Well, that was fun.

Highlights.

Lots of bike based V8s.
Lots of trick transmissions.
The engineering show - everything about it.
Good company.

Low point.

The 'new' Caterham.
They say there's no such thing in the world as a truly new idea and this takes that concept to its logical conclusion.
AB Performance should be considering litigation for the derivative nature of the car. We don't need another Radical / Westfield XTR and this car brings nothing new to the party.

Z list 'Celebs' on show.

Anthony Reid - stood next to him on the bus in. I suggested it was good he wasn't driving the bus or he would have binned it.
Vic Lee - large as life, pressing the flesh, after two terms in the slammer for being a drug dealing low life.

Not too busy at all.

Best bit, and this is the locsbuilders bit.

We blagged our way in.

3 x tickets at £30 each = £0.

Can't possibly tell you how you do this, but it's not complicated.

Good day - enjoy yourselves if you are going.

Interesting your opinion on the 'new' Caterham as you're the only person who has commented on this car to have so far seen it in the flesh!

I got slammed on the thread concerning the new Caterham for suggesting it had been done before with the Radical and XTR.

Please do tell how to gain entry for nothing, u2u if necessary!

Is the Caterham really the same as a Radical/XTR2. It seems that it is a proper race car to me, very much like a sports 2000 with a lot of grunt. It seems to have, by description, a proper chassis for a start...

General consensus elsewhere is that it's a badge engineered version of this...which has been around for a few years now....

http://www.lolacars.com/racecar.asp?RaceCarId=8

[Edited on 14/1/11 by stevebubs]

As per title I was also at the show on Thursday. I can’t see peoples issue with the Caterham, yes there is nothing ground breaking there but likewise that was equally true of the Radicals and XTR when they hit the streets, sports racers-had been using that aero styling for several years previous. I really like the AB Sabre and MNR’s LMP style car but the Caterham is in a different league of fit/finish/detailing and the bodywork is achingly beautiful. If the chassis and aero are truly Lola designed there is genuine reasons for high expectations of performance.

It seems a lot of people here like to knock Caterham usually for the price and thus value of their products, I’ve never owned one but I have driven one and looked over them many times. Truth is their build quality, detail and finish is better than most other 7 type cars I’ve seen. Before I get jumped on there are others who do a dam good job, I particularly like the quality of MNR’s chassis work. However as a whole package Caterham do do the business and produce a very ‘finished’ product. Yes they’re not cheap but likewise neither is Radical, Ultima etc. Yes like many I would find it hard to justify the extra price over something like a Sabre or MNR’s but it doesn’t mean I can’t see the difference!

Regarding the rest of the show, yes very good, lots of nice cars and I always enjoy the engineering part of the show. Lots of good ideas out there.

quote:

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Originally posted by zilspeed
AB Performance should be considering litigation for the derivative nature of the car...

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Tongue not really that far in cheek.

Headlight profile is very err, similar ?

Anyway my point.

In their current market, Caterham having inherited the rights to the original Lotus 7 are custodians of the legend if you like.
I like Caterhams and if money were no object and I fitted, I would have one in a minute. I would have one before any other seven derivative and would own it a long time. It's the car by which all others of the type are measured.

What I'm saying is that the new car does not have the same significance within the psort racing car market.
That's where Radical are. I'm not saying I'm a huge fan of Radicals, but they're the big players in that market. They have specialised in mass produced sports racing cars.

Likewise, much as I don't particularly like the Ariel Atom or anything derivative of it, the Atom is the original, It leads the way in that market and all the atom inspired cars follow.


Hopefully, there is a thread here.
Caterham with the caterham 7, Radical with mass produced sports racing cars, Ariel with Exoskeletal cars. All have found a very lucrative niche and lead the way within that sector. Not commenting on how good they are within that sector, but commercially, they have it nailed. If you're bringing a car to each of those sectors, those three are the yardstick within their relevant sectors.

Then comes the new Caterham.

Which is none of the above.

That there is the most disspaointing bit.

It doesn't lead.
It doesn't cause other would be manufacturers to want to do one "just like the Caterham."
Why would they ?
Loads of other people are already doing it.

That's all.

But how do you know it won't lead? We're just looking at a static prototype... it might just kick a similarly powered Radical's arse from here to the Nurburgring! Then again, it might not! I just feel it's a bit unfair to write it off before it's even been given a chance to show us how it can go!

I'm anticipating that it will be a stormer... Caterham and Lola know a thing or two about producing cars that start, stop and go round corners well.

it does cost £60k does it not? you can buy a lot of car for that! imo

It'll cost you as much for a Radical SR3!

I am going tomorrow
Is there a transport cafe in the area that anyone can recommend as I will not pay show prices for food when I am in the food trade myself and know how much it costs
Cheers and hope to spend lotsacash on "bling for the thing" tomorrow

Errm, there's a Wetherspoon's just outside the entrance... (insede the NEC, but just outside Hall 6)

A burger will cost you around £8 and a beer was £3.65



[Edited on 14/1/11 by Steve Hignett]

The Caterham had a very nice paintjob, and they were the only team of sales staff taht were walking round with iPad's taking people's details online