Tuesday 6th February 2007

New Caterham Seven offers more

New mid-range model gets extra 25bhp

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Caterham Sigma Seven

Caterham’s about to upgrade the Seven with a brand-new 150bhp Ford Sigma engine, offering a meaty 270bhp per tonne for £17,495 -- £1,500 more than the entry-level Roadsport model.

The arrival of the 150bhp variant of the two-seater marks a departure from Caterham’s original plans when it first announced details of the replacement for the long-serving K-Series engines last autumn.

The entry-level 125bhp version of Ford’s Sigma powerplant was so good when mated to the new, stiffer chassis, that engineers decided to raise the bar for the planned mid-range model by a further 25bhp – not the 15bhp initially slated.

Prices for the 150bhp powerplant will start at £17,495 in Roadsport guise, or for those looking for a stripped down, more track-focused model, the Superlight will weigh in at £20,495. The latter, with its carbon-cycle wings, 6 speed box and uprated suspension, will offer 300bhp per tonne and a 0-60mph time of around 4.6 seconds.

In order to reach the new output, Caterham revised the intake, added butterfly throttles and recalibrated the engine mapping on the Ford 1.6-litre unit.

More than 10,000 road, and 1,200 track, miles have been completed as part of the Sigma engine validation process, which Caterham said was the most rigorous R&D programme of its kind in its history.

More new models are in the pipeline including a blistering 50th anniversary one-off special planned for the Seven’s Golden Jubilee celebrations at Donington, 2-3 June 2007.

Ford Sigma technical details

• High level of running refinement and low emission levels
• Aluminium alloy cylinder block and head
• Cross flow cylinder head
• Structural aluminium oil-pan for increased engine stiffness
• Twin overhead camshafts each with five bearings
• Sequential multi-port fuel injection system
• Long life, glass fibre reinforced camshaft drive belt with automatic tensioner

[ewenm]

The base Sigma has been out for ages, the mid-range one with 150bhp, not 140bhp, is news though isn't it?

[manek]

Correct: the 150bhp model is new.

Manek
PH Editor

[xm5er]

So, is next years (or this years) Academy car based on the 125bhp sigma unit?

[darth_pies]

2007 academy is 120bhp K-series, 2008 academy will be 125bhp Sigma.

[xm5er]

Cheers! I hope to be signing up for 2008

[woof]

hey xm5er

why wait till 2008 - you should check out the graduates series or the 750MC

[sykes111s]

There is a Graduates car for sale here

www.pistonheads.com/sales/132440.htm

[woof]

that sounds like a great deal to me - saves around £8k on a academy car

I think you should look at all the possibilities - it's easy to be mislead - espiecially when their are caterham employees on sites

Edited by woof on Tuesday 6th February 19:27

[xm5er]

I have a six month old in the house and started a new company last september so I'm bit busy this year. The alternative is a posibility next year too.

[SimonY]

woof said:

that sounds like a great deal to me - saves around £8k on a academy car

Are you sure?

[Bafty_Crastard]

I posted this earlier on the R300.net..........

Well CC has just released info on the new 150 bhp Superlight that now muscles in on R300 territory. I suspect there’s more to come on whether the R300 will become defunct, or as I suspect, get a few more horses. If so, will the R400 become less attractive?

Could do with some clarification on how all the models fit in the range. I'm still in the dark!!

Bafty

[darth_pies]

Well, my understanding is that they fit together something like this:

1.4 K-Series 105bhp (while stocks last) - used in Classic
1.6 Sigma 125bhp - used in Roadsport
1.6 Sigma 150bhp - used in base model Superlight or Roadsport
1.8 K-Series VVC 160bhp (while stocks last) - used in Superlight R300 or Roadsport
1.6 Sigma ???bhp - TBC - to replace VVC in Superlight R300 and Roadsport
2.0 Duratec 210bhp - used in Superlight R400
2.3 Duratec 200bhp - used in CSR200
2.3 Duratec 260bhp - used in CSR260

just a guess you understand ;-)

[woof]

re price on the grad car - the basic academy kit car is £16,995 + add the factory build on to it £2500 and the few extra options that you really should have and yr at £21k + (factory built)
Add the season costs approx £6-10k (which is a realistic cost)


of course - you could spend £25k on a Corvette C5 Z06 - 405bhp / 0-60 4 secs / top speed 185 mph
well that's what i did - too much fun - awesome bit of kit and just enjoy a few track days here and there

can i mention the Corvette word here - LOL

[Bafty_Crastard]

Nope don’t see that…..

125 bhp “K” will go

Sigma 125 bhp is now 150

Sigma Roadsport 150 bhp with all the heavy bits

Sigma Superlight 150 bhp will be as quick as the current R300

Current VVC R300 is a dead duck, suggest it will move up the scale, could be Sigma 1800cc 180 bhp, this make the R400 not so attractive? …..

Still needs clarification, watch this space!!

Bafty

Edited by Bafty_Crastard on Tuesday 6th February 22:46

[peter-2006]

woof said:

re price on the grad car - the basic academy kit car is £16,995 + add the factory build on to it £2500 and the few extra options that you really should have and yr at £21k + (factory built)
Add the season costs approx £6-10k (which is a realistic cost)

Why do you need the factory build? The majority of Caterham races seam to build there own and it’s also good to know the car inside out if you need to do any other work.

You'd have to tick every box on the academy order form + a fancy metallic paint job to get it to the £21k

Season cost pretty much the same which ever series you’re in.

[SimonY]

Actually season cost for the Academy avoids entry fees, club memberships, support costs etc. and includes ards so would be considerably less. The build is all part of the fun...

[sykes111s]

Hi all.

That is my car that is for sale. I built it from the kit, with all the extras it cost about 19k

The cost of the academy yearis quite expensive as people normally tend to do a lot of testing.

[woof]

Hi Peter

I was just comparing a fully built car to a fully built car

Re Season costs - i think you'll find they can vary from £5k to £50k if yr doing the superlights
A frontrunning season superlight (in fact a roadsport season used to be as high) budget is £40 - £50k + car and damage

I think an academy season is about £10k inc travel etc etc
much the same as the Grads I think

[dino ferrana]

bafty I think you have misunderstood. The 125 is not now a 150 that is an addition to the range.

I believe the 1.4 K might be deleted (hard to get hold of) and the range will be a 125 then a 150 then maybe something else above that?

[ewenm]

Bafty_Crastard said:

Nope don’t see that…..

125 bhp “K” will go

Sigma 125 bhp is now 150

Sigma Roadsport 150 bhp with all the heavy bits

Sigma Superlight 150 bhp will be as quick as the current R300

Current VVC R300 is a dead duck, suggest it will move up the scale, could be Sigma 1800cc 180 bhp, this make the R400 not so attractive? …..

Still needs clarification, watch this space!!

Bafty

Edited by Bafty_Crastard on Tuesday 6th February 22:46

Are you suggesting the entry-level is going to move to 150bhp? I don't think it will (see Academy engines for 2008). I see the future being as you've said but with the 125bhp Sigma at the bottom.