Caterham launched their new Cosworth Duratec powered car today.

Definitely mixed feelings but one sure thing I hate the interior.

Launch pics here http://www.collinsclan.co.uk/pages/cars/7launch/index.html

Video here (5mb) http://www.pistonheads.tv/video.asp?id=107&nr=1

[Edited on 7/10/04 by Rob Lane]

Barryboy dot com interior!!!

and whats that gonna set the owner back?

hopefully if/when i build my next one (havent even finished this one yet!) it's going to have a cosworth motor in it.....with the turbo attached to it!

we can all dream!

Less than a R500 but same performance.

well , ill be building a volvo turbo one , so wont need any of that fancy shite , im going to have to build it out of 10mm steel just so it doesnt feel to light tho!!

Hey rob , im at the dyno in barnetby on sat - you anywhere near ? (Im in the volvo)

I'm 19 miles from Barnetby.

If you're coming via M18 then M180, then I'm approx 5 miles off J2 M180. Takes about 10 mins.

You're welcome to call if I'm about.


Edit: I've just looked at map, you'll be coming up A15. I'm as far West from A15 as you're going East to Barnetby.

You're still welcome to call, we can compare Volvo's. Mines V40 Sport D

[Edited on 7/10/04 by Rob Lane]

...........................Also available in Burberry check trim




Why is it a left hooker?

hehe , mines a proper one '740 coffin turbo'

theres 7 of us there for the day , a couple T5 , and 480 turbo

If we get time on the way back , i may call , i can have a nose round both locost and volvo

According to Caterham 47% of production will be exported.

There's also an option for standard carbon dash and interior.

The chassis is really a work of "elementary-triangles-art". Beautiful.

But I HATE the dash!

(nice inboard shocks, also)

once upon a time I would have thought that webwork of curved round tubes was strucutral. hah!

Christ that interior is minging!

Still I suppose it,s only another 10 grand or so to get something different.

Cheers

Chris

NOt sure about the dash, but the two front wings that are shaped to provide downforce are trick. I am assuming that they provide downforce because of their shape, however I don't know how much they would actually be able to hold because of the apparent lack of structural support going to the spindles. It is an interesting idea for providing front end traction though.

The majority of se7en chassis and kits are based on Ford engines. I wonder if Caterham may be considering an eventual shift from Rover K to Ford?

There's a lovely story on the BBC about the launch. They had 3 family generations there to show that it's a family business.

When Simon Nearn was pressed he admitted that he'd 'borrowed' the baby for publicity: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3723878.stm

Cheesy.

Cheers,

Neil.

BBC article says it's aluminium but I'm pretty sure it's still a steel space frame. They say it's clad is steel so maybe the writer got mixed up.
Beautiful chassis, not quite a nuts as the maserati (or was it alpha) birdcage race car though

Hmmm. Chassis looks nice. Can't moan too much about the Duratec - very nice, compact, modern engine.

However, Duratec's can't be tuned in the same way as "older" engines because everything is manufactured to tiny tolerances, and there's not much room in the head for higher lift etc.

Slap a few tb's on and you can get an easy 200bhp from a 2 litre engine, but there's not much more to be had beyond that, and it all gets very expensive.

Be interested to see/hear what Cosworth have done to the engine.

Bet it all ain't cheap though!

I've heard that the duratec has a very stong bottom end and people running 1000bhp versions in drag car with space shuttle grade head studs
However I've also heard that it was problematic turboing in for the Focus RS but I think that was down to not using forged pistons.