check out Westfield's MX5. The company took the running gear from a used last-gen Mazda and added its own kit body and components to create a kind of, well, Mazderham. But there's a twist to the story. Considering the UK's new "End of Life Vehicle regulations" (an environmental law that requires manufactures to pitch in to recycle old, valueless cars) the company is actually promoting environmental sensitivity. Kit-car building on old platforms, they say, is a form of recycling. We're not sure it'll wash over at Greenpeace, but it sounds like a good enough idea to us. More »

Top Gear: The Stig Fought The Law And The Law Won

We've got yet another clip harvested from this weekend's episode of the UK motoring show with the mostest, "Top Gear" (courtesy of our friend, alxx86). In this 2-part segment, the boys try to out-run the Stig in a quick kit-car race to Scotland. They'll be racing Caterham kit cars, the only difference — the Stig's car will be already done and he'll be racing the 469 miles from the Caterham facility, and the boys have to build theirs from scratch right outside the track. Sounds smashing — let's see not only who wins, but whether "the pianist" is right. The first half's here — second half's after the jump and we'll have more from this epic episode later today. More »

Caterham to Offer 0% Financing on Rover-Powered Models

The inheritors and improvers of Colin Chapman's wee rocket are, for the first time ever, offering 0% finance on a 24-month loan with 3,374 down and 399 a month for 24 months on all Rover K-Series powered models, presumably to clear them from stock as the company moves to a Ford-powered lineup. Caterham managing director Ansar Ali was quoted as saying, "Driving a Seven is all about the heart; excitement, passion and drama. More »

Even Lighter than Light: Caterham Superlight

Lucky Brits. First they spy the Brangelina offspring before anyone else (Hello, Hello), then pics of Paul McCartney's (soon to be ex) wife engaged in a bit of the old Lonely Hearts Club Band (nudge, nudge, wink, wink sayno'more). Now, the gents at Caterham have uncovered their newest roadster for all Blighty to peep at. It's the Caterham CSR260 Superlight, and it's powered by a 2.3 liter, Cosworth-tweaked Ford Sigma engine, that can propel the feather-light sled to sixty mph in 3.1 seconds sterling. It's the first Caterham to sport the new MTCe 'Dynamic Suspensions' dampers as original equipment, which the company says will offer "an undiluted performance driving experience." How super light is the Superlight? It's 1245.6117803 lbs. Soaking wet. More »

Caterham to Use Ford Sigma Engines in New Seven

The boys at Caterham say the company's Seven sports car will get a new powerplant in late 2007, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the original Lotus Seven on which it's based. Replacing the current Rover K-series engine on the Caterham Classic, Roadsport and Superlight will be a new, 1.6-liter Ford Sigma mill — Duratec to us Yanks — tuned by the UK's Power Torque Engineering to produce up to 160bhp. That motor joins the Cosworth-tuned 2.3-liter Duratec four in the company's UK-only model range (a 115bhp EU IV-compliant unit will be available in "expanding overseas markets" in early 2007). The Seven will also get a new laser-cut and robot-welded chassis for a greater degree of precision, and fewer tea-and-John-Player breaks. New pricing to be announced this fall. More »

Caterhams to Italy: It's Anzio All Over Again

Carriers of the Lotus 7 torch since Lotus couldn't be bothered with the drafty, quick roadgoing kart, Caterham has inked a deal with Automobil Trivellato to bring their little rocketships to the Boot. Trivellato will sell the CSR200, a hairy-chested Euro IV-complient sprite capable of scooting to 60 in a rather mind-bending 3.7 seconds. More »

Number Six's Lotus Seven: Caterham to Appear in Prisoner Redux?

"We want information. Information. In-for-ma-tion." More »

Caterham Men Choose Skoda!

Although many of Caterham's cars feature Ford motors, the company has elected the Skoda Octavia to serve as its corporate fleet vehicle of choice. Jeremy Clarkson, our favorite UK motoring writer, had some nice things to say about the wagon version a while back, although he ultimately pronounced it "dull." Which is not something anyone would ever say about a Caterham. Still, maybe after spending so much time with vehicles that elemental and raw, a bit of time in a bland, modern car is actually a blessing for the keepers of the Lotus 7 flame. And needless to say, the Skoda folks are well-chuffed by Caterham's decision, as it obviously adds a bit of lustre to their one-time-joke of a brand. More »

Caterham Introduces Entry-Level Roadster

This fall, Caterham will add a stripped-down roadster to its lineup of open-top, Britisher go-karts — the Superlight — on occasion of the tenth anniversary of the original version. The, er, super-light Cat is powered by a 1.8-liter four, generating 140hp and 124lb ft of torque, and at nigh on 1100lbs, its power-to-weight ratio compares to that of the Ferrari 360 Spider. For those for whom Charles Lindbergh—grade weight reductions are unnecessary, options include a windshield, heater, roll bar and a — hopefully unnecessary — fire extinguisher, and zero-to-60 times in the five-second range are likely, according to the company. More »