Wednesday 7th June 2006

New Caterham is even lighter

CSR260 Superlight shaves off 25kg

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Caterham CSR260 Superlight

Caterham Cars is launching the CSR260 Superlight, an even lighter version of its range-topping CSR260.

Aimed at the enthusiast, the 2.3 litre Cosworth-powered road-legal Caterham CSR260 Superlight brings all the performance credentials associated with its stablemate, like a supercar-humbling 0-60mph time of 3.1 seconds and a licence-losing top speed of 155mph, yet swaps the windscreen, carpet, heater and weather gear for a limited slip differential and a quicker steering rack. It also premiers ‘Dynamic Suspensions’ dampers manufactured by MTCe as original equipment, for an undiluted performance driving experience.

Caterham describes the result as "a breath-taking Caterham experience that blends no frills road legal agility with devastating track capability."

It's 25kg lighter than the standard CSR260, adding Superlight styling to the exterior, including a wind deflector, a carbon fibre dashboard and wings, a black powder coated cockpit, quick release MOMO steering wheel and ‘black pack’ that disguises otherwise aluminium detailing.

A natural extension of the CSR range, this Superlight model delivers all the thrills of frantic acceleration, pin-sharp steering, high revving eager performance mated to a close ratio six speed box.

With a power-to-weight ratio of 460bhp per tonne, the Caterham CSR260 Superlight finds itself in similar company to the £323,000 Porsche Carrera GT or the £118,000 Ferrari F430.

In a now customary move, Caterham's options list highlights the cost alongside the weight of items such as windscreen, heater, weather gear, dry sump, track day roll-over bar and fire extinguisher.

Caterham is taking orders now with the first cars delivered in August. Prices start at £37,995 fully built.

• Caterham Cars

[identti]

Pffft! It has a lot more bhp/tonne than an F430. Still very nice car, if a bit expensive for something even less usable than a regular CSR.

[housemaster]

I'm sorry, I love Caterham's as much as the next Piston Header, but the pricing really is becoming very expensive for what is a toy, and it seems to grow each time they release a new version, which is also becoming even more regular.

I know they use race bread stuff and other high end bits, but £37K for a toy really is very pricy, especially when you can pick up R500's for £20K. I know the CSR is new and improved, but its still to expensive in my book, great though it may be.

[Mad7ner]

I agree too, too expensive

[dino ferrana]

It is just that all the development has come at the top end in recent years. They are doing a new engine for the lower versions at the end of the year (Ford Sigma 1.6) so expect to see more news around the cheapers ones later on.

[GTRene]

Mad7ner said:

I agree too, too expensive

me too! 25K max!!
GTRene

[mk1fan]

When are we going to see a Caterham or an Ultima on Top Gear?

[GTRene]

mk1fan said:

When are we going to see a Caterham or an Ultima on Top Gear?

Or a Caterham(new one) and a Ultima...they could do performance on a straight to show its 0 to 100...and both cars around their testtrack to show the difference there! they could make a great item of that for about 20min or even longer I would like to see both cars tested under same circomstances...head to head.
GTRene

[harristc]

Ahhhhh I have some good news for all you Caterham fans who want one on Top Gear. There was an e-mail sent round saying that the Top Gear 3 are going to build a Caterham and then race it against an identical one that their wives and girlfriends will have built! Can't wait to see that!

[GTRene]

what about that caterham 21...almost never see it again(only once for real on a show) how many have bin made? there was also a nice GTO version of that 21GTO yummie...
Sadly can't find that grey 21GTO...

and here the normal? car


they also maked them completely in alu...

GTRene

[GravelBen]

wasn't the old JPE 37k when it came out? and the R500 35k? same ballpark anyway, I agree that its a lot of money for a toy, but the prices of their top-of-range models don't really seem to be increasing, especially if you take inflation into account.

[dino ferrana]

Lots of bespoke engineering, low volumes plus an expensive suspension development programme will equal quite a high cost price I'm sure.

[Walton]

Expensive for a toy - compared to what though? Aren't most supercars toys, and they're a damn sight more expensive.

You're getting a car that'll handle as well, and have all the useable performace (and arguably practicality) of say a Ferrari F40 for under £40k!Looking at it this way it's a bargain.

OF COURSE if you start comparing it to an M5 or 911 Turbo it's going to seem a little sparse on toys and comforts, but if you're doing this you've missed the point entirely.

[dino ferrana]

CSR would dump from a great height on an F40 in performance terms. There is a pic of one on the internet somewhere that crashed at Spa trying to keep up with a Caterham Blackbird.

Also the CSR doesn't require bag tank changes on a regular basis! ££££££££

[POORCARDEALER]

i have an invoice here for a factory built R500 just shy of £35K

[swilding]

For me the proportions of the caterham SV cars looks so wrong.

[lukeb]

Losing 25kg doesn't seem much justification for the 'Superlight' tag to me. You could save that much weight by not being big enough to need a wide body car

[rubystone]

dino ferrana said:

CSR would dump from a great height on an F40 in performance terms. There is a pic of one on the internet somewhere that crashed at Spa trying to keep up with a Caterham Blackbird.

Also the CSR doesn't require bag tank changes on a regular basis! ££££££££

But there's no way any Caterham can look as pant wettingly gorgeous as an F40. The bag tanks only need changing once every 10 years BTW - just as well at £10k a time!

[tony wright]

The bill for my new R500 in 2002 with a few extras came to £38,500. Allowing for Four years worth of inflation and extra development prices really have not increased that much.

[paulejacobs]

Nice to see my old 21 in the pix, it's the red one, with me bending over the boot, taken on the Club stand at a Stoneleigh kit car show a few years ago. I'd fitted it with a Vauxhall 16v engine running on TBs by then and it was putting out in the region of 245bhp. I've now got a CSR 260 [256bhp?], which I built and put on the road at the begining of May. I have to agree that it is expensive, but as has been pointed out, no more than other top end Sevens. Frankly, I have to say that I feel that I've got a lot more car for my money than with the older R500 or even the JPE of old. The chassis is 75% new, front and rear suspension are new and VASTLY improved and of course the motor is new and just stonking, torque from nothing upwards, and it revs too. I'm hoping that it will be reliable too, lets face it, the K was just a disaster for reliability. It drives better, it rides better and it goes better too. Not electric like the R500, but just stronger. I'm impressed I have to admit. The downside, for me anyway, is that it has lost it's looks and is just plain ugly now, but hey, I'm not looking at it when I'm driving it am I?

[h_____]

yeah spending 37k on a toy is a complete waste of money, especially as cars like CGT or F430 are so cheap in comparison, and the lack of practicality in comparison is blindingly obvious. I mean you'd hardly ever use a CSR like you would CGT, that would be mad.

What are Caterham thinking? I just cant see how they will sell any of them.

I mean people say I was mad spending upwards of 15k on a sports car with 115bhp, even shopping trolleys have more power these days, but this is just crazy!!




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