Friday 8th July 2005

Caterham goes on economy run

Extreme motor-maker picks up fuel economy challenge

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The legendary Seven

Caterham, the epitome of open-wheeled, open-top petrol-fuelled extremism, plans to enter the Shell Fuel Economy Challenge -- the first road-legal four-wheel car to enter the annual fuel efficiency competition in recent years.

Working with with Cranfield University, the entrant, called 'Caterham 2R' (record-breaker and research), is based on a standard Seven. The programme has backing from Motorsport Development UK under its EEMS (Energy Efficient Motorsport) initiative that has enabled some limited modifications to be made to the donor vehicle.

Caterham's project leader Dr. Steve Cousins said: "This project is an experiment to investigate how a light-weight car can participate in the Eco-marathon without major technical amendments. As far as we know, no previous entries have been driven to the event before, but the Caterham 2R will certainly be arriving at Rockingham on its own four wheels. We hope to learn a great deal about the potential for increased fuel efficiency in road legal cars that we can put to valuable use in the future."

The project has been running since April at Cranfield University as a joint effort between its International Ecotechnology Research Centre, its Centre for Lightweight Composites, and its Motorsport Unit. A masters engineering student Floriane Decq, whose thesis is on the design of the rear suspension box, will be driving the car at Rockingham.  At this stage relatively minor modifications have been made to the car, including fitting lightweight seating, changes to the bodywork to improve aerodynamic efficiency and the use of low rolling resistance tyres.

EEMS project leader Dr Steve Bunkhall said: "The Shell Eco-marathon is a wonderful event for the pursuit of fuel efficiency. Supporting the Caterham 2R programme demonstrates our commitment to promoting efficiency in motorsport. What appealed to us was that a Caterham road car renowned for high performance on road and track might also demonstrate impressive credentials in fuel efficiency while remaining road legal."

The Shell Eco-marathon is the UK's most prominent fuel efficiency competition. It features cars designed and built specifically for the event, and the current world record of 11,195mpg was set by Japanese team, Fancy Carol in 2004. Entrants will attempt to complete a series of runs at Rockingham, maintaining an average speed of at least 15mph for 10 miles.

The Caterham 2R is powered by a standard K-series 1.6-litre engine, modified only to incorporate the fuel measurement flask required for the competition. The 115bhp engine propels the road-going Caterham Seven to 60mph in 6.2 seconds and to a top speed of 122mph.

[Mutant Rat]

Time for Westfield to roll out their Eleven again, methinks.

With 'Le Mans' single seater bodywork & some low rolling resistance tyres and a standard 850 A-series under the bonnet, it ought to walk all over a Caterham in the fuel economy stakes!

[Incorrigible]

I'd have thought a k series would be much more ecconomical than an old A

Only 15 mph remember very little wind resistance

[mechsympathy]

I'd have thought the Caterham Academy standard "fuel saver" tyres would help too. 15mph is probably tickover in top

[Mutant Rat]

Incorrigible said:

I'd have thought a k series would be much more ecconomical than an old A Only 15 mph remember very little wind resistance

Average of 15mph! The Westfield is lighter than the Caterham, too, and has much skinnier tyres (145 section), unless the Caterham is going to 'cheat' and fit 'bicycle' rims. You could also legitimately equip the Eleven with manually adjusted drums all round, which can be easily adjusted to give virtually zero brake drag, unlike discs, where the pads are constantly skimming against the brake disc.

I think you mught be surprised at the economy of an 848cc A-series versus the K-series, too. I used to have a 998cc Mini which, despite the larger capacity and poor aerodynamics, used to give me 55mpg on motorway runs (and my motorway runs were 85mph foot-to-the-floor!).

[Marquis_Rex]

I'm not that au fait with either car, but the smaller capacity of the A series in the Westfield will give it a much lower fuel consumption.
It also only has one cam shaft- mounted in the block - at a lower temperature- so it runs at a more favourable regime of lubrication. This is assuming it is calibrated properly and the gearing is appropiate.

[zcacogp]

Don't the usual entrants look something like sinclair C5's with massively-faired in bodywork, and produce several hundred (if not thousand) MPG? Me thinks the caterham is going to stick out like a sore thumb as something I would actually like to own ... !


Oli.

[murph7355]

And the point is...?

Caterham have finally given up on the 0-100-0 thing and moved up in the world?

Or has some marketing guru determined that the market for sports cars for women in comfortable shoes or tree huggers is sufficient for Caterham to want this in its advertising barage?

The new owners are really pushing the boat out here

[pesmo]

No, its a case of any news is good news when you are a small manufacturer of a distinct product

[golem]

And a bit of a case I think of: Let's see your TVR/AMG Merc/Fazza/Stang/Vette/Turbo AWD do this one!

One of the reasons I'd buy a 7 is running costs. Low fuel, low tyres, low brakes.

Heh, imagine how well the car would do if Caterham started using the new honda VTec mentioned in the other story?