New Caterham Sevens for America

[scannon]

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=30643&utm_source=2014-8-13&utm_medium=email&utm_content=html&utm_campaign=newsletter

 

http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/30643/Caterham_Seven360_01.jpg

Just to prove it's not all last remaining prototypes and lavish SUVs at Pebble Beach, Caterham has announced two US-only Sevens for Monterey Car Week.

 

It's all fairly familiar as Sevens go as well: an off-the-shelf Ford engine, some uprated internals, a dinky steering wheel and not a lot else. The Seven 480 will cost $52,900 (£31,480) and appears similar in spec to the Seven 485 homologated for European markets last year. With 240hp it will hit 60 in 3.4 seconds and a 140mph top speed. Might even be quicker than a Corvette away from the lights.

 

The Seven 360 is perhaps most similar to the Supersport R offered here with 180hp and a 4.9-second 60mph sprint. The name therefore relates to its power-to-weight ratio rather than a predilection for doughnuts... It costs $44,900 (£26,720).

 

Caterhams have been officially on sale in the US since January through Superformance. It's not a simple process though, with the cars shipped part-built and sold in Superformance dealers as rolling chassis for customers to complete personally. But surely the effort would be worth it for some American track days? Just imagine a Seven 480 at Laguna Seca.

[Kitcat]

Wonder if prices include engine and car assembly? Likely not, right?

[lucky dawg]

Prices are without drivetrain or assembly. Minor details that would have been helpful in the press release, especially since the engines are the article's main focus.

[DaveStruve]

Without a drivetrain included, I cannot figure out where the $8k price difference comes from.

 

I was reading someone's r500 build log earlier today and cannot for the life of me fathom buying a kit especially in the US when they seem to have some of the worst quality control when it comes to packaging parts. Seemed like every day of his build he found a wrong part or was missing something all together.