Caterham has revealed plans to launch an all-new model at the Autosport International show next month.
The firm is providing few clues as to the identity of the new model, but has said the model will not be another variant of the Seven and will be the first all-new Caterham since the 21 from the 1990s.
Powered by Caterham’s next-generation Motorsport engine, the car will be pitched at the track day and racing markets and is a “logical expansion” to the firm’s current portfolio of models.
The firm is promising the new model will stay true to the “lightweight, minimalist DNA of the legendary Seven”.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Re: Caterham plans all-new model
You may well be right that the new car will use a fabricated tubular chassis but I disagree that the Elise's would be more difficult or expensive to manufacture.
If Lotus were to sell the Elise rights, it stands to reason that some of the bonded chassis tech and tooling would need to form part of any deal. In terms of ease of manufacture I bet the Elise chassis is about as easy to assemble as it gets.
All this is just our wild speculation; lightning, or should that be lightening, rarely strikes twice :-)
Re: Caterham plans all-new model
The production process for the Elise is significantly different to that of the current range. Whilst it wouldn't be impossible for Caterham to build an Elise, the costs involved in getting that production facility up and running and still produce their current cars would possibly be prohibitively expensive.
I would imagine it will still be a tubular based chassis, just to a different design.
Re: Caterham plans all-new model
Didn't they already intend do this with the CSR - which turned out to look pretty much like the Caterhams we know and love?