Yes, dead. To be replaced by the Supersport R. Which admittedly is just a Seven. But these are rather nice pics

Supersport R Press Pack Photos

Updated November 21, 2012 at 10:15 PM

Could they not integrate those rear lights a bit better ?

Wow, a brand spanking new 7 Chris?

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_Mick_N said...

Could they not integrate those rear lights a bit better ?

Agreed, about time they made a bit of an effort.

_Mick_N said...

Could they not integrate those rear lights a bit better ?

Fog and reverse lights used as bumpers

Better than parking sensors, when you hear the broken plastic you know you've been too close

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Pilouil
Citroen C3 1.4 HDI 69.0424 bhp

Sorry Jon, I've not made myself too clear. The Caterham R300 is being dropped in the range, to be replaced by the Supersport R. I have a 1994 Caterham, with the same rear lights as the car above, bar the clear lenses

I still don't understand why Caterham's cost what they do.

I mean, £42k for a Superlight R500? I know they're fcking awesome, and there is no equal on track, but £42k gets you *alot* of performance car elsewhere.

You can have a brand new Boxster with £5k change for the price of the above. Doesn't add up in my head!

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ClubLupo
Technomotive - Games, Cars, Stuff

MattyB_ said...

I still don't understand why Caterham's cost what they do.

I mean, £42k for a Superlight R500? I know they're fcking awesome, and there is no equal on track, but £42k gets you *alot* of performance car elsewhere.

Mostly this.

Some great images on that link though. Eg

It's a "similar but different" spec to the R300. 5-speed rather than 6-speed but it gains a LSD, and you lose out on some carbon bits but then you're paying less to start with.

It's good value by Caterham standards, and a good spec for a sunday blasts and trackdays car.

MattyB_ said...

I still don't understand why Caterham's cost what they do.

I mean, £42k for a Superlight R500? I know they're fcking awesome, and there is no equal on track, but £42k gets you *alot* of performance car elsewhere.

You can have a brand new Boxster with £5k change for the price of the above. Doesn't add up in my head!

Truly mass produced, monocoque based car in costing slightly less than what are still effectively hand made, low volume, highly specialist track monsters non-shocker.

I know Caterham don't work out of a shed (like Noble, arf) but they aren't exactly selling ten thousand cars a year.

Porsche can shuffle their margins around somewhat with the Boxster, but I'd put good money on a finished Caterham R500, all things considered, probably costing more for Caterham to build than a Boxster costs Porsche - economies of scale, innit.

Beany i imagine Porsche's design, R&D and dealer network adds a soupcon of overhead to a Boxster's build costs

Caterhams are massively overpriced, end of.

i would prefer a xbow to a 7 tbh for a track toy

there knocking on top caterham door money now, and i couldnt drive either of them at 80% of their potential so may as well look good whilst being overtaken

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/ktm/x-bow/ktm-x-bow-superlight-300bhp-2009/537368

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WIBBLE

MattyB_ said...

I still don't understand why Caterham's cost what they do.

I mean, £42k for a Superlight R500? I know they're fcking awesome, and there is no equal on track, but £42k gets you *alot* of performance car elsewhere.

You can have a brand new Boxster with £5k change for the price of the above. Doesn't add up in my head!

The £5K change will most probably be wiped out by a few Porsche options - and compared to the Caterham the Boxster is not a sports car; it's like saying that the Boxster is overpriced because you could have a BMW 528i for the same price.
A Huayra costing the price of three Aventador - THAT is overpricing.

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Pilouil
Citroen C3 1.4 HDI 69.0424 bhp

MattyB_ said...

I still don't understand why Caterham's cost what they do.

Because people will pay it.

There's no good cost-based reason why a Caterham should cost nearly double what an equivalent Westfield does.

The difference is that Caterham is percieved as a bone-fine sportscar from a manufacturer, and Westfield is percieved as a kit-car brand. Therefore the price is dragged upwards by the perceived competition (i.e. trackday specials from Porsche, X-Bow, Atom etc). And people are willing to pay it, becasue the hold their value so well in the second hand market.

I'd wager that Caterham makes margins on all its cars that the rest of the auto industry can only dream of.

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...anything that happens before or after is just waiting...

nefarious_ said...

MattyB_ said...

I still don't understand why Caterham's cost what they do.

Because people will pay it.

There's no good cost-based reason why a Caterham should cost nearly double what an equivalent Westfield does.

The difference is that Caterham is percieved as a bone-fine sportscar from a manufacturer, and Westfield is percieved as a kit-car brand. Therefore the price is dragged upwards by the perceived competition (i.e. trackday specials from Porsche, X-Bow, Atom etc). And people are willing to pay it, becasue the hold their value so well in the second hand market.

I'd wager that Caterham makes margins on all its cars that the rest of the auto industry can only dream of.

auto correct?

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What would Daddy Pig do?

nefarious_ said...

There's no good cost-based reason why a Caterham should cost nearly double what an equivalent Westfield does.

The difference is that Caterham is percieved as a bone-fine sportscar from a manufacturer, and Westfield is percieved as a kit-car brand. Therefore the price is dragged upwards by the perceived competition (i.e. trackday specials from Porsche, X-Bow, Atom etc). And people are willing to pay it, becasue the hold their value so well in the second hand market.

But they don't, do they? Not unless by "equivalent" you mean second-hand values or a piecemeal kit using bits you've pulled off a donor car yourself.

Their price lists for fully built or complete kits seem to be within a couple of grand of each other - base Roadsport is a £20k kit (1.6 Sigma, etc), base Westfield Sport with the same engine is £17950. A Westfield equivalent to the £25k Supersport R (Duratec, LSD, etc) would cost £23500 before we get into posh suspension, composite seats, harnesses, etc.

Westfields are fine, but if people have always wanted a Seven then they'll buy one, not a slightly odd-looking clone of one.

I'm more an Atom kinda guy - but I do love the mental R500.

That Xbow looks like a half finished lego car. Do not want.

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Cheers,

Gwaredd

Steele Signs

I am presuming those complaining about the cost haven't actually been in a Caterham? Granted if you are after comfort and a stereo, then it could look overpriced compared to a Boxster, but in terms of feel and performance the Boxster is not really competition on either road or track.

The 'performance per pound' you get with a Caterham compared to most other cars is astonishing, but it comes with certain compromises. To each their own I guess.

Updated November 22, 2012 at 5:16 PM

Matt Bawden said...

I am presuming those complaining about the cost haven't actually been in a Caterham?

I presume those complaining about the cost have had a good look through the options list. The basic car might look sensibly priced, but add things like the 6sp gearbox, windscreen, paint etc and it rapidly goes up.

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