Caterham R500 on Top Gear

[11Budlite]

Not sure how this translates to BBC America but I think at some point we'll be able to see a new Caterham R500 driven by the Stig timed on the Top Gear track. Should be interesting to see how it stacks up against some of the exotics. Here's a report from Caterham Cars James Drake that I borrowed from Blatchat:

 

"Dear all,

 

Having just returned from a bitterly cold Dunsfold aerodrome, I am happy to report that all went well.

 

As you will have no doubt worked out by now, contrary to belief we weren't winding up the entire owners club last week, and we knew all along that we were confirmed to be on the track for timed laps and a studio segment. Obviously we couldn't tell you this directly, although the "will they / won't they" conspiracy theories have been keeping us amused in the office all week - it is heartening to see such passion from the club and to know how much you all care for the marque, so thank you for all your support.

 

Today was extremely cold, with a peak temperature of just 1degree. The Stig completed approximately 20 timed laps, and reported back to us through a series of grunts, whistles and sign language that he felt that the car was set up perfectly, and that he was very much enjoying driving it. However, due to the extremely low temperatures he did struggle to get heat into the tyres, so the car's ultimate lap time was somewhat compromised.

 

We worked extremely hard to make sure that the car was in absolutely A1 condition, and i am sure that when you see the program on Sunday night you will agree that the car looked stunning. Thanks must go to all at Caterham who haven't had a weekend for the last fortnight, and to everyone who was still working late into the night - it was all worth it.

 

As for the lap time, Stig was adamant that the car had "much more still to come in better conditions", so hopefully we will be invited back in the summer to really depress the supercar boys!

 

So, without further ado, to find out how fast the car was...

 

 

tune in to BBC2 on Sunday at 8pm...

 

Best Wishes,

 

James Drake,

Marketing Coordinator,

Caterham Cars."

 

Bruce :7drive:

[southwind25]

Very Cool thanks Bruce..

 

Oh heck...we should make this an event like watching the halftime of the superbowl!

[MoPho]

The TG episodes on BBC America are like two years old, this episode won't be on for a long time if ever. Only way to watch it will be via the internets

[pksurveyor]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SFBTSjs_XQ

 

 

[yellowss7]

Where did it go??? I've been trying to find it all day. :cuss: Tom

[11Budlite]

I tried to watch the video but it says it's been removed. Anyway, here are the results:

 

Gumpert Apollo 1.17.1

Ascari A10 1.17.3

Koenigsegg CCX (with Top Gear spoiler) 1.17.6

Pagani Zonda F Roadster 1.17.8

Caterham R500 1.17.9

Bugatti Veyron 1.18.3

Pagani Zonda F 1.18.4

Maserati MC12 1.18.9

Ferrari Enzo 1.19.0

Ariel Atom 1.19.5

Lamborghini LP560 1.19.5

Ferrari Scuderia 1.19.7

Nissan GT-R 1.19.7

Lamborghini LP640 1.19.8

Porsche Carerra GT 1.19.8

Koenigsegg CCX 1.20.4

Ascari KZ1 1.20.7

Mercedes McLaren SLR 1.20.9

Ferrari 599GTB 1.21.2

Ford GT 1.21.9

Ferrari 360 CS 1.22.3

Porsche GT3 RS 1.22.3

Corvette Z06 1.22.4

Noble M15 1.22.5

Murcielago 1.23.7

Zonda 1.23.8

Koenigsegg 1.23.9

Aston Martin DBS 1.23.93

Veritas RS III 1.24.2

Prodrive P2 1.24.3

Audi R8 1.24.4

TVR Sagaris 1.24.6

Mitsubishi Evo FQ400 1.24.8

TVR Tuscan 1.24.8

Noble M400 1.25.0

Lotus Exige S 1.25.1

BMW M3 Saloon 1.25.3

Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder 1.25.7

Lamborghini Gallardo 1.25.8

BMW Z4 M 1.26.0

Porsche Cayman 1.26.2

Porsche 911 Carrera 2S 1.26.2

Brabus Biturbo Roadster 1.26.2

Lotus Exige 1.26.4

Chevrolet Corvette 1.26.8

Lexus IS-F 1.26.8

Mercedes CLS 55 AMG 1.26.9

Aston Martin Vanquish S 1.27.1

Aston Martin DB9 1.27.1

Porsche 911 GT3 1.27.2

TVR 350C 1.27.5

BMW M3 CSL 1.28.0

Roush Mustang 1.28.0

Marcos TSO GT2 1.28.2

Subaru WRX Sti 1.28.2

Mitsubishi Evo X 1.28.22

Dodge Viper SRT-10 1.28.5

MG SV 1.28.6

Porsche 911 Carrera S 1.28.9

Mitsubishi Evo VIII 1.28.9

BMW Alpina Z8 1.29.0

Mercedes CL65 1.29.0

VW Golf W12 1.29.6

Alfa 3.7 GTA Autodelta 1.30.0

Ford Shelby GT500 1.30.0

Subaru Impreza STI 1.30.1

Vauxhall Monaro VXR 1.30.1

Aston Martin DB7 GT 1.30.4

Golf R32 1.30.4

Audi S4 1.30.9

Porsche 911 Turbo 1.31.0

Vauxhall VX220 turbo 1.31.3

Vauxhall VXR8 1.31.3

New Audi TT 1.31.4

Honda NSX Type R 1.31.6

BMW M3 1.31.8

Nissan 350Z 1.31.8

Mazda RX-8 1.31.8

BMW 535d 1.31.8

BMW 130 1.31.9

Ford Focus RS 1.32.2

Mazda 6 MPS 1.32.2

Lotus Esprit V8 1.32.5

Audi TT V6 1.32.7

MG ZT 1.33.0

Noble M12 GTO 1.33.1

Mercedes SL 55 AMG 1.33.2

Volkswagen Golf R32 1.33.2

Cadillac CTS 1.33.3

Honda Civic Type-R 1.33.5

Holden Monaro 1.33.9

Ford Mondeo ST220 1.34.5

Jaguar XKR 1.34.7

Ford Focus ST 1.34.9

Volvo S60R 1.35.0

Ferrari 575M 1.35.2

Vauxhall Vectra VXR 1.35.3

Our Car 1.35.4

Fiat 500 Abarth 1.35.5

Alfa 147 GTA 1.35.6

Lotus Elise 1.35.6

Aston Martin Vanquish 1.36.2

Renault Clio V6 1.36.2

Honda Civic Type R 1.36.5

Alfa Romeo Brera 1.36.9

Saab 95 Aero 1.37.9

Maserati 3200 GT 1.38.0

Alfa Romeo 8C 1.38.2

Bowler Wildcat 1.39.4

Bentley Arnarge 1.40.8

Overfinch Range Rover 1.44.0

Aston Martin DB5 1.46.0

 

Fifth place and it beat out the Veyron, Atom, and many others. Obviously not a very scientific test considering that they're run on different days under different conditions. But it's still pretty impressive considering the cost of some of the competition! :hurray:

 

Bruce :7drive:

[bball7754]

Just watched it here:

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jqvc74BrzQ

 

It's also available here:

 

Link 1 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y1FbR47OSQ

Link 2 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fYdvCUH4Fp4

 

Links are courtesy of Blatchat. They seem to disappear pretty quickly, so I'd watch it ASAP.

 

Steve

[rzempel]

Here's one that seems to be sticking.

 

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Top-Gear-Caterham-R500-Vs_204079.htm

[pksurveyor]

Media Information: December 15, 2008

Caterham R500 – Top Gear’s Car of the Year

 

Top Gear has named the Caterham Superlight R500 its 2008 ‘Car of the Year’.

 

The most extreme version of the legendary Seven appeared on the popular BBC show for the first time at the beginning of December, instantly leaving a lasting impression on presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.

 

In the hands of Top Gear’s mystery test driver, The Stig, the R500 put in one of the most visually spectacular laps around their benchmark test circuit, Dunsfold. Free of any driver aids, the Seven slipped and slid to a lap time that disgraced cars costing over ten times as much.

 

Despite incredibly cold conditions, the £37K* Seven was less than a second slower than the absolute record around the ‘Top Gear lap’ and rapid enough to steal the overall fifth fastest time, previously held by the £1million Bugatti Veryon.

 

Top Gear Power Laps:

 

Position Car Lap Time

 

1 Gumpert Apollo 1.17.1

2 Ascari A10 1.17.3

3 Koenigsegg CCX 1.17.6

4 Pagani Zonda F Roadster 1.17.8

5 Caterham R500 1.17.9

6 Bugatti Veyron 1.18.3

7 Pagani Zonda F 1.18.4

8 Maserati MC12 1.18.9

9 Ferrari Enzo 1.19.0

10 Porsche 911 GT2 (997) 1.19.5 (pd)

 

Clarkson, who’s wife is a proud Seven owner, awarded the R500 for “achieving something that a car of its value shouldn’t be able to”, amidst competition from Nissan’s GT-R, Fiat’s 500 and the new Ford Fiesta.

 

Unbelievably - and testament to its brilliance - the Seven still uses Colin Chapman’s original chassis design, dating back 51 years. Caterham Cars continue to ‘add lightness’ to modern variants, pushing the performance envelope through the benefits of modern technology and advanced construction methods.

 

The result is a British car that persistently offers arguably one of the purest driving experiences.

 

The nimble R500 exploits its featherweight, 506kg chassis to its full potential when combined with a 2.0 Ford Duratec engine, tuned by Caterham Powertrain (CPT) to achieve 263bhp. The resulting 520bhp-per-tonne beats that of the Veyron and is capable of propelling the two-seater from 0-60mph in a staggering 2.88 seconds.

 

[scannon]

I have to wonder how far up the list the R500 would move on a warm day with some heat in the tires. I hope they test it again in more favorable conditions.

[Boxologist]

how much faster would it have been running on r Comps instead of cr500s?

[Sean]

I read or heard somewhere that the Top Gear Power Laps are all run on the standard tires as provided with any given car when purchased new.

[MoPho]

I read or heard somewhere that the Top Gear Power Laps are all run on the standard tires as provided with any given car when purchased new.

 

As is the case with any magazine/show that tests factory cars, changing the tires makes it about the tires, not the car as you buy it

[Kitcat]

It often is the case that a car's road test is really more of a tire test. When Car & Driver tested the Lotus Elise at VIR for its Lightning Lap evaluation 2-3 years ago it was among the fastest cars they tested. This year it was beaten by the mighty Chevy Cobalt. The only discernable difference was this year's car came with the standard tires and the first test was on the optional track tires. As I recall, it cost the Elise 7 seconds on its lap time, and resulted in its lowly overall placement in the cars they tested.

[MoPho]

It often is the case that a car's road test is really more of a tire test. When Car & Driver tested the Lotus Elise at VIR for its Lightning Lap evaluation 2-3 years ago it was among the fastest cars they tested. This year it was beaten by the mighty Chevy Cobalt. The only discernable difference was this year's car came with the standard tires and the first test was on the optional track tires. As I recall, it cost the Elise 7 seconds on its lap time, and resulted in its lowly overall placement in the cars they tested.

 

It was more than just the tires, the suspension settings were different too. The newest version of Elise is meant be a sports car for the street with the Exige having more of a track focus. Lotus screwed up and should have sent the Exige or an Elise with the track pack on it.

Manufacturers work closely with tire companies to come up with a tire they think is best for the car, and in many cases the compounds are specific to the car. If they come up with a package that doesn't produce the best track results, that is their fault and it shouldn't be up to the magazines to compensate for that.

 

And I have driven the Cobalt SS extensively, it is very fast

[breezy7]

I just read the December issue of Caterham Life, there are 3 pages concerning the Top Gear test of the R500. It can be downloaded at www.caterham.co.uk

[Andrew]

Get your Top Gear fix hear. This last season had some good entertainment. Particularly another visit to the USA in episode 2.

 

http://www.hessmo.com/Hessmo/TG_Season_12.html

 

 

[athens7]

Excellent link, Andrew. Hope it doesn't crash my network (just my virus paranoia)!

[Andrew]

didn't crash my network but on the whole i have a reasonable amount of protection and thats not triggered so I would say you will be OK. These are the unedited 1 hour shows from the UK which quite frankly i have missed ever since i moved to the USA. Also look out for the special for Christmas which I think broadcasts on the 28th in the UK so hopefully will appear on that website before the close of the year.

 

A friend also told me that they were considering an all American TG especially for BBC America if they get the right people that would be great!

[MoPho]

 

 

A friend also told me that they were considering an all American TG especially for BBC America if they get the right people that would be great!

 

They already made the US version of the show, it was supposed to air on NBC this winter, but they decided to pass on it. They are now looking for a cable channel to air it on.

I was in the audience for the taping of the pilot, it was great!