Caterham Superlight R *edited*

[RC45]

**Special Thanks to James, the proprietor of Turismo Driving Club for graciously providing access to his Caterham Superlight R for this track test**

http://www.drivershouston.com/graphics/tdclogo.jpg (http://www.drivershouston.com/turismodriving.htm)

Introduction
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck!

I want one.

Exterior
4 wheels, carbon fibre fenders, bug-eye head lights, press stud boot/trunk, big roll bar and very orange paint. If the car had more exterior, I would write more about it.. ;)

Suffice it to say the carbon nose cone, ridiculously light aluminium sheet bonnet/hood low cut waist come elbow rests and Superlight R badging all say "What in hells name are you doing just looking --- GET IN AND DRIVE ME!!!"
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3367/catpaddock13sz.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catpaddock13sz.jpg)

Interior
ROTFLMAO... :P ;)

Uhm - Interior consists of 2 carbon seat shells, 4 point cam-lock harnesses, a padded transmission tunnel, some shiny bits here and there and an ignition switch hidden up under the dash attached to the steering column - oh, and monogramed Lotus 7 rubber floor mats.

Really - that is all thats there.

Well, there are some gauges and switches, but the steering wheel blocks the speedo and rev counter so you could not see them even if you wanted to - but then again with this car you should be looking ahead to the next corner and not worrying about trivial things live revs and speed.. hehe.
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2517/catint12rf.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catint12rf.jpg)

How does it drive?
Eaxctly as you can imagine, since the car is almost non-existant. It weighs in at 1100lbs (500kg) and is powered by a 190bhp Ford Zetec SVT motor. Has 2 seats and a steering wheel - how do you think it drives? ;)

Almost by thought process is the easiest way to explain the way this car drives. But be very aware, you better be ONLY thinking about driving - driving this car - driving here on this road at this moment; as the car is so direct and so instant in it's response that if you are paying attention it will reward you with a fantastic thrill ride - if you however let your mind wander you may as well pre-arrange a med-evac team at the exit of Turn 1.. :)

And when I say Turn 1, I am not kidding - this car is so single focused and hardcore, I am sure the people who claim to comfortably daily drive these to work are fibbing or they work from home.

The small 11" Momo steering wheel is perfectly positioned and allows easy and quick steering of the car - so quick it reminded me of a motorcycle in the way you sort of think it, and the car goes where you wanted it to go, almost as if the steering input was a secondary reflex. Of course it isn't and failing to actually turn the wheel when you need to will have you arse-up in a ditch in an instant - but that is how instant the steering feels.

Sum up the car in one word? Immediate.

The same word would well describe the brakes... press the non-abs assisted brake pedal and the car stops. That's it - nothing more to say ;)

On that note, don't bother trying to drive this car if you don't have driving shoes or are not prepared to go barefoot - the foot well is just wide enough for 2 feet next to each other and the only resting place for those feet are the 3 pedals filling up the back of the foot well.
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7950/cattrack38hc.th.jpg (http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cattrack38hc.jpg) http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/1914/cattrack26of.th.jpg (http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cattrack26of.jpg) http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8431/cattrack16jx.th.jpg (http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cattrack16jx.jpg)

What are the most positive features of the car?
Immediate steering. Immediate brakes. Bugs in your teeth.


What are the most negative features of the car?
Immediate steering. Immediate brakes. Bugs in your teeth (this means the car is no use for daily commuting) - and the lack of power.

What??!!!!@@!!!! I hear your scream - Not enough power???

Yes - I am used to being pushed forward at a rate of knots the SuperLight R can't quite deliver.... but it makes up for this by allowing to leave the all important braking till after you pass the 500bhp car in front of you as you enter a bend.

But thats only because he weighs in at 3000lbs... Get the Superlight up to 350hp of so and I sure it will deliver the spleen squashing forward thrust I am so used to. Then you can drive past the 500bhp car at the exit of a sweeper onto a straight instead of only under brakes :)


How do you think this car compares to its direct competition?
Uhm - I'll let you know as soon as I have a go in a Radical and an Ultima... stay tuned ;)


Conclusion
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck!

I want one.

The End.


Specifications
(what I have found so far - I will edit any errors)
Construction:

Tubular space frame with aluminum honeycomb cockpit stiffening.
Aluminum body panels with carbon fibre nose cone and wings.

Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 2,225mm (87.5in)
Front track: 1,336mm (52.6in)
Rear track: 1,336mm (52.6in)
Overall length: 3,100mm (122.0in)
Overall width: 1,575mm (62.0in)
Height: 800mm (31.5in)
Weight (approx.): 490kg (1080lb)
Ground clearance: 80mm (3.15in)
Turning circle: 10m (33ft)

Drivetrain:
2.0l Ford Zetec with Ford Sierra close ratio five-speed transmission.

Standard Equipment

3.62 Ratio Limited Slip Differential
10" Ventilated Front Discs with Caterham/AP Racing 4-Pot Calipers
9" Solid Rear Discs
Widetrack Front Suspension
De Dion Rear Axle
Watts' Link Rear Suspension with Adjustable Anti-Roll bar
Coilover Dampers with Adjustable Spring Seats
Braided Stainless Brake Hoses
Rear Exit Stainless Steel Catalytic Exhaust
Carbon Fiber Wings, Nosecone, and Dash
13" Superlight R500 Style Magnesium Wheels with Avon CR500 Tires
Racetech Steering Wheel with Quick Release Boss
Black Interior with Composite/Carpet Race Seats
Padded Vinyl Tunnel Cover
4-Point Harness Seat Belts
Boot Cover
"7" Grille
Caterham Logo Rubber Floor Mats
Race Aeroscreen

Performance

Owners Numbers
Laptime ate MSR Houston - 1:45
Max Track Speed -
Avg Track Speed -
Max Acceleration G's -
Max Braking G's -
Max Right Lateral G's -
Max Left Lateral G's -
0-60 -
60-0 -


RC45's Numbers
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1372/rc45slrturnzone4wt.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rc45slrturnzone4wt.jpg)
Laptime at MSR Houston - 2:06.850
Max Track Speed - 107.08mph
Avg track Speed - 66.35mph
Max Acceleration G's - 0.76
Max Braking G's - 0.92
Max Right Lateral G's - 1.30
Max Left Lateral G's - 1.16
0-60 -
60-0 -

The Driver Not Known as The Stig's Numbers
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9451/notstigslrturnzone3yd.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=notstigslrturnzone3yd.jpg)
Laptime time at MSR Houston - 1:58.225 (taking it easy to show me the line hehe)
Max Track Speed - 107.27mph
Avg Track Speed - 71.47mp
Max Acceleration G's - 0.63
Max Braking G's - 0.99
Max Right Lateral G's - 1.38
Max Left Lateral G's - 1.29
0-60 -
60-0 -

Heres a time-accelerated video of the real-time captured data - as you can see, Not-The-Stig has some lower speeds than I do, but is going quicker.. Thats the difference between a weekend hack and a pro :o:

Link http://media.rc45.net/media/rc_vs_not_the_stig1.zip
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/6462/trackdata1qo.th.jpg (http://img53.imageshack.us/my.php?image=trackdata1qo.jpg)

There was no chance for a head-to-head contests this time.. ..well, that's not entirely true.... the SLR owner took me out for a serious session of thrashing and we chased down an MTI Z07 fairly quickly. But in his defense, he was out there doing suspension and brake test and tune, so his 427ci, 600bhp, 3000lb, coil-over supended T1 spec MTI Z07 (427ci C5 Z06) was not running at the level he could run it ;)

But it was fun... as these sequetial screen shots from the video show, you catch up in the bends then get left on the straight:

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/531/z0734il.th.jpg (http://img66.imageshack.us/my.php?image=z0734il.jpg) http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/2229/z0742tq.th.jpg (http://img66.imageshack.us/my.php?image=z0742tq.jpg) http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/374/z0751lk.th.jpg (http://img66.imageshack.us/my.php?image=z0751lk.jpg) http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/3199/z0768yz.th.jpg (http://img66.imageshack.us/my.php?image=z0768yz.jpg)


Pictures:
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1801/exige011kv.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=exige011kv.jpg)
Oops.. how did this slip in here ;) Uhm I guess the cats out the bag what's next on the agenda.. :P

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/4396/catint48mv.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catint48mv.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5722/catint32ne.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catint32ne.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1622/catint21sm.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catint21sm.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9590/catpaddock64cj.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catpaddock64cj.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8439/engine5yw.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=engine5yw.jpg) http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/5266/cattrack42xe.th.jpg (http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cattrack42xe.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/110/catpaddock44sf.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catpaddock44sf.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/327/catpaddock30ut.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catpaddock30ut.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/843/catpaddock26hk.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catpaddock26hk.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8524/cathelmet6bg.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cathelmet6bg.jpg) http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/1792/catpaddock09tu.th.jpg (http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catpaddock09tu.jpg)http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/27/catpaddock78sf.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catpaddock78sf.jpg) http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5370/catpaddock58ly.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=catpaddock58ly.jpg)


The Track Test Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80EkNMXl2Ds

[davide]

Perfect track car :D

Max Right Lateral G's - 1.38
Max Left Lateral G's - 1.29

and wow, that's a lot of G for such a small car! I'm impressed... !

[nthfinity]

Great write up RC :) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i wish i had more time to comment, but i have to leave already.

what a car!

[TT]

Very nice to read some impressions of a Seven from a "normal" (pretty big word uh?! ;)) guy! As expected, such a car can blow away anybody, even in the lower form of "tuning"!

Thanks a lot for sharing the experience and the pics are nice too :D
Bloody nice in orange actually!

[yg60m]

Is it legal in US ? I thought it wasn't ... but it's good for you if it is because you experienced a different drive of your usual one :wink:
I also had a ride (not driving) in a Donkervoort (a sort of Lotus 7) S8 and the acceleration didn't impressed me either, it was nice but not OMG :| despite the 140 or 150 hp.

[Stikz]

Thanks for the driving impressions Jezza...oops i mean RC :D

[sameerrao]

Great review!! What was the cornering speeds feel like to you?

[LotusGT1]

Excellent review, exactly what we are looking for. Well done, must have been a blast 8)

[ZfrkS62]

god dammit, that sounds like so much fuckin fun! I knew i should have taken yesterday off :(

whats the price of one of those little things?

[No.1]

Nice write up.

Nice hi-res pics too.

I understand you were missing the power of your regular V8-sledgehammer, but your impressions of the directness and sense of being hooked up were great :good:

Plenty of emphasis on the figures - i would expect no less - and it's interesting to see the high Gs - it must be a lot to do with the much duscussed CR500s.

Looking forward to seeing your next review - sadly, its rather difficult for an 18yo over here to get test-drives etc.

[EnzoLover]

Nice test.

Tks sharing.

[RC45]

Great review!! What was the cornering speeds feel like to you?

Well, felt quicker even since you are in the open air, close to the ground and have bugs, rocks and tyre marbles hitting you ;)

The level of grip takes a number of laps to get used to - but it is a very positive feeling - I of course was no where near any limts and didn't see the speeds I could have.

Heres a time-accelerated video of the real-time captured data - as you can see, Not_The_Stig has some lower speeds than I do, but is going quicker.. ;) :P Thats the differnece betwen a weekend hack and a pro :P

p.s. I take it no one is interested in seeing and hearing abotu the Exige then? ;) :P

:arrow: http://media.rc45.net/media/rc_vs_not_the_stig1.zip
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/6462/trackdata1qo.jpg

[Daggernite]

Great stuff!! I really love the telemetry data you get up of your drives. Sounds like you had great fun, and its good to hear the caterham living up to its lightweight and rapid responce. Nice pics too! there a definate save.

[Pehtren]

Nice work RC,

Will youd any tests with BMWs ?

Nice pics and writteup, and the movie is cool too, you stand up good.

Thanks 8)

[LotusGT1]

Let's hear about the Exige :twisted:

[RC45]

As soon as you put up an Index entry for the SLR test ;)

[LotusGT1]

What year is the SLR?

[RC45]

I dunno - I don't think they have"a year" - so much as you call up the Caterham guys and say "mix me up a Caterham please" - and he says "what kind? straight, on the rocks or non-alcoholic?"

You then think "hhhmmm... straight up will be too scary, non-alcoholic will make me look like a pussy - I better go with 'on the rocks' to be on the safe side..." :P

So with that in mind I dunno if this car is an '01 or '02 or '03 or '04 or '05 or even a '98.. :)

All I know for sure is that it had brand new tyres on when we arrived for the test ;)

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/7682/newtyres4ug.th.jpg (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=newtyres4ug.jpg)

[sentra_dude]

Very cool write-up RC, thanks for providing all the neat data too...definitely adds to the 'test' feel of it. Nice pics as well, and yes we want to hear about the Exige! :P

[dutchmasterflex]

What a great car to review ;) And with data telemetry too! (that stuff really gets me hot :lol: )

What kind of telemetry system was on it? I see you had speed, G sensors.. but did you also have potentiometers on the pedels and steering wheel?

Is that thing even road legal in the US? I know you've said its too hardcore to drive on the streets, but I just wouldnt help driving it on every nice day!

How much for this whole package?

[sameerrao]

I am guessing that it will be around $48K.

Body $26K + Engine/gearbox $12K + Options $10K

Pretty Expensive toy!!!

[RC45]

Pretty Expensive toy!!!

But what a toy... what a toy... :)

When I get mine (Superlight R500 :twisted: ), you'll know where to me on sunny afternoons.. ;)

[sameerrao]

I wonder how the Superlight will handle our Texas roads with all its bumps and dips. Does it have enough wheel travel? In GT4, the car was a nightmare on the N'ring - it got a lot of air time.

I think the enw CSR will be better for sure.

As a trackday car that you can still drive to the circuit and back, an R300 or R400 will be incredible. The R500 or the JPE will be mad!!!

[RC45]

^^^ Why would need to drive your car to the track? Just store it there - and drive your 500bhp C5 Z06 ... :P Thats what I am about to start doing ;)

[Shinigami]

That was a good write up, thanks for sharing *thumbsup*

Wish we had some tracks in Switzerland, and of course people with track cars like this. It's such a rare sight to see a Super 7 or something similar on these roads...

One of these days, I'm gonna have to take a flight to the UK just to go witness a track day with all the ultimas, radicals, caterhams, atoms and so on, winding up and down the track at breakneck speeds :D

[Wutputt]

That's a great review. I loved reading it. You've to do and post more of these reviews ;)

[dannyroz]

Great review RC...makes me want one even more

[RC45]

Great review RC...makes me want one even more

Then stay tuned - the full-full review is about to be published - and then following close to that will be the Video version :) ;)

[nthfinity]

Great review RC...makes me want one even more

Then stay tuned - the full-full review is about to be published - and then following close to that will be the Video version :) ;)

Wait til you see what we have in store for you in the next run! 8) :D

[RC45]

Great review RC...makes me want one even more

Then stay tuned - the full-full review is about to be published - and then following close to that will be the Video version :) ;)

Wait til you see what we have in store for you in the next run! 8) :D

Oh - it may bet EVEN better than that yet.. (if thats at all possible) - all I can hint at is, imagine a head-to-head of all the models from the "the odd brand funded by the Nicotine-Patch" :twisted:

[nthfinity]

Great review RC...makes me want one even more

Then stay tuned - the full-full review is about to be published - and then following close to that will be the Video version :) ;)

Wait til you see what we have in store for you in the next run! 8) :D

Oh - it may bet EVEN better than that yet.. (if thats at all possible) - all I can hint at is, imagine a head-to-head of all the models from the "the odd brand funded by the Nicotine-Patch" :twisted:

can it get better then classic vs. new? (well, no guarentees yet :P )

[gofetch06]

I love these cars. I didnt know what to make of them before I rode in one. The handling is like a go kart, and the looks you get are priceless! Good Review.

[RC45]

Well, it's 3 years later. but here is the video to go along with the review... on Page 1

http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?t=38709&highlight=caterham+superlight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80EkNMXl2Ds

[nthfinity]

Rate and comment! :)

[SHIZL]

that is one raw vehicle

[RC45]

Yep - very raw and insanely fun... but sadly over-priced in the US. $60,000+ new, $30,000+ used.

[SHIZL]

is that with the reach around or without ouch.:ohmy: