AS THIS ISSUE OF EVO HITS THE doormat, Caterham is announcing an all-new model, a '2+1' BEV coupe that it plans to put into production by 2026. 'Project V' shares nothing with the Seven, which has sustained the iconic British sports car maker for 50 years, save for a few subtle styling hints and, crucially, the company's philosophy: lightweight, simple, fun to drive. It has been designed by Anthony Jannarelly and the show car, making its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, has been engineered and manufactured by ItalDesign.
The new model will be rear-wheel drive and be powered by two battery packs: one in front of the rear axle and one under the floor in the front footwells. Having initially favoured an extruded and bonded aluminium structure, Caterham is now looking at a blend of aluminium, carbonfibre and glassfibre due to the significant weight saving it offers. The quoted weight is 1190kg (with fluids); power is 268bhp, and performance projections are 0-62mph 'in the low 4s' and a maximum of 'above 230kph' (143mph). According to Bob Laishley, Caterham's CEO, prices will start at 'under £80k'.
Laishley joined Caterham as chief strategic officer on a part-time basis back in April 2021 when VT Holdings, the Japanese car retail giant, bought the British company. He took over as CEO a year ago and has overseen Project V, which is seen as crucial to the company's future. 'The Caterham Seven is 50 years old; the design is 60 years old,' he says. "If Caterham is to survive as a brand, it needs to evolve.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von Evo UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von Evo UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
BMW M135 xDrive
The M135 has lost an and gained chassis revisions and a restyle. Is it enough to make it a benchmark hot hatch?
Audi S5
S5 by name, S4 by nature, is Audi's new mid-size petrol-powered saloon a step in the right direction?
Lamborghini Urus SE
Lambo's super-SUV gets a major mid-life overhaul, going hybrid in the process. Has it become any easier to like?
HALL evo OF FAME
The evo Hall of Fame was established to recognise the great and the good of our corner of the universe. Prepare to welcome this year's inductees
CIRCUIT DAY
After three days of assessing their behaviour on the road, it's time to head to the Circuito de Navarra to find out how our nine contenders respond when their handling limits are explored
EVO CAR OF THE YEAR 2024
Nine brilliant cars, from flyweight roadsters to bombastic supercars to a be-stickered estate(!), do battle on some of Europe's finest and most spectacular roads. Which will emerge victorious? Place your bets now.
Porsche Panamera GTS
It lacks the raw power of its hybrid rivals, but does the new GTS’s more traditional approach give it its USP?
Alpine A290 GTS
The new electric Renault 5 has won plenty of plaudits. Is the hotter Alpine version a car to win petrolheads' hearts too?
BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
TYRE 2024 TEST
Want to fit the very best tyres to your performance car? The annual evo Tyre Test identifies the cream of the current crop