Caterham....anyone?

I have a 1970 Lotus 7, 135hp Kent Cross Flow engine/ Roland head. Barely street legal. No cats and a straight pipe side exhaust. I find the car absolutely amazing. I never open tracked mine but on an autocross track you rarely touch the brakes. The later Chaterhams probably handle much better. Check EVO Magazine's tally at the Bedford Autodrome. There are ony one or two cars that can beat a Chaterham around the track, a street legal F1s and sometimes an Aerial Atom. That is out of just about any car you can think of. So you can't go wrong for a Chaterham on an open track. Truely fantastic on a winding hilly road. I am not familiar with the interiors of Chaterhams but mine has no creature features at all. If you are taller then 5'11" or heavier then about 200lbs you may not be comfortable. Top up you feel like your in a sleeping bag. I dont enjoy driving the car at high speeds with the rear windshield and the doors off. Too much wind. I guess I get about 20 mpg on the open road but it has webbers that drink gas when the car is pushed.

Check the gear spacings. Some transmissions have a big spread between 2nd and 3rd gear. My car has a 4 speed, I gave up on the T9 I later installed and put the 4 speed back. My car churps in the first 3 gears. Very stiff suspension. My teeth chatter on a rough highway with a top speed of about 60 due to the very stiff suspension, on a smooth road it will reach about 110 mph. By the way, the bigger engined Chaterhams (250 hp) will do 0-60 in the low 3s.

By the way I also have a restored 308QV. The Lotus is a much more intense/ fun driver.

 

What do you want to know?

I have an 04 Caterham Superlight R (basically an R400) which is powered by a 2.0 Liter Ford Zetec with around 200hp, it is very fast (0-60 in 3.8s) and far more exhilarating than any Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc I've ever driven.
Despite appearances, the newer Caterhams are quite a bit different than the old Lotus 7. With the cars you are considering, gear spacing is definitely not an issue, the six speed gearbox has ultra close ratios, ride is stiff, but not punishing and there is more grip. Are you aware of the differences between the CSR260 and the R500?

If you are looking purely to turn the fastest lap times possible, then the Lotus 211 might be a better choice as it has an aero and ABS brake advantage that may help you achieve that goal, if you want to go fast but still have a little fun sliding the car around on the track, the Caterham is your E-ticket.

On bigger high speed tracks with long straights, you might find you are getting passed by big power cars like Z06's, Porsche Turbo's etc, as the aerodynamics of the Seven are terrible, but I guarantee they are not having more fun

Here is an article by Drivers-Republic comparing the cars (and Atom), though I think it is a bit questionable that they used different drivers

http://viewer.zmags.com/showmag.php?mid=fdtqf&preview=1&_x=1#/page2/


Here is a multi part video of the same test

http://www.drivers-republic.com/dr_tv/index.cfm?videoid=95711530093d4639a50cfe8944855340&area=videos


And for fun here is a vid of a Caterham chasing a Gallardo around a track

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5958367131461419188



Here is my car
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Here's a place you can go for some real feedback....

http://www.blatchat.com/

 

I love Caterhams, have anymore pictures?

 

The primary differences in the cars you mention, the R500 and CSR260, are size and weight. The CSR is larger if you want or need additional room, but also heavier because of it. The inboard front suspension and independent rear suspension also add a bit to the CSR's weight. The two cars have very similar power figures (assuming you are referring to the latest R500). Still, the power-to-weight ratio of either car is outstanding.

edit - here's a picture of mine:
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Too bad blue is the slowest color

 

Well, ya got me there!

 

too cool!! Have fun!!


I didn't realise you could get the R500 in bits - thought it was only turnkey. But assembly just adds to the enjoyment

 

Doug - Any updates on your R500?

 

OH HELL YA! Love that

 

Any further update on this

 

+1

 

This is not at all unusual for Caterham. It will be worth the wait.

 

Congratulations!

 

If you think it's fast now, wait until it's broken in. I have a fond memory of flooring an R500 coming up the hill outside Caterham (where the sales office is) and feeling the back end get a little loose as it came on cam in 4th gear at well over 100. Wicked. The pull from 5000-redline is unparalled by anything I've driven on 4 wheels. I'm thinking the 2.8 0-60 is totally believable, as it feels so much quicker than my old CSR 260, which was timed by R&T at 3.4 0-60, despite the fact that they shifted to second at 59 mph.

 

Congrats - can't wait for the track review and more photos!!

 

That weight is awesome! Thanks for the update - look forward to the photos


PS: you obviously have a lot of patience

 

Interesting that it is so "cammy" but perhaps that is how they extract the extra 60 or so horsepower from a 2.0l. My Zetec powered Superlight has a very linear powerband with more than enough low end torque and terrific road manners, albeit less 60hp (still a rocket ship)
Besides the Duratec being 40lbs lighter than the Zetec, I wonder where else they shaved weight from, my car weighs 1240lbs without the full cage.

How do you like the sequential box?

Confused though, you say the car was ordered in the fall of 08, but you came here in Feb of 09 first asking questions, did someone else initially place the order?

Congrats!! looking forward to the pics and more impressions