129-609: The Caterham 7 (or Caterham Seven ) is a super-lightweight sports car produced by Caterham Cars in the United Kingdom . It is based on the Lotus Seven , a lightweight sports car sold in kit and factory-built form by Lotus Cars , from 1957 to 1972. After Lotus ended production of the Lotus Seven, Caterham bought the rights to the design, and today make both kits and fully assembled cars. The modern Caterham Seven
258-708: A Porsche Carrera GT . Only the Radical SR3 1300 has subsequently posted a faster time than the R500 EVO. After the demise of Rover and Powertrain , Caterham started the process of phasing out the Rover K-series engine and replacing them with Ford engines; the Sigma engine for Road sports and later 270 and 310 models, and the 2.0-litre and 2.3-litre Duratec engines for the more powerful Superlight, CSR, 360, 420, 620 and Super Seven 2000 ranges. Caterham has had
387-532: A 'Superlight' lightweight specification to the CSR, further extending the CSR260's already epic performance envelope. The 2.3-litre Cosworth-powered Caterham CSR260 Superlight brings all the performance credentials associated with its stablemate; performance is quoted as a 0–60 mph time of 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h). The Superlight swaps the windscreen, carpet, heater, and weather gear on
516-637: A 25% increase in torsional stiffness. The CSR was released in October 2004, with a Cosworth Duratec engine and was available from the factory in either 200 bhp (150 kW) or 260 bhp (194 kW) form. Early cars used the Lotus TwinCam engine (subsequently manufactured by Vegantune), followed by Ford crossflow engines. The first Cosworth BDR engines appeared around 1983, in 1600 cc 140 bhp (104 kW) form, followed by 1700 cc 150 bhp (112 kW) versions three years later. By 1990
645-558: A BRM name plate on a specially cast 'BRM' cam cover, but the actual assembly of these high performance 'BRM' road engines was carried out by Rubery Owen & Co. Ltd. , an affiliated company of BRM through its ownership, not by BRM itself. The Special Equipment ('S/E') engines had 26/66/66/26 cam timing. Originally applied to tuned Elans and Lotus Cortinas, the term "Special Equipment" was later used by Lotus to designate those Series 2 and later Elans with higher output motors, and are referred to as Elan S/Es. In 1968 Sanville began building
774-528: A Kei car). The car's gearbox and live rear axle is also supplied by Suzuki; this is the first Caterham with a live rear axle since the supply of Morris Marina rears dried up after the Seven Beaulieu ended production in 2003. The car received a large amount of publicity for a low-powered entry-level model, with an appearance on Top Gear , and Suzuki displaying it at the 2014 Frankfurt Motor Show . Production had to be adjusted upwards by 50 percent, with
903-717: A Twin Cam was a left hand drive Ford Anglia, and the engine was installed on 18 January 1962. This Anglia is reported to have overtaken a Jaguar at well over 100 mph (160 km/h) in the hands of Jim Clark on his way home to Scotland from Goodwood . In May 1962 Ford announced the 116E engine. This engine first appeared in the Consul Capri in August 1962, and then in the Cortina Super in January 1963. The 116E had
1032-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),
1161-409: A definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to the inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally,
1290-441: A measurable increase in power. The majority of the power gain comes from modifying the size and shape of the intake runners (porting) and fitting uprated camshafts. Different sources report different, sometimes conflicting information with regard to naming, power outputs, and other items. Some of these are listed below. Cosworth founders Keith Duckworth and Mike Costin were both former employees of Lotus. Their new company developed
1419-538: A pair of motorcycle engines joined at the crank. An early, pre-production review of the car/engine combination exists on the EVO website. In Feb 2008, the "Caterham 7 Levante" was announced, featuring a supercharged version the RST-V8, offering over 500 bhp (370 kW), installed in a modified Caterham chassis, with bespoke bodywork. Made by RS Performance (described in the press release as "Caterham's new performance arm"),
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#17327907775421548-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,
1677-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like
1806-487: A separate model. It has its own chassis, suspension, and interior and is available with 2.3-litre (200 bhp or 260 bhp) Ford Cosworth Duratec engine. Quoted performance for the CSR260 is 0–60 in 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h). There is no home-build option; the factory supplies the finished car. In 2006, Caterham introduced the CSR Superlight. Based on the CSR260, this model adds
1935-760: A series of Twin Cams using a new camshaft called the Super Special Equipment cam, or D-Type, that was based on the Coventry Climax FWA 3060 cam. Heads used in SSE engines were shaved by 0.04 in (1.0 mm), boosting the compression ratio to 10.3:1. The ignition was advanced slightly, and larger chokes and different jets were fitted to the Weber carburettors. Power was estimated to be 124–126 bhp (92.5–94.0 kW), fully three years prior to
2064-865: A somewhat tentative relationship with the installation of motorbike engines into their cars. Since 2000, a Canadian firm has been selling Caterham 7 models using the GSXR1300 engine used in the Suzuki Hayabusa . It reportedly does 0–62 in under 3 seconds. In 2000 the Honda CBR1100 engine was installed into a 430 kg (948 lb) superlight chassis to create the Caterham Blackbird, delivering 170 bhp (127 kW) at 10,750 rpm (although just 92 lb⋅ft (125 N⋅m) of maximum torque). The Blackbird offered near R500 performance for rather less money (Top Gear quote 0–60 of 3.7 seconds and
2193-546: A specialist Multimatic for the car. The damper units lend the already capable CSR a further edge in terms of handling and cornering performance. It features the same 2.3-litre (260 bhp) engine as the CSR260, but weighs only 550 kg (1,213 lb) and has a power-to-weight ratio of 472 bhp (352 kW)-per-tonne. Caterham has a number of models, such as the Roadsport, Supersport and Superlight, that are occasionally re-introduced with chassis upgrades or changes in
2322-457: A stressed engine required frequent "refreshing" in order to keep it on the road and a series of engine revisions were undertaken throughout the R500's life in order to increase reliability. This culminated in 2004 with perhaps the most extreme production Caterham of all; the R500 EVO was bored out by Minister to 1,998 cc and delivered 250 bhp (186 kW). At £42,000, the R500 EVO sold poorly; it
2451-416: A taller deck height than the earlier Kent engines, and with a bore and stroke of 3 + 3 ⁄ 16 in × 2.864 in (80.96 mm × 72.75 mm), capacity was 1.5 L; 91.4 cu in (1,498 cc). The 116E's crankshaft was carried on five main-bearings. Power output was about 60 bhp (45 kW) at 4600 rpm. As soon as a block could be obtained work began to convert
2580-451: A third of the first year's production of 150 cars shipped to Japan. The 360 is now the second-level offering from Caterham. It is available in both S3 and SV chassis sizes and is sold in ‘kit’ form as standard. The 360 is available in both ‘S’ and ‘R’ trims for street and track respectively. The 360 has 180hp, produced from a 2.0 Ford Duratec engine. 0-60mph time is 4.8s going on to a top speed of 130mph. The Caterham 360 starts at £31,990 for
2709-429: A top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) at a new cost of £25,750). In 2001 a Honda Fireblade engine was offered in a live-axle chassis, via James Whiting of Ashford, Middlesex. Quoted power was 128 bhp (95 kW) at 10,500 rpm. Both of these models have ceased production. There has also been at least one installation of the RST-V8, created by Moto Power; a 2-litre, 40 valve 340 bhp (254 kW) V8 made from
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#17327907775422838-400: A two-litre Vauxhall Touring Car engine, putting out around 250 bhp (186 kW) and reducing weight to around 530 kg (1,168 lb) by such measures as removing the windscreen in favour of an aeroscreen. The JPE was quoted at 0–60 mph times of around 3.5 seconds and, with Jonathan Palmer at the wheel, set a 0–100 mph-0 record of 12.6 seconds. Around 1997 the cross flow range
2967-566: A wooden Mota-Lita steering wheel to complete the look. Two Seven EV concepts were shown at Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2023. These had electric engines from Swindon Powertrain E-axle and weighed 70 kg more due to the 40 kWh battery. Caterham celebrated the 50th year of Seven productions with a couple of special edition "50th Anniversary" paint options. In addition, as part of the 50th-anniversary celebrations in early June 2007, they showcased
3096-576: Is 170, 360, 420, and 620. The 170 is the current entry-level offering from Caterham. Prior to 2021, entry-level models were the 160 and 165: the 160 for the United Kingdom and the 165 intended for sale in the European Union. It is only available with the S3 chassis, doors, and windscreen as standard. There is a list of optional extras such as carpets, spare wheel, weather package and heater. It
3225-529: Is about 50 kg (110 lb) less than the Roadsport, due in part to the lack of a spare wheel and carrier. All Superlight cars use the 2-litre Ford Duratec engine in differing states of tune; the R400 with 210 bhp (160 kW) and R500 with 263 bhp (196 kW). Caterham used to manufacture an R300 using the same engine at 175 bhp, but this car has effectively now become the Supersport R. With
3354-452: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and
3483-534: Is based on the Series 3 Lotus Seven, though developed to the point that no part is the same as on the original Lotus. Various other manufacturers offer a sports car in a similar basic configuration, but Caterham owns various legal rights to the Lotus Seven design and name. The company has taken legal action in the past in order to protect those rights, although in South Africa, it lost its case against Birkin on
3612-490: Is believed that just three were sold. It did, however, succeed in setting a series of performance car benchmarks several of which last to this day; the 0–100 mph-0 record was set at 10.73 seconds (in second place was a Ferrari Enzo costing ten times as much) and, until the end of 2006 it remained the fastest production car timed by EVO magazine around the Bedford Autodrome West Circuit, ahead of
3741-645: Is designed as the first step in a well-established chain of Caterham race formats, such as the Caterham Motorsport Ladder which consists of Road sports B then Road sports A, R300, Superlight and Eurocup, or the Caterham Graduates Racing Club . The car was banned from production car racing in the UK in 1976 for being too successful. This prompted Caterham Cars' boss Graham Nearn to produce T-shirts which read "Caterham Seven,
3870-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in
3999-496: Is powered by a turbocharged Suzuki 660 cc kei car K6A engine producing 84 horsepower. The price starts at £22,990 for a 170S in semi-kit form. This model, with its skinnier tyres and Suzuki driveshafts, is compact enough to be classified as a Kei car in Japan, except for its power which is above the 64 PS limit enforced for that class (although it appeared on Best Motoring with yellow licence plates, which signifies
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4128-520: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,
4257-541: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over
4386-623: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as
4515-537: The Ford 105E inline four used in the Ford Anglia as the basis of this new engine. The 105E displaced 1.0 L; 60.8 cu in (997 cc) and had a cast iron block produced with Ford's thin-wall casting process, resulting in a relatively light part. While the 105E block only provided three main bearings for the crankshaft , the oversquare design kept piston speeds down and gave room for larger valves in
4644-520: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This
4773-666: The Mk.XVI , a version of the Mk.XIII for the 1.5 Liter Class. Cosworth designed its own aluminium reverse-flow 2-valve gear-driven SOHC cylinder head for the same Ford 116E block. This head shared many basic design attributes with the Coventry Climax FWE head and was used with a short-stroke forged steel crank for a 1 Liter Formula 2 engine named the SCA in 1964. This was followed by a gear-driven DOHC 4-valve cross-flow aluminium head on
4902-468: The Nürburgring 24-hour race by 10 laps, ahead of the competition that included Porsche and BMW racecars, leading, once again, to a ban on entry in subsequent years. The existing range provided by Caterham Cars comprises a choice of two chassis types (the traditional narrow-bodied 'Series 3' chassis and a wider ‘Series 5’). All road going Caterham 7’s are powered by a 2.0 Ford Duratec engine except
5031-519: The "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States
5160-557: The 'Superlight' range, a range that successfully focussed initially on reducing weight and subsequently on the bespoke tuning of the K-series to ever-higher outputs. Weight was saved by removing the spare wheel (and carrier), carpets, heater, and often the windscreen (replaced with an aeroscreen), hood, and doors. Lightweight "Tillet" GRP seats were usually fitted along with carbon-fibre front wings and nosecone (note however that items such as heaters and windscreens could still be specified by
5289-518: The 170, the Caterham academy cars are powered by a 1.6 Ford Sigma engine . All models are available either factory-built or as a self-build kit (620 factory built only). Until mid-2013 the factory had offered options around the Rover K-series engine , including the entry-level "Classic" with a 1.4-litre, capable of 0–60 in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 110 mph (180 km/h). But with
Caterham 7 - Misplaced Pages Continue
5418-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among
5547-495: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after
5676-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by
5805-509: The 1957 Earl's Court Motor Show in London. They were priced at £1,036 including purchase tax but it cost only £536 in kit form as no purchase tax was required. It weighed only 725 lb (329 kg). Fast and responsive, the Lotus 7 was one of Chapman's masterworks, an advanced machine that surpassed the earlier Lotus 6 as a vehicle that could perform well on the track and be driven legally on
5934-499: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as
6063-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro
6192-506: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with
6321-438: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . Lotus TwinCam The Lotus-Ford Twin Cam is an inline-four petrol engine developed by Lotus for the 1962 Lotus Elan . A few early examples displaced 1.5 litres, but the majority were 1.55-litre (1557cc) engines. It used a Ford 116E iron cylinder block and a new aluminium cylinder head with dual overhead camshafts . The Twin Cam
6450-711: The Cortina-Lotus to the Ford Cortina Mark II -based Cortina Twin Cam in 1967, Ford began to call the engine the "Lotus-Ford Twin Cam". The engine is also known informally as the "Lotus TC" or the "Twink". Although the Twin Cam's displacement is usually listed as 1,558 cc (1.6 L), its bore and stroke are 82.55 mm × 72.75 mm ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 4 in × 2.864 in) respectively, for an actual displacement of 1,557.46 cc (1.6 L; 95.0 cu in). This allowed
6579-677: The Cosworth Mk.XVI form during the 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 -litre (92 cu in) formula that ran from 1961-65. Its first appearance was at the 1963 South African Grand Prix in a Brabham BT6 driven by David Prophet . The engine appeared in two cars in the 1964 British Grand Prix , one being the Gerard Racing Cooper T73 driven by John Taylor and the other the John Willment Automobiles Brabham BT10 . The only recorded finish
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#17327907775426708-482: The DOHC cam sprockets were driven by a long front-mounted, single-row 3 ⁄ 8 -inch (9.5 mm) Reynolds roller timing chain . Early Lotus blocks were simply standard Ford production line items selected for having the thickest cylinder walls, and were identified by an "A" stamped into the timing cover mating face. Later blocks were specially cast with Twin Cam production in mind and identified by an "L" cast into
6837-468: The Levante is intended to be a limited run of 8 cars at a cost of £115,000 each. In 2013 the 620R had installed a Ford Duratec direct injection 2.0-litre (1,999 cc) supercharged straight-four engine rated at 315 PS (311 bhp; 232 kW) at 7700 rpm and 297 N⋅m (219 lb⋅ft) at 7350 rpm of torque . In 2013, Caterham also launched the 160/165 at the opposite end of
6966-514: The Lotus cylinder head to the 116E block. Duckworth assembled the first two production-specification engines, one of which powered a Lotus 23 on its racing debut at the Nürburgring . After building a limited number of 1.5 L Twin Cams, the bore was increased to 82.55 mm ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 4 in), raising the capacity to 1.56 L. Assembly of the first 50 engines was contracted out to J.A.Prestwich . Prestwich also machined
7095-468: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include
7224-562: The Nelson Ledges 24-hour race in Ohio when, against a field including works teams from Honda and Mazda, a four-man team from Caterham (including both Jez Coates and Robert Nearn) won by seven laps (after 990 laps) in a modified Vauxhall HPC. After dominating open class races for decades, Caterham Super 7 Racing, a one-make championship for Caterhams, began in 1986. Caterham 7 races have since expanded to include club and competitive races in
7353-518: The S3 chassis is offered on the 170 and Super Seven 600. The SV chassis subsequently provided the basic dimensions for the Caterham CSR . The suspension was completely redesigned, bringing the front suspension inboard, using pushrods, and replacing the De-Dion rear axle with a lighter, fully independent, double-wishbone layout with new coil/damper units. Additional chassis modifications resulted in
7482-549: The Series 3, as the Caterham Seven. The modern-day Road sports and Superlights (in "narrow-bodied chassis" form) are the direct descendants of this car and therefore of the original Lotus 7. As with the Lotus Mark VI before it, the original Lotus Seven used an extremely light space-frame chassis with stressed aluminium body panels. Although the chassis has had numerous modifications to strengthen it and accommodate
7611-495: The Superlight customer if they so wanted). The wide-track suspension was added to the superlight, increasing the track at the front to match that at the back. The later Superlight-R offered the dry-sumped VHPD (Very High-Performance Derivative) variant on the 1.8-litre K-series. Output was now up to around 180 bhp (134 kW), in a car that now weighed as little as 490 kg (1,080 lb). Three years later Caterham took
7740-480: The Twin Cam for competition use under Cosworth Project Code TA , with specific versions designated with an 'Mk.' prefix. One of the initial batch became the experimental Cosworth Mk.X in 1962. This was followed in 1963 by the dry-sump Mk.XII with racing camshafts designated the 'CPL2' (26/66/66/26) and high compression Cosworth pistons, used actively by Team Lotus in Lotus 20B , 22 , 23 and 23B . The Mk.XII
7869-455: The Twin Cam to be over-bored by up to 1 mm (0.04 in) and still remain below the 1600 cc class limit permitted by FIA regulations. The displacement error goes back to 27 May 1963 when the FIA homologation papers were submitted on 1962-model (Series 1) Lotus Elan by Lotus Cars Ltd. and accepted by Royal Automobile Club for FIA. The papers listed the engine capacity as 1558 cc with
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#17327907775427998-600: The United Kingdom, continental Europe, Canada, the United States and Asia. In 1995 the Caterham Academy, a novices-only format, was introduced in the UK. For £17,995 (2009 price), entrants get a modified Roadsport kit (although a factory-built option is available for extra cost) with a sealed 120 bhp (89 kW) engine and 5-speed gearbox. Having completed the ARDS license qualification, the season then consists of four sprints followed by four circuit races. The Academy
8127-512: The X330 concept car. Based on the CSR, the X330 employs a supercharged version of the Duratec engine to produce 330 bhp (246 kW). The use of lighter-gauge steel and of carbon-fibre instead of GRP further improves the power-to-weight ratio . Caterham says that they have no plans to put this car into production. The CSR represents the top of the range and in some respects can be considered
8256-510: The basis that it never obtained the claimed rights from Lotus. Colin Chapman had been a Royal Air Force pilot, studied structural engineering, and went on to become one of the great innovators in motorsports design and founded Lotus Engineering Ltd . His vision of light, powerful cars and performance suspensions guided much of his development work with the basic design philosophy of, "Simplify, then add lightness". His Lotus 7 had its debut at
8385-547: The beginning of December 2008, Top Gear made the R500 its '2008 Car of the Year '. The Caterham Super 7 is the retro-inspired 1,600cc version of the Caterham 7. The Super 7 is powered by a 1.6 litre Ford Sigma petrol engine which makes use of twin throttle bodies to aid airflow. Caterham has designed the Super Seven to have long, flared wheel arches, dials provided by Smiths, and a wire mesh grille. Optional packages include
8514-422: The block under the engine mount. Twin Cam blocks came from 6 basic casting versions. Prior to 1968 the first 4 digits were often ground off the block and "3020" was stamped in its place. Early engines used a crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons from Lotus. The crank was cast iron, and the pistons had a slight crown and were fly-cut to clear the valves. A revised Twin Cam was released in 1966. In this version
8643-489: The cam cover above each camshaft. Later engines had a raised border across the front of the cam cover with the word "Lotus" cast in raised text set within it. The portion of the cover over the cams was smooth. Lotus began to offer more highly tuned Special Equipment engines as options in their cars. The parts for these engines could also be bought from Lotus Components Ltd. At first, these were Cosworth developed and assembled engines with cast cranks and Cosworth name plates on
8772-554: The cam cover. Duckworth was responsible for the design of the Special Equipment cams. Cosworth later distanced themselves from this business, and Lotus started selling ' equivalents. BRM Phase I consisted of BRM camshafts and high compression cast pistons, and BRM Phase II added Mahle forged pistons, BRM forged conrods, small-end bushes and big-end bolts to the Phase I. When offered in assembled form, these engines carried
8901-479: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The Sports Car: Development and Design The basis for
9030-531: The car that's Too Fast to Race ...". More significantly, Nearn also reached out to his local MP , Sir Geoffrey Howe , arguing that it was unreasonable to ban a British product from a British championship. The RAC lifted the ban in 1980, but initially only allowed Caterhams to be raced under rather severe restrictions, requiring a full windshield be fitted and limiting the engine to the 84 hp (63 kW) Crossflow unit . were later lifted. In 2002 an R400 won its class (and came 11th overall out of 200 starters) at
9159-409: The cessation of the engine production and new EU emissions regulations, the end of the engine's production also removed the "Classic" from the company's model line-up. As of 2017, the company maintains two separate ranges for mainland Europe (Euro 6 compliant) and the United Kingdom, reflecting the different legislative systems. As of 2015, the range was simplified and is now simply a number, reflecting
9288-520: The correct bore and stroke sizes. Ironically, the over-bore limit of 1 mm is also stated in the paper with the correct resultant displacement of 1,595 cc (83.55 mm x 72.75 mm, 1,595.42 cc). The cylinder head has hemispherical combustion chambers (correct statement would have been "pear shaped chambers" since this has implications on the angle of the valves). Valve sizes are 1.53 in (39 mm) diameter inlet and 1.325 in (33.7 mm) diameter exhaust on all engines except
9417-479: The cover over the camshafts had raised ribs cast in. Big Valve engines had the same 26/66/66/26 timing as the S/E engines but with 0.360 in (9.1 mm) lift. "Special" spec engines had 26/66/66/26 timing with 0.362 in (9.2 mm) lift. The larger inlet valves are compatible with earlier non Big Valve cylinder heads with very little modification, however increasing intake valve size by itself will not produce
9546-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although
9675-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including
9804-406: The engine front cover as its housing, making water pump replacement difficult. The intake manifold was a series of short tubular stubs cast as an integral part of the cylinder head. The heads for 175CD Zenith - Stromberg carburettor had two siamesed stubs (part of the head casting), making them not interchangeable with earlier heads using Dell'Orto DHLA40 or 40DCOE Weber carburetors , whose intake
9933-492: The engine options. The Caterham 7 has spawned many books, test reports, and articles, many of which are still in print. Sports car A sports car is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around
10062-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In
10191-596: The failure-prone original on the 1.6-litre inline four Pont-à-Mousson engine used in the Facellia . Financial problems at Facel kept either engine from reaching production, but when Chapman found out about the smaller engine he commissioned Mundy to adapt the Facellia design to the Ford engine block. Mundy's design for Lotus comprised an aluminium cylinder head and an aluminium front cover and its back plate assembly containing
10320-472: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,
10449-528: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in
10578-400: The fly-cuts were smaller, and the con-rods were Ford 125E parts. The flywheel was also attached to the crankshaft by six bolts, an increase of two over the previous model. The Twin Cam had a problem with oil surge, and the attachment of the starter motor was subject to flexing when trying to spin the high-compression engine. Early engines had the word "Lotus" in script cast in raised letters on
10707-451: The head joint. Keith Duckworth , who had already left Lotus for Cosworth Engineering , was brought back to look at the new cylinder head. Duckworth made several design changes, reshaping the ports and adding structure to the head. The first Lotus Twin Cam engine was fired up on a test bench on October 10, 1961. This engine broke a crankshaft during testing; a failure blamed on the three main-bearing block. The first test vehicle to receive
10836-486: The horsepower per tonne, with ‘S’ or ‘R’ packages for either street or track use. Most versions (not the 170) are available on the standard S3 or on the wider SV chassis. The European models end with the number "5" while the UK models end in a "0". The range consists of the Seven 165, 275, 355, and 485. The 170 model is powered by a 660cc Suzuki engine, while the more powerful variants have 2.0 Ford engines. The UK range for 2022
10965-539: The larger valves and installed Super Special Equipment D-type camshafts. Power was increased 20% over the regular engine's 105 to 126 hp (78.3 to 94.0 kW). Big Valve engines were offered in the Elan Sprint, Elan +2 130, and Lotus Europa Twin Cam Special models. Cam covers for Big Valve engines had the words "Lotus" and "Big Valve" cast in raised letters across the front of the cam cover. The portion of
11094-573: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and
11223-624: The later "Big Valve" engines. The valve stem axis is inclined 27° from vertical on both intake and exhaust. Initial cam timing was 15/53/53/15 with the same cam profile as the ET418 Coventry Climax FWE cam, which resulted in 100 bhp (75 kW; 101 PS) at 5700 rpm for the 1,498cc engine with a 9.5:1 compression ratio. 1,557cc production engines had 22/62/62/22 cam timing with 0.349 in (8.9 mm) lift (developed by Cosworth as 'CPL1' -Cosworth Production Lotus) with 9.8:1 compression ratio. The water pump used
11352-533: The launch of the R500 (April 2008), Caterham made available the options of a sequential gearbox and launch control. Quoted performance for the R500 is 0–60 in 2.88 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h). In October 2012 a supercharged model 'R600' for a race-series above the R300-class was released, including slick tyres and a sequential gearbox. The weight of the R600 was 1139 lbs or 517 kg. At
11481-518: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)
11610-537: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since
11739-544: The most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1
11868-500: The new cylinder head. When the larger 1.3 L; 81.7 cu in (1,339 cc) 109E for the Ford Consul Classic was released, it became the platform for most of the development of the new Lotus engine. Engine designer Harry Mundy had been working on two projects for Jean Daninos ' Facel S.A. One design was an all-new quad-cam V6 displacing under 3.0 litres. The other was a new DOHC cylinder head to replace
11997-809: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899
12126-602: The now-viable engineering firm to reduce its previous near-total dependence on Lotus. The proliferation of the Mk.XIII triggered the establishment of new European-style racing-engine builders in the US performing rebuilding and maintenance work needed on the Mk.XIII while also contributing to Cosworth's revenue. Other Cosworth engines based on the Lotus-Ford Twin Cam include the Mk.XV for the Lotus 26R and Lotus Cortina (almost all for Team Lotus and affiliated teams) and
12255-785: The oil pump drive cam to keep the interchangeability with the wet-sump Mk.XV. The Mk.XIII became a big seller in 1965 when the SCCA created the Formula B category in America. The dominance of the Mk.XIII in Formula B was nearly absolute against its main rivals the Satta / Hruska -designed Alfa Romeo 105/115 1.6 L (1,570 cc) DOHC unit, and the Alex von Falkenhausen-designed SOHC 1.6 L (1,573 cc) BMW M116 engine. This in turn allowed
12384-456: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911
12513-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in
12642-483: The raw cylinder head castings (cast by William Mills) on these early twin cam engines. The Twin Cam had its official debut at the Earls Court Motor Show in October 1962. Total production of the engine was approximately 34,000 units, in 24 different varieties. Chapman named the engine the "Lotus Twin-Cam" at its introduction in 1962 and Lotus continued to use that name. When production switched from
12771-542: The release of the Big Valve engine. Some SSE engines are said to have left the factory in Super Weber S/E Elans. The Big Valve Twin Cam was a project of Lotus' Engineering Director Tony Rudd. Rudd reduced the deck height by 0.04 in (1.0 mm) to raise the compression ratio to 10.5:1, increased the diameter of the inlet valves to 1.565 in (39.8 mm), modified the inlet runners' shape for
12900-620: The road. In 1973, Lotus decided to shed its kit car image and concentrate on limited series motor racing cars and up-market sports cars. As part of this plan, it sold the rights to the Seven to its only remaining agents, Caterham Cars in England and Steel Brothers Limited in New Zealand. At the time the current production car was the Series 4, but when Caterham ran out of the Lotus Series 4 kits in 1974 they introduced its own version of
13029-590: The same block with a Mk.XIII forged crank for a new 1.6 Liter Formula 2 engine named the FVA in 1966. This is when Cosworth's involvement in the development of the Lotus TwinCam ended. The Twin Cam made its racing debut in May 1962 as a Cosworth Mk.X in a Lotus 23 driven by Jim Clark at the Nürburgring . Clark led the field until being overcome by exhaust fumes. Twin Cam made several appearances in Formula 1 in
13158-564: The same concept to a new level and created the iconic Superlight R500, still based on the Rover 1.8-litre K-series but now tuned (by Minister Racing Engines) to around 230 bhp (172 kW) at 8,600 rpm in a car weighing just 460 kg (1,014 lb). The R500 was initially available in kit-form but quickly became a factory-build only item. Quoted performance figures still make impressive reading; 0–100 mph in 8.2 seconds (although EVO magazine quotes 8.8 seconds). Perhaps unsurprisingly, such
13287-410: The smallest Seven Caterham have produced, and the lightest of the current range, weighing in at 440 kg (970 lb) in R specification. Again, this variant was only available in the S3 body. In 2022 a further variant, the Super Seven 600, was added. This features the same engine and chassis, but with more traditional clamshell front wings and a variety of other heritage styling changes. The Lotus 7
13416-512: The spectrum. This used a Suzuki 660 cc three-cylinder turbo K6A engine, producing 80 hp (60 kW), with a live rear axle and S3-style body work only. The model was only available in S (road) specification and continued until 2018. The 160 was replaced in 2021 by the 170, available in both R (track) and S (road) specifications. The 170 uses a newer Suzuki 660 cc three cylinder turbo R06A engine, producing 84 hp (63 kW), and features narrower front and rear bodywork resulting in
13545-558: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired
13674-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as
13803-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as
13932-423: The standard car for a limited-slip differential and a quicker steering rack. There is a 25-kilo weight reduction over the standard CSR260, this model variant also adds distinctive Superlight styling to the exterior, including a wind deflector, a carbon-fibre dashboard and wings, a black powder-coated cockpit, and a quick-release MOMO steering wheel. Of particular note are 'Dynamic Suspensions' Damper units developed by
14061-517: The top of the range engine had become the two-litre Vauxhall HPC, as fitted to the Vauxhall Calibra , putting out 165–175 bhp. A few HPC "Evolution" models were built with engines developed by Swindon Race Engines producing between 218 bhp (163 kW) and 235 bhp (175 kW). In 1993 Caterham created the JPE special edition (named for Formula 1 driver Jonathan Palmer ) by using
14190-479: The various engine and suspension setups (and to try to find more cockpit space for the occupants), this basic formula has remained essentially the same throughout the Seven's life (with the exception of the Series 4, which used steel for the cockpit and engine bay and glassfibre for the bodywork). Early cars used a live rear axle , initially from various Fords, later from the Morris Ital . De Dion rear suspension
14319-478: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type
14448-412: The water pump and the camshaft drive chain . After the initial design was finished, outside consultant Richard Ansdale produced detailed drawings of the new cylinder head. Lotus employee Steve Sanville headed the production engineering team that included Mike Costin , Neil Francis and Bob Dance. Harry Weslake conducted a flow bench analysis on the early head. Early Twin Cam prototypes had problems at
14577-417: The world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise
14706-399: The ‘S’ trim and an additional £1,000 for ‘R’ trim. The Superlight is available in both S3 and SV chassis sizes. The list of standard equipment reflects the Superlight's bias to track work: Wide-track front suspension, 6-speed sequential manual gearbox , carbon-fibre dashboard and front wings, GRP aeroscreen, and seats, racing harness, removable steering wheel. Quoted weight for the Superlight
14835-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with
14964-684: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won
15093-627: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in
15222-573: Was based exclusively on this Series 3 chassis until 2000, when the SV (Series V, or Special Vehicle) chassis was released, aimed at accommodating the increasing number of prospective buyers who could not fit comfortably in the Series 3 cockpit. The SV chassis offers an extra 110 mm (4.3 in) of width across the cockpit, at a cost of 25 kg (55 lb) of extra weight, and both chassis sizes are available today in earlier Superlight and current 360, 420, 620 and Super Seven 2000 configurations, though only
15351-594: Was conceived by Chapman as a car to be raced. Whilst still a prototype, in September 1957, it was raced at the Brighton Speed Trials and by the end of 1958 Graham Hill was winning races with the Coventry Climax -engined 'Super Seven'. The car has had a strong racing history throughout its life under both Lotus and Caterham stewardship. Amongst the marque's more famous races was the victory in
15480-418: Was developed into the Mk.XIII for Formula racing with the addition of a Cosworth 12-bolt forged steel crankshaft, Cosworth forged conrods, wilder camshafts and 45DCOE Weber carburetors . The use of the original Ford camshaft as jackshaft is abolished and Cosworth-made jackshaft was installed. Although all Mk.XIII was dry-sump requiring externally-driven scavenge/pressure pumps, this bespoke jackshaft retained
15609-421: Was four individual tubes (also part of the head casting). Exhaust gases were handled either by a cast-iron manifold or a fabricated tubular header, depending on application. The original in-block camshaft was retained and, as in the original 116E, drove the side-mounted distributor and nearby external oil pump/filter assembly, minimizing modifications to the mass-produced iron block. The original cam along with
15738-485: Was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture
15867-479: Was introduced in the mid-1980s and both geometries were on offer until 2002 when the live-axle option was phased out (though later reintroduced for the 160/165 and 170/Super Seven 600 versions). Late 90s and early 2000s versions (such as the Superlight) employed adjustable double-wishbone suspension with front anti-roll bar and a de-Dion rear axle, located by an A-frame and Watt's linkage . The Caterham 7 range
15996-689: Was ninth place at the 1965 South African Grand Prix , again in the Willment Brabham. Cosworth Mk.XV powered the Elan 26R of the Willment Team and driver John Miles to 15 seasonal wins and the 1966 Autosport Championship title. Third-party engine builders continued development after 1966 for the Elan and Cortina as well as for Formula 2, 3 and other classes. Early tuners included Holbay , Vegantune, and Novamotor, joined later by Brian Hart , Richardson, Wilcox and others who focused mainly on
16125-694: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for
16254-675: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as
16383-551: Was replaced by 8v and 16v Vauxhall units which, in various guises lived on until the end of the VX-powered Caterham Classic, in 2002. The Rover K-series made its appearance in 1991, initially as the 1.4-litre engine from the Metro GTi . This engine became the backbone of the range for the next 15 years. The 1.6-litre K-series appeared in 1996 and the 1.8-litre a year later. 1996 also saw the addition of
16512-481: Was used in a variety of vehicles until Lotus stopped production in 1973. It was succeeded by the Lotus 907 engine. For the Lotus Elan , Lotus founder Colin Chapman wanted to find a less expensive engine than the costly all-alloy Coventry Climax FWE used in the original Lotus Elite . He felt that basing his new power-plant on an engine built in large volumes would keep costs down. Chapman initially chose
16641-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of
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