Goodwood: Caterham presents the electric sports car "Project V"
Caterham=Super Seven monocoque. This equation may not hold unconditionally in the future, as Project V is a full-fledged electric sports car. A short historical review: Caterham has traditionally built monocoques in the Lotus Seven style and is considered a legitimate successor to Colin Chapman's original model. In 1973, Graham Nearn, a Lotus dealer from the British town of Caterham, bought the license to build the Seven directly from Lotus founder Colin Chapman, who was financially strapped at the time and wanted to focus on "more serious" sports cars (and four-seaters) like the Esprit, Elite, and Eclat.
Variable history – now it seems structure is coming in
The lightweight models were typically powered by Ford, Rover, or later motorcycle engines (now Suzuki), with curb weights always in the triple digits. Recently, an electric version was introduced, which is not as light, and since the niche for monocoques is not very large, there have always been attempts to move away from it. Between 1995 and 1999, the Caterham 21 was built in only 49 units, according to Wikipedia, and did not generate much enthusiasm. In 2005, a larger version of the monocoque was introduced, offering more space, and the company even ventured into Formula 1 for a time.
The Japanese owner brings stability and financial power
After several ownership changes, a stronger backer has been in place since March 31, 2021: VT Holdings, a Japanese dealership group founded in 1983 as "Honda Verno Tokai," purchased Caterham and has been pushing the brand since. VT Holdings CEO Kazuho Takahashi already hinted that significant changes would be coming and projected the start of production for the new model in 2026. Changes were also made in management: Since 2022, Bob Laishley has been leading Caterham, and Frenchman Anthony Jannarelly was hired as Design Chief. He is collaborating on Project V with Italdesign, where the prototype was created.
1,190 kilograms curb weight is significant
Project V is set to weigh 1,190 kilograms with a 55-kWh battery, which is extremely heavy for a Caterham but very light for an electric sports car that looks not too dissimilar to the current Alpine 110. The Brits are relying on carbon fiber and aluminum composite materials. A permanent magnet synchronous motor at the rear axle provides 200 kW (272 hp). Caterham claims a range of up to 400 kilometers, which would require a certain level of efficiency. It should go from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, with a top speed electronically limited to 230 km/h.
The cockpit still looks somewhat clunky, but for the first time, it offers a screen along with multimedia and some "comfort." With a length of 4,255 mm, a width of 1,893 mm, and a height of 1,226 mm, its dimensions are reminiscent of where Porsche once had the original 911. Public interest is to be gauged at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
What does that mean?
With Project V, Caterham is filling the gap left by Porsche and Alpine: they are planning a (still) compact and (still reasonably) lightweight electric sports car. As the classic single-seaters are far too radical for many customers in everyday life, the "V" could become the brand's best-selling model – even if it is more expensive than the rest of the lineup. However, it shouldn't be too expensive...
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