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 Seven, is a direct evolution of the Series 3 Lotus Seven designed by Colin Chapman. Caterham Cars had been a major Lotus dealer 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. Caterham initially restarted manufacture of the Lotus Seven Series 4; however, when this proved unpopular, production switched to a Series 3 model in 1974. The Lotus/Caterham 7 is widely regarded by car enthusiasts and the media as one of the iconic sports cars of the 20th Century. With production entering its 50th year in 2007, the Seven still leads the market in track performance and driving enjoyment. 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 due to competition from the Lotus Elise and was discontinued after only a few years.
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). The Roadsport offered an updated rear suspension with a de Dion tube and optional Watt's 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). The SV is 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 is offset by the wider stance of the front wheels. Engines: 1.6 and 1.8-litre (115 to 160 bhp).
The Superlight is a pure track version of the Roadsport with nose cone, cycle wings and other parts replaced by carbon fiber. The wind deflector in place of the windscreen makes a helmet more or less mandatory. The current lineup starts with the Superlight then continues with the the R300 and the R400 (named after their power-to-weight ratios of 300 and 400 bhp/Tonne). Engines are : 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 litre (150/160/210 bhp) respectively. The R500 (230 bhp), introduced in 1999, and the R500 Evolution (250 bhp), introduced in 2004, are not produced anymore. Introduced in late 2004, the CSR is 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 have been greatly improved, with roughly 50% less front-end drag at 100 mph. In place of a MG Rover powerplant is a 2.3-litre Cosworth-tuned Ford Duratec engine (200 to 260 bhp). The 260 bhp variant is capable of a 0-60 mph time of 3.1 seconds.
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". This was further extended to the Caterham Seven's (as Caterham Fireblade)appearance in Gran Turismo 4 that the Fireblade was banned from almost any race in the game.
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