BruceBe

Caterham is introducing a new Seven model ladder in the USA, and they are as follows: Seven 160 Entry level for the model range, the Seven 160 includes a Suzuki-sourced, 80HP engine, mated to a Caterham 5-speed transmission. Highlighted standard features: Cloth seats Black powder-coated interior Inertia reel 3-point seat belts Wind deflector 14" wheels with Avon ZT5 tires Highlighted optional features: Full weather equipment Black-out package Heater Leather seats Carpeted interior Seven 280 Second in the range, offered with a 140HP Ford 1.6L Sigma engine mated to a 5-speed Caterham transmission. Highlighted standard features: Cloth seats Carpeted interior Heater Push-button start Full weather equipment 14" wheels Highlighted optional features: Available in SV chassis configuration (4" wider) Sport Package Race Package Track day rollbar 13" wheel/tire upgrade Lowered floors Seven 360 Third in the range, offered with a 180HP 2.0L Ford Duratec engine mated to a 5-speed Caterham transmission. Highlighted standard features: Cloth seats Black powder-coated interior Suede steering wheel Blackout package Supersport suspension with limited-slip differential 13" wheels on Avon CR500 tires Full weather equipment Highlighted optional features: Available in SV chassis configuration (4" wider) Sport package Race Package Carpeted interior Heater Lowered floors Seven 480 Fourth in the range, offered with a 240HP dry-sumped 2.0L Ford Duratec engine mated to a 6-speed Caterham transmission. Highlighted standard features: Black leather seats Black leather tunnel top Black powder-coated interior Race harnesses Black wind deflector Carbon components - front wings, fender shields, dash, sill guards Push-button start Superlight suspension with 15" wheels and Avon CR500 tires Ventilated front disk brakes with AP 4-piston calipers Highlighted optional features: Sport package Race package Available in SV chassis configuration (4" wider) Full weather equipment Lowered floors Carpeted interior 13" wheel upgrade with staggered wheel widths Seven 620R Currently top of the range, offered with a 310HP supercharged 2.0L Ford Duratec engine mated to a 6-speed sequential Sadev gearbox Highlighted standard features: Adjustable padded carbon seats Race harnesses Carbon interior panels and dash Lowered floors Q/R momo steering wheel Bespoke gauge cluster and sequential gear-change display Aero wishbones Race damper system Upgraded brake master cylinder 13" Apollo diamond cut wheels with Avon ZZR tires Blackout package Carbon front and rear wings Highlighted optional features: Full weather equipment Exhaust bypass pipe The standard and optional features above are a highlighted list, and not comprehensive. The 280/360/480 all include "Sport" and "Race" packages. Generally, the sport package includes upgraded brakes, wheels/tires, leather seats, and a limited slip differential. The race package is additive to the sport package, and generally includes race harnesses, track-day roll bar, composite race seats, carbon front wings, and alternate wheels/tires. Both packages have specific badging, and are progressive as the model numbers increase. For example, the 360/480 race package includes a race damper setup and aero wishbones, but the 280 race package does not. Interestingly, the 360 race package includes a Stack dash display, but the 480 does not. Also noteworthy, is the absence of a CSR model. This is a temporary situation, and models utilizing the CSR chassis will be introduced later this year. We (Beachman Racing) specialize in CSR performance and track preparation, so look forward to the re-introduction of those models. A word about the 620R - currently, the 620R is only available in RHD, as it is not EU-compliant, and the larger markets worldwide for Caterham are RHD. However, if the demand (e.g. placed orders) for a LHD 620R is significant, it is very likely that Caterham will invest in the necessary engineering and packaging changes to start manufacturing it. With Superformance taking the helm of US distribution, Caterham is migrating to a model of delivering "rollers", instead of unassembled "kits", as has been previously the case here in the US. Power-train packages are separately available, fully dressed to drop-in to the intended model. This approach simplifies complete vehicle assembly, and mitigates some of the difficulties and complexities of sourcing donor engines. Hopefully, this overview of the new model lineup (as it currently stands) will provide some clarity as the US Caterham business ramps up. Cheers, -Bruce

The Seven 160 *is* available in the USA. Best, -Bruce

Due to the dimensional similarity of the SV and CSR, it made sense to share the nosecone and ducting system between them. It was a trickle-down benefit from the CSR.

@lucky dawg Yes. There is a new model lineup, going forward, for the US. I will create a separate thread on this. -Bruce

The CSR and SV have been sharing the same nosecone for at least a year now. And the CSR always had the top venting radiator. -Bruce

It is an EU5 480. 240Hp duratec, with EU-compliant mirrors. Those mirrors are not what will be sold here. All SV chassis vehicles have the open top Nosecone, with venting of waste air out the top. NACA duct is for engine intake air. -Bruce

Well, now that the cat is out of the bag, so to speak - I will be at the show, and will post a few photos of the display. Cheers, -Bruce

Dave, The "retailers" tab was removed over the last few days. Other things have changed, and will continue to change with the US Caterham web-site, as Superformance takes over that web presence and refreshes it with whatever look, info, and branding they mutually plan with Caterham Cars LTD. There is updated pricing with the re-launch of Caterham in the US - if you'd like, contact me privately, if you are interested in purchasing one of these great cars, and our location, expertise, and background as an authorized Caterham Cars dealer is a good fit. Best, -Bruce

Respectfully, there is a bit of irony to recommending that US owners purchase parts overseas, and at the same time muse about lack of support stateside. As a dealer, we constantly walk the line of committing capital to parts inventory while meeting ongoing customer demand. In a perfect world, we would have enough spares to build a complete version of every current model, and a good sampling of older models. We would love to quickly grow our parts inventory as demand dictates. We have LHD headlights (large bowls), in both black and chrome :-) Cheers, -Bruce

As previously mentioned, factory and custom parts are available through us (Beachman Racing) - what do you need? As the US distributor, Superformance will offer replacement parts in that role, directly and/or through their dealer network. -Bruce

Steve - your guess is spot-on. -Bruce

More details will follow in the days to come, but it is worth pointing out a couple of things at this point: 1) Caterham 7's will continue to be engineered and manufactured by Caterham Cars, LTD. Superformance has been handed the keys to mainstream distribution of partial vehicle kits here in the US. Any real or perceived issues with other SuperPerformance products, present or past, has no relevance to the engineering or production of the Caterham 7. 2) Superformance has an established dealer network, which will begin selling Caterhan 7 vehicles moving forward. 3) Beachman Racing, an Authorized Caterham Dealer, will continue to offer and support the Caterham community in that role, with the full spectrum of activities (pre-sales, technical support, Caterham-supplied and custom parts/systems for road and track, driver education, track support, etc.). Caterham is what we do. As with anything else, many factors influence the purchase process. Loyalty and previous experience is always a component, as well as professionalism, responsiveness, expertise, and location, to name a few. This is an exciting time for the Caterham 7 here in the US - as Superformance will most certainly step-up brand-awareness, which as we all know, will inevitably drive increased interest in such a special and capable car. Cheers, -Bruce Beachman

We're in the planning stages of a 200HP non-Cosworth option, and cost reduction is a primary success factor. So - we'll have an answer for you in the coming weeks. This discussion thread is to gauge interest and requirements. As a reference point, by the time the dust settles with exchange rate, shipping, and duty, a Cosworth CSR 2.3L (a fully prepped engine, ready to be dropped in, including roller barrel intake, accessory drive, clutch, etc.) will likely cost between $16-$18K. With a 200HP target, the goal is to provide a more financially approachable package that is drop-in compatible with the CSR vehicle kit. With regards to dry sump vs. wet sump costs - I have yet to run across a dry sump system that did not cost at least $2K, once all of the plumbing and ancillary parts are factored in. And that seems to be independent to vehicle marque. -Bruce

Yours is. There is a solenoid-operated valve that opens when you turn on the ignition. At that point, the pressurized accusump is pre-lubing your engine, pushing stored oil through the engine. When you start the engine, oil-pressure generated by the oil pump pushes oil back into the Accusump, and everything equalizes. During periods of oil starvation, the Accusump provides a steady supply of oil, unless it exhausts the volume of oil in the Accusump cylinder. BTW Kitcat - to check your oil: 1) With the engine hot, rev @3000RPM for 10-seconds 2) Shut off engine while revving 3) Wait 45-seconds 4) Check oil on stick - should be in the middle of the hashed area Otherwise - if the car has been idling for a while, or, you shut the car off and then turned on the ignition, the accusump will fully or partially drain (2-3 quarts) into the crankcase. This will show either a high or normal oil level when, in fact, the engine sump will be low at operating RPMs. -Bruce P.S. This is the case with any Accusump-equipped car

Strong, valid opinions all the way around :-) Certainly, a dry-sumped configuration is preferred for track work, and wet sumps can starve and fail, often without the driver noticing. I'm glad the consensus is that a wet-sumped Duratec should not see a racetrack, at least without further oil system improvements. The "stages" in a dry-sump refer to the number and location of scavenging (pick-up) and output (pressure) points. For external belt-driven pump dry sump systems, it is not uncommon to have multiple output stages feeding different areas of a high-output race engine. Internal pump systems typically have a single output stage, with one or more scavenge stages, picking up from multiple points of oil drain-back. Even a single stage dry sump system is superior to a wet sump system for several reasons: 1) The scavenge stage feeds a reservoir, which will have a steady column of de-aerated oil. Uncovering the scavenge stage pickup point(s) does not immediately translate into a loss of oil pressure. 2) The output side of the system is drawing oil from the reservoir, which is a buffer of de-aerated, cooler oil, regardless of g-loading. 3) Correctly engineered systems usually generate vacuum in the crankcase, which is beneficial to engine performance. Wet sump systems can be augmented to perform competently on a race-track. Not all pans are created equal (Raceline makes a good one), and an oil accumulator (e.g. Accusump) must be used. Once the dust settles, the installation of a good wet-sump pan and Accusump system is about half the financial distance to a basic dry sump. And, the Accusump introduces a few issues of its own (e.g. make sure it is correctly charged, and "on"; Accusump packaging/plumbing). Kitcat's Zetec-powered racecar is a wet-sump system with Accusump, and it took a podium finish at the 25-hours of Thunderhill. -Bruce

We source Avon slicks that are compatible with the 15" CSR wheels, though more choices do exist for 13's. Keeping in mind that the CR500 has a tread-wear rating of 20, they seem to do OK for longevity here at tracks in the NW. Of course, track surface composition and driving style will certainly influence tire life. Price on the CR500 is in the mid to high $200's/tire. Getting back to the non-Cossie configuration...how do folks feel about a wet-sump option? It would certainly reduce labor and component costs associated with engine preparation. However, it's probably a touring-only configuration. Thoughts? -Bruce

Thanks for the feedback. As Caterham 7 kits go, there is a lot of value in the CSR. As Caterham's newest expression of the 7 chassis, the CSR is more rigid, with fully independent suspension at all four corners. And with the pushrod/bell-crank front suspension, the CSR is very approachable with respect to track/race setup. To folks with formula cars this is obvious, but the pushrod front suspension allows front ride-height changes independent to spring preload. Therefore, we can corner-weight and set rake in the car, without losing front suspension sensitivity. For the rear, simple tie-rod adjustment and slide-in shims are all that is necessary to adjust toe and camber. We just machined the DeDion ears for an R500 client who needed more rear toe-in. The same will be true if we want to change rear camber. All of that is straightforward, but not with hand tools, and certainly not on a Friday night before your track day or race weekend. The request for an upgrade path to supercharging, or more naturally-aspirated power implies an open ECU platform, which is in-line with our current thinking as well. I've attached a link to a video of a CSR taking on a 2012 Porsche GT3RS, thankfully, not at the Ring :-) While this is a Cosworth-powered car, the advantage is entry-speed, mid-corner momentum, and early power. I doubt a 200HP CSR would have much less advantage at this track. The 1v1 action between the capably-driven Porsche and CSR starts at 4:00 -Bruce

As the Northwest Caterham Cars dealer, we have seen significant interest in packaging a more financially and logistically approachable engine for the CSR. Since the CSR kit includes the engine ancillaries for the Cosworth 2.3L, it would make most sense to leverage all of those included parts. Based on feedback at club events, auto shows, etc., it seems that 175-200HP would be a reasonable HP target, to keep component costs under control while delivering excellent performance. We are in the (not so) initial planning phases on this project, and it would be helpful to get additional thoughts from this group on the commercial demand. -Bruce Beachman

The Cosworth diagram does indicate destination wire color in the connector pin-out descriptions. Also, the distance (in mm) between branches of the loom or pigtails is also notated in the drawing. -Bruce

Hi Mike, As one of the drivers at the 25, I can tell you that your forearms do get a workout. We actually swapped *out* the autocross rack, which has an even closer ratio. The only two technical aspects that pre-date our management of the car are the fuel-cell and oil accumulator. I have swapped out that pump in the past (actually upgrading it to a higher capacity). I would take a different approach with the fuel-cell/pump if we had a clean sheet of paper (in-tank OEM-spec pump for 2003 Focus). Best, -Bruce

Congratulations, Mike. I just stumbled on this. Don't hesitate to PM if you have questions. -Bruce Beachman Beachman Racing Authorized Caterham Dealer

As well as the big people *in* the big Recaro seat :-) BTW - I noticed at least one other thread talking about vehicle weight. This car weighs 1340lbs without fuel and driver. -Bruce

Those are CSR fenders, in fiberglass. Mark has 8(!) sets of 13x6 wheels, which ultimately constrained the tire package. The roll-cage adds a lot of additional aero-drag, and all the drivers could notice a big difference when drafting behind a larger BMW or Porsche. Thunderhill is certainly an open, flowing, horsepower track, more so with the bypass, which is how the race was run. Unless otherwise noted, the track records you'll find are indicated for a counter-clockwise orientation without the bypass of the Cyclone (Turn 5). This Caterham started life as an SCCA E-Production racer. The mods add a bit of horsepower, but probably not much more than a ragged-edge build for a National Run-Offs car. The car is also not at EP class weight, due to the larger fuel-cell and other ancillaries. Nonetheless, our fast lap of 1:58.2xx is right in line with the E-Production lap record of 1:58.757, given all of the adjustments. Our race strategy included a 2:01 lap-time target, to save the equipment and keep everyone on the paved side of the race-track. In fact, on several occasions drivers were "warned" to slow down. 25-hours is a long time. The faster Porsches could turn 1:49's at pace, and the Porsche behind us could turn 1:54-1:55 consistently. The 2nd place car was 22 laps in front of us. We had a total of 28 minutes in the pits during the entire race, which constituted 10 pit-stops. At a race-pace of 2:00/lap, we would have only gained 14 laps on the 2nd place car if we were pulling a trailer full of fuel, no tire changes, and had a single catheterized driver run the entire event :-) -Bruce

Here is a shot of the front of the car after the race. Just a little caked-on mud and oil from other cars, and 25-hours of bug jerky.

In the 2003 chassis, fitting the R500 engine is a bit more involved. As a result, it was a budget-based decision. Reviewing the gap between us and 1st place, the incremental HP with a mildly tuned R500 engine would have probably resulted in an identical finishing position. And pushing the extremes of the lb/hp ratio in the Caterham would not have yielded the necessary longevity. We certainly headed down to Willows for the win, but when ALMS GT2 Porshes show up (with their equipment, crews, and drivers), it gets a lot more difficult. It will please everyone to know, however, that the Caterham could be placed anywhere on the track, and had consistently higher mid-turn speeds than the Porsches. Mark, the car owner, has asked me to help him explore a fresh car build that could take on all-comers. So we might sell his current car/spares to fund that effort. Ahh...the lights. Well, we had a cunning plan that would remove the need to swap noses, by utilizing low-profile, tear-drop shaped driving lights. Utilizing the stock upper headlight brackets, we stacked two on each side. In addition, we also mounted two lights in the nose itself, as overheating was not an issue, and that placement would not contribute to overall Cd. In total, we had six lights, each with a 55w Halogen bulb. Unfortunately, the size of the reflector compromised the beam focus, and we just couldn't get a concentrated pattern that would give us enough site-distance at Thunderhill, which is ink-black in several fast sections. I had the exquisite pleasure of discovering this in the qualifying session, which put us in P50 for the start :-( For the race, we decided to go back to 2 standard 6-inch upper lights, in combination with the two grill-mounted driving lights. This would still avoid the nose-change, and *probably* give us enough light. All was well, until the upper aluminum headlight bracket extensions (originally designed for the low-drag, low-profile lights), fatigued and broke (thankfully) during the day-time hours. We quickly formulated a plan to prepare the spare nose, which had the two lower lights already mounted on it. The pit-stop sequence would go as follows: 1) Cut-off the stock upper headlight brackets (interfered with spare nose, which had it's own self-contained brackets 2) Unbolt 6" lights from hacked-off bracket 3) Mount these two lights to the spare nose 4) Install nose and plug-in lights 5) Aim lights in pit-lane The above was accomplished, along with a driver change, two new tires, and refueling in 4-minutes. And with all of the concerns about aero-drag, we turned our fastest lap with the lights installed. Next time, we'll have a removable light bar, similar to many other cars in the race, and run four 6" headlights. -Bruce