2012 Superlight R400 SV

[Scott_]

On September 5, 2026, I went to Cars & Coffee in Morrisville with no intention of buying another Caterham.  I was a approached by a fellow after he saw me next to my '99 Caterham.  He and I started talking about Sevens, and he mentioned that he had a  Caterham R400 that he was selling.  He had my attention.   I had plans for my '99 but I came to learn that the car he had for sale checked all the boxes for me.  

 

He showed me photographs of the car and told me the history.  It was a genuine Superlight R400 SV with the 210-horsepower 2.0-liter Duratec, Caterham six-speed gearbox, limited-slip differential, wide-track suspension, uprated brakes, carbon dashboard and front wings, cage, race seats, etc. He was the first owner and had built it at the end of 2012.  He said he had all the maintenance  and purchase records from new.  The cage was built off the original track day roll bar by a race shop.

 

After talking more and talking numbers we worked out a deal on the spot. Later that day I sent him a deposit subject to inspection on pickup.  After that I listed my '99 for sale.

 

Over the next few weeks I was able to sell my '99 while the seller of the 2012 sent me copies of some of the paperwork and answered my questions as we worked to arrange a pick up date at VIR.  

 

The car had led an unusual life. Although completed in December 2012, it had seen very little ordinary road use and was road legal for only about a year. Most of its life was spent in garages/storage at Virginia International Raceway. It came out for track days and an autocross or two.  

 

My father shares my interest in cars so he and I left early for VIR from Raleigh on 9/25 to inspect the car and (hopefully) complete the purchase.  It was special to have him with me because when I was young he and I went on long trips to collect hot rods and other cars.  

 

The car was what I expected and wanted so we closed on the deal and my father and I were back in Raleigh by noon.   With the car unloaded I was then off to the DMV for title work and temporary tag followed by an afternoon drive.

 

[Scott_]

One of the things I really like about this car is the paint.   The order sheet says Lotus Anniversary Paint Scheme.  It matches the Caterham F1 cars of the time.  The number on the car is an homage to Group 44/Bob Tullius.  I had originally planned to take the numbers off but for now plan to leave them on... I like them.   

Edited 22 hours ago by Scott_

[theDreamer]

I love the image of your new to you 7 as seen in the rear view mirror.

When I picked up my MV Agusta F3 in 2012 I had the same view every time I looked in the mirror. For nearly four hours I was staring at that gorgeous red upper fairing. I could not help myself from thinking about the opening line of the Richard Thompson song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning”:

Oh, says Red Molly to James, That's a fine motorbike…

So I called her Red Molly.

(I do not know when we started anthropomorphising our possessions but all my guitars and our toys, (both motorcycles and cars) have names.)