In response to buoyant sales of its lightweight two-seater sportscar, Caterham Cars has announced plans to ramp up capacity at its Dartford factory for the foreseeable future.

Not only will the move help the Company continue to meet healthy demand for the Seven, the increase in capacity will go some way to shortening the current 3-4 month waiting list.

Over the past 12 months, Caterham has enjoyed consistently strong sales both in the UK and a rapidly-maturing overseas market. The British marque was one of only three European brands at the Tokyo Motor Show last November.

“Despite the economic background we have recorded an extremely positive sales period,” says Ansar Ali, Managing Director of Caterham Cars. “Adding to our capacity merely underlines our position in the market.”

In the UK, the Roadsport 175 and the more track-focused Superlight R300, remain the most popular models, just ahead of the entry-level Ford Sigma-powered Roadsport 125.

Since its launch in March 2008, Caterham’s range-topping Superlight R500, which can hit 60mph in under 2.9 seconds, has sold around 100 units worldwide to date – a figure its predecessor took a five-year period to achieve.

Ali adds: “The Export market has certainly been boosted by the exchange rate but more decisively by our success in achieving European Type Approval last year and the launch of the Ford Duratec powered Roadsport 175. Collectively they have combined to deliver for us.” 

Please visit www.caterham.co.uk or call 01883 333 700 for more information.

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Caterham Cars has teamed up with another iconic British company, Lambretta Clothing, to give its legendary Seven sportscar a visual overhaul for a unique 2010 Special Edition.

The British-owned fashion label, which is based in London’s famous Carnaby Street, has drawn on its characteristic flair and rich heritage in popular culture to create a bespoke, custom-tailored Caterham, which screams ‘Britannia’.

The body paint, decals and livery leave you in no doubt of its geographic heritage with the Union Jack’s unmistakable hue of red, white and blue dressing the paintwork.

Naturally, the theme continues inside with a matching colour scheme spanning the leather seats, dash, carpets and boot. Hand-stitched seat piping, embossed Lambretta motifs and a stylish Moto-Lita steering wheel finish the interior detailing.

Under the skin, the engineering is pure Caterham.

Powered by a 1.6-litre Ford Sigma engine, which pushes out 125bhp, the Lambretta Special Edition can call upon 120lbs ft of torque to propel its lightweight frame to 60mph in six seconds. The marriage of a quick-fire five-speed gearbox, with a purposeful chassis, provides the responsiveness and handling characteristics every Seven is famous for.

Available immediately, the Caterham Seven Lambretta Special Edition is priced at £26,995 OTR.

Lambretta’s managing director, Rob Harmer explained: “Designing the exterior and interior of a car is an entirely different challenge to our core business of fashion and accessories, but there are clearly some shared philosophies between the two companies, which made this collaboration so exciting.”         

Please visit www.caterham.co.uk or call 01883 333 700 for more information.

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The 2010 BookaTrack.com Caterham Superlight R300 Championship starts with thirty-two
regular drivers who hold a whopping thirteen Caterham championship titles between them;
four are reigning champions; half the grid are race winners and the majority of the rest are
no stranger to the podium.

That’s a lot of talent.

More importantly, it’s also a lot of egos and they can’t all win. “I’ll have more chance of
picking a Grand National winner with a dart”, reveals Caterham Motorsport Manager Simon
Lambert about his somewhat basic gambling technique. “Caterham racing is always close,
but we’ve never had a grid of this proven calibre before. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any
one of about a dozen drivers win at the opening round.”

Reigning R300 champion Jon Walker has the formbook on his side, though ’09 title rival
James Sharrock largely threw away his challenge unaided after leading for much of the year.

Toys now firmly back in the Wigan man’s pram, the pair will be expecting total domination
of the front row of the grid. Another ‘veteran’ of the inaugural campaign aiming for nothing
less than glory is Paul Wilson (LiteTM). Bad luck ruined Wilson’s year, but a new season, a
new look for both car and driver, plus several rabbits missing feet in the Newbury area
suggests that he means business.

However, there are a number of outstanding drivers coming in from other Caterham series
who expect to see these three only as disappearing dots in their mirrors. Chief amongst
them is Caterham’s most successful driver ever, Jamie Ellwood. The MegaGrad title holder
is rarely beaten, but when he is, it’s usually at the hands (or wheels) of Andy McMillan who
joins the series alongside him (literally, we expect).

Meanwhile, coming from last year’s most closely contested series, Roadsport-B, isn’t just
current champ Trevor Fowell, but also the second, third and fourth placed men. Between
Londoner Fowell and runner-up Gordon Sawyer, they have won all but one of the races they
have ever competed in, only third placed man Paul Brannan managing to sneak past when
they weren’t looking. Aussie Andrew Harrison-Sleap makes up the quartet and although the
least race experienced, has spent more time on track behind the wheel of a Superlight than
his rivals.

From the Superlight R400 championship and his strongest year since he started competed in
Caterhams in 2004 comes Simon Young. Whilst he will have an eye on the title, it could be
sibling rivalry with younger brother Peter that will be foremost in his mind. Stepping up
from ClassicGrads is another reigning champion, Flick Haigh. Although making the biggest
jump in series, the driveability of the R300 should mimic the ClassicGrad she’s been used to
and could well reward her style.

Finally, Ollie Taylor and Jonny Leroux are another two ’09 R300 drivers looking to fend off
the pretenders. Taylor finished the year on a high with two wins and is mentored by
Caterham legend, Graham Fennymore. Talking of legends, title sponsor BookaTrack.com’s
front man Leroux was, like Taylor, new to Caterham racing last year and with experience
and victory under his belt, will be a regular feature of the sharp end of the field.
The men-from-boy/girl sorting gets underway at Silverstone this Easter with two 30 minute
races on Easter Sunday on the newly titled Bridge GP circuit, drivers egged on [sorry] by the
promise of trophies overflowing with Cadbury’s Crème Eggs.

“I don’t think it’s over-egging it [again, sorry] to say that I can sum it up with one word:
Epic”, said Lambert modestly. “We had a phenomenal first season last year and it’s no
surprise the series has sold out for 2010. I can’t wait for the season to start!”

The Superlight R300 championship is Caterham’s premier domestic series, created in 2009
and sold out for 2010. As with all Caterham racing, close control of the regulations ensures
a level playing field of machinery and the regulations have been designed to enable a car to
be competitive out-of-the-box, without the need for expensive testing and setup.

The dedicated Caterham race chassis is powered by a 175bhp Caterham Duratec lowmaintenance engine, driving a Caterham 6-speed gearbox and Titan limited slip differential. Bespoke Bilstein suspension and Avon treaded tyres help propel the 540kg missile to 60mph in about 4 seconds.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS
3/4 April – Silverstone GP; 15 May – Oulton Park International; 5/6 June – Zolder, Belgium;
3/4 July – Rockingham; 21/22 August – Brands Hatch Indy; 2 October – Castle Combe;
16/17 October – Donington.

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The volume was turned to full blast as the Caterham Drive Experience hit the Autosport International show at Birmingham’s NEC over the weekend.

More than 2,000 members of the public experienced a full-throttle assault of the bespoke, indoor drift course with a professional driver at the helm of a Caterham Seven.

A squadron of the iconic sports cars were deployed by Caterham and its technical partner, Comma, for fans to get a taster of the full Caterham Drive Experience, which usually take place at the UK’s top race circuits, like Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

Throughout the four-day show, 90,000 visitors sampled Europe’s largest dedicated motorsport exhibition, catering for trade professionals and enthusiasts alike, with people queuing throughout the weekend for a chance to sample the Sevens.

This year’s show marked the return of the CDX event after a two-year absence and punters were not disappointed by the adrenalin-fuelled ride of their lives.

James Drake, Caterham Cars’ Marketing Manager, said: “It’s great to see first-timers in the car rendered speechless as they witness a smoking tyre track being drawn through the laws of physics, but even those who have been in the cockpit of a Seven many times still get as much of a blast out of the car. The noise, the smells and sensation of speed always puts huge grins on faces.”

CDX days were designed initially as a platform to highlight the joys of owning a Seven. To get behind the wheel yourself, CDX days take place under the guidance of experienced professionals. Participants get to experience the full ability of this legendary two-seater sports car in venues across the UK; the first CDX event of the year kicks off at Brands Hatch on 23 January.

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Sportscar maker, Caterham Cars, and luxury super yacht builder, Sunseeker International, have formed a unique alliance to create the ultimate expression of the millionaire lifestyle.

With the London International Boat Show 2010 (LIBS) due to commence on January 8, Sunseeker’s Predator 108 Special Edition is making its world debut and will do so with one of Caterham’s iconic Sevens stowed in its garage.

Usually reserved for a small sports boat, the garage area at the stern of the Predator is just as capable of storing and launching a sportscar for the transition from sea to land at glamorous locations, such as the harbours of Monaco, St Tropez and Cannes.       

The union of the two British companies will last for the duration of the London International Boat Show – open 8-17 January 2010 – with the Predator being the largest craft ever to be displayed inside the ExCel centre, in London’s Docklands.

Capable of up to 34 knots, the Predator 108 Special Edition is one of Sunseeker’s most extreme, performance-orientated crafts. Noted for its agility and its luxurious fittings, eight guests and up to four crew can be kept in absolute comfort.

While the sea’s most desirable cruiser costs from around £7.1 million, a road-going Caterham Seven starts from £12,995. Its lightweight design and eye-watering performance could provide the Predator’s owner with as much fun on the roads as the sea, whether in the South of France or Italian isles.

Caterham Cars Managing Director, Ansar Ali, said: ‘Our two companies have more in common than one might think at first, despite the disparity in vehicle size. The more minimal, performance-focussed approach Sunseeker has adopted for the Predator series may well have been congratulated by Colin Chapman himself and surely any Sunseeker owner would relish the chance to match their experience on the waves with the ultimate drive on the roads.’

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Time is running out for aspiring racing drivers to get on to the grid for the 2010 Caterham Academy series, with less than 10 places remaining.

Since 1995, the Caterham Academy has introduced more than 700 people to motor racing, taking them through the race license process and their first season of racing in sprints, hillclimbs and track events.

Despite the current economic recession, a surge of interest in the £17,995, one-make motorsport starter package has seen slots fly as novice racers sign up.

‘With the current economic climate, we always knew that 2009 was going to be a hard year,’ explained Caterham Motorsport Manager, Simon Lambert. ‘We wondered whether to cut the field in half but talked ourselves into sticking to what we normally do and, as it turns out, we needn’t have worried.

‘The competitive price of the package, which includes your car, tuition and the full season of racing, has obviously appealed to even cash-strapped novices.’

With six months still to go until the 2010 Academy blasts off the starting grid, the race is now on for those who would like to try their hand at racing in Caterham’s 1.6-litre, 227bhp-per-tonne cars, with only a handful of places remaining.

Anyone wishing to book their place should contact Caterham by calling 01883 333700 or emailing sales@caterham.co.uk.

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The iconic Caterham Superlight R500 will make its debut in the Top Gear Live show when the Top Gear Live World Tour gets underway next month at the MPH Prestige and Performance Motor Show in Earls Court, London.

The 2008 Top Gear Car of the Year will take centre stage in homage to Ken Block’s masterful Gymkhana film from the last series of the ever popular BBC programme – a sequence which promises a maelstrom of tyre-smoking mayhem for the live audience.

After its star turn at London’s Earls Court on November 5-8 and Birmingham’s NEC on 12-15 November, the British sportscar will take in Dublin, Sydney and Auckland as part of the Top Gear Live World Tour.

With The Stig behind the wheel, the 2-litre, six-speed R500 – which boasts a mind-numbing 520bhp-per-tonne – embarrassed the performance of many big ticket supercars with a time of 1m 17.9s around the Top Gear test track last autumn.

Tickets for the MPH Prestige and Performance Motor Show and the chance to watch Jeremy, Richard and James live on stage can be purchased via www.mphshow.co.uk or through the ticket hotline 0871 230 5588. Tickets cost between £42 and £99 each.

Please visit www.caterham.co.uk for more information about the R500 and the Seven range.

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The Caterham Superlight R500 won accolades across the board in 2008, including the prestigious Top Gear Car of the Year.

But you know you’ve really made it when you’re built in LEGO.

LEGOLAND designers were so impressed by the R500’s achievement in winning the BBC’s top motoring decoration last year that it decided to capture the moment in its famous coloured plastic bricks.

Taking their place within the 40 million-brick MINILAND, one of a number of attractions at LEGOLAND, Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, plus the elusive Stig, can be seen huddled around the famous Caterham Seven in a motorsport-themed area.

As well as gaining the Top Gear award, the £38,000 Caterham Superlight R500 proved its giant-killing potential by outpacing supercars like the £1 million Bugatti Veyron.

LEGOLAND’S chief model maker, Guy Bagley, said: ‘My colleague remembered that the Stig had put the R500 through its paces and how incredible it was on the track. It’s such a timeless and iconic car that it was a ‘no-brainer’ as our choice for the motorsport area, having already decided to feature Top Gear. Its design lends itself particularly well to our bricks, too.’

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