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Visit to the new Caterham HQ


The Stig

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Stopped by the new Caterham HQ in Crawley, UK today. Seventh heaven! How to choose!!

 

Couple of pics before phone batttery died! https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2Ejovy_UoNlSGxHZHBaaXBBM28&usp=sharing

 

Only 5 mins from my UK office too! I'll have to go back and clear up the drool.

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There is a mix of new, used, customer cars and the press 160 covered in mud! The blue Gulf car is in the workshop. Quite a few end of season Crashed Academy cars for rebuild!

 

Couple of carboned-up 620r cars available!

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Looks like they all have cycle wings. Do they no longer offer clamshell wings?
I'm not sure whether it is even an option these days - but on a UK L7Club event with turnout of circa 100 cars you would be lucky to see more than a couple of clamshelled cars. Think they were more popular in the US and Japan than they ever were in the UK.

 

I was doing a trackday round Donington a few years back when CC were doing a prospective Client day in the newly released sp300r (maybe even the one in the pics). Turning left into Goddards and this sp300r came roaring up my left hand side and was parallel with me as I was about to turn into the corner. Managed to abort and scoot wide, but came close to Armco in the process. Not a happy bunny. On the same day I saw what happens if you don't go fast enough to get the ground effect aero working. Guy came hammering into McLeans but then I think he chickened out and scrubbed speed before hitting the corner. Understeered like mad and careered into the kitty litter - must have done some damage to the paint / bodywork. When it was being pedaled properly, it really was flying though.

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No clamshells on the option list now. UK owners seem to have something against them and mine in the UK didn't have them and I liked seeing the action of the front wheels especially on track. Much easier to place on track.

 

May have time for another quick visit tomorrow so if anyone needs pics of something special let me know!

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As I recall, some markets (Germany?) made clamshells illegal and Caterham found it easier to just go with a single version. And cycle fenders were more popular in any event, maybe because of front end lift issues?

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Ok. Today's pics uploaded on the same link. The special car is the black and green which was for Japan export only. All 10 sold in 48 hours. Looks great!

 

Had a good discussion about importing ex Academy Race cars to the US. If purchased through Caterham they can assist with the import process! Hmmmm!

 

Academy cars start about 18k gbp.

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My first 7 was built for the Academy series but unfortunately the guy who ordered the car failed the ARDS medical due to a previously undiagnosed hole in the heart.

 

He did 3k miles in the first year of ownership (attending the Academy Series races as a spectator) and then did 2k miles in the next 4 years (just 300 miles in the last year).

 

I got a bargain of a car that had been very well looked after, but I'm not sure if I would take on an ex Academy car at that sort of piece that had been through a full season. It's a bit of a rich kids series these days and many of the owners don't normally have to worry too much about mechanical sympathy and keeping panels straight.

 

Edited to add - I think that an ex-Academy car would make more sense for someone who was only going to do track work. That said, maybe the lowly power would very soon lead to upgraditis :-)

Edited by Blokko
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