Caterham Planning Supercharged Seven Spin-Off, New Two-Seater Sports Car for 2014

Just the Facts:

• Caterham Cars is set to unveil a new supercharged version of its iconic Seven sports car, conceived initially for the track and due for release in the United Kingdom in October.
• A road-going spin-off could yet be homologated, perhaps as the new R500, and thus could thus eventually find its way to the United States.
• A completely new, ultra modern two-seater sports car also is coming from Caterham Cars in 2014.

CATERHAM, England ? A new chapter is about to be written for the legendary Caterham Seven sports car.

Starting next month, Caterham will introduce a new supercharged version of the low, live-wire Seven. This potent 2.0-liter supercharged engine will feature first in the United Kingdom's one-make Caterham race series.

But further ahead, there's talk it could also be certified for the road and thus could eventually find its way to the U.S.

As such it could become the next Caterham R500 or maybe even get the R600 badge, according to a well-placed source.

Some two years ago, Caterham developed a 300-horsepower (plus 30 hp push-to-pass overboost) supercharged 2.0-liter engine of its own, using Ford's trusted Duratec unit as a base.

That engine went into Caterham's own SP/300.R track racer, yet many believed it would also go into the Seven at some point. That has now come to pass.

The idea is that for Caterham loyalists who have worked their way up through Caterham's own Motor Sport ladder, the supercharged engine with about 260 hp forms a neat price/performance bridge between the R300 Superlight (with 175 hp) and the more exotic SP/300.R.

Caterham has already been running trials of an R300-based development mule at the Nurburgring in Germany, to considerable acclaim.

Separately, Caterham is also working on a completely new two-seat sports car expected to debut in 2014.

This new machine, currently under development in Norfolk at Caterham Technology and Innovation, is being talked about as, in effect, a new version of the Lotus Elise, although it will be cheaper and lighter than the current entry-level Elise sold by Lotus.

The last time Caterham tried to do a new car for the road, as the Caterham 21, the experiment didn't work out, as the 21 was effectively a Seven with a plastic body.

The new 2014 car will be completely fresh, using modern technology and design. It will also allow Caterham to expand its portfolio beyond the Seven which, although a still formidable driver's car, is only ever going to attract a die-hard enthusiast audience.

Edmunds says: With the new supercharged engine and 2014 all-new sports car, Caterham continues to move on and up.

Source: http://www.insideline.com/caterham/caterham-planning-supercharged-seven-spin-off-new-two-seater-sports-car-for-2014.html

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