New directions, problems, locations for Caterham?

[Alaskossie]

Hot off the British presses:

 

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=26039&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=html&utm_campaign=2012-7-18

 

http://www.pitpass.com/46810-Work-begins-on-Caterhams-new-HQ

 

http://www.pitpass.com/46813-Caterham-profits-reverse-by-more-than-30

[DeanG]

Yes it will be interesting watching what they do. Will it be taking over production of the Elise & its variants, another attempt at reproducing the Elan, reproducing the Type 14 Elite, a fully bodied 7, other race/track cars or an entirely new direction.

 

I say, buy out TVR and start making them again, build a fully bodied 7, start building Formula Fords and keep the 7 rolling.

[S1Steve]

Yes it will be interesting watching what they do. Will it be taking over production of the Elise & its variants, another attempt at reproducing the Elan, reproducing the Type 14 Elite, a fully bodied 7, other race/track cars or an entirely new direction.

 

I say, buy out TVR and start making them again, build a fully bodied 7, start building Formula Fords and keep the 7 rolling.

 

Before Caterham takes a jump into reproducing anything, they should focus on producing

 

the seven alot faster than they do. Lowering the wait time from 6 to 8 months to 2

 

months would be a great place to start.

 

My 2 cents.....

[Boxologist]

Considering that Caterham still uses shippers that have ships with sails, I would think 3 months may be attainable if they are not attacked by pirates or succumb to scurvy.

[Croc]

Come on Jon - surely it is more primitive than that. I think Caterham use a trireme retired from the Greek Navy:

 

http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/classics/media/147_trireme7.jpg

 

 

 

The extra crew costs explains why the shipping charges are so astronomically high and the mode of travel explains why it is so slow. They really need to put the whip on to them more! :seeya:

[Croc]

I say, buy out TVR and start making them again, build a fully bodied 7, start building Formula Fords and keep the 7 rolling.

 

Being serious for all of 5 seconds, I think TVR is dead as a dodo but your idea would work if you looked towards Ginetta. For example, their little G40R uses a duratec so you could source similar drivetrain to that of the seven. G40 is still using a zetec but why not substitute for a sigma? Done carefully there could be significant efficiencies from parts overlapping. The extended model range allows a customer to go up the price range over time and extends into high horsepower models with a bit more comfort for those needing to protect their hair styles.

 

Not sure there is much money in making Formula Fords?

[James A]

build a full bodied 7? you mean try it again: http://www.caterham21.com/

[breezy7]

It seems to be an ambitious plan for a company that has used up its cash reserves and has stated "the current economic conditions create uncertainty particularly over the level of demand of the company's products and the availability of bank finance in the foreseeable future." I hope the new development goes better than the work with Reynard a few years ago to replace the 7. Caterham thought the car couldn't continue as it was then and Colin Chapman probably thought the same when he sold the rights to Caterham nearly 40 years ago.

[DeanG]

By a full bodied car I was thinking along the lines of the Lotus VI specials that a few people made back in the day. Much more basic than the 21, their Elan knock off.

 

Tony F. has plenty of money to throw around. The TVR's could from the basis of larger more expensive products. Ginetta is doing OK, so I don't think they would be for sale although you have an interesting point.