Caterham announced its plans for 25 Caterham-Lola SP/300.R sports prototype back in January 2011. Today, Caterham announced the first series of dates on which racing drivers and track enthusiasts can get their hands on the new SP/300.R sports prototype. Powered by a Supercharged 2.0L Ford Duratec with 300 HP, the SP/300.R completes the sprint of 0-60mph in around 2.5 seconds. Those who can, get that test ride or else you may have to pay £60,000, excluding local taxes to get this baby. [Picture Update: 13 Oct 2011]
Caterham Cars has released the first series of dates on which racing drivers and trackday enthusiasts can get their hands on the new SP/300.R sports prototype.
Potential SP/300.R owners will be able to track test the 300bhp, 180mph racer on the following dates:
Saturday, August 27 at Donington Park
Wednesday, September 7 at Donington Park
Thursday, September 15 at Snetterton
Wednesday, September 21 at Donington Park
Customers who have already placed orders will be given priority booking slots, after which the extensive list of people who have registered an interest with Caterham will be offered one of the strictly limited drives.
Since it was launched at Autosport International in January, 14 of the 25 Caterham-Lola SP/300.Rs that will be built this year have been snapped up. Anyone wishing to book a test drive on one of the above dates should call 01883 333700 or 01455 841616.
Caterham Motorsport Manager, Simon Lambert, said: “There has been a huge amount of interest in this car since we unveiled it at the start of the year. It will be fantastic to get it on track this summer and we can’t wait to see the look on people’s faces when they try it for the first time. We are confident it will be everything they expect and more.”
The SP/300.R will be built in a newly-equipped facility neighbouring Caterham’s existing factory in Kennet Road, Dartford. The building became available earlier this year and will allow the build team to work alongside the Company’s main engineering base.
Drivetrain
The beating heart of the SP/300.R will be a Caterham-tuned, supercharged version of Ford’s 2.0L Duratec unit, which will produce 300bhp.
The Company’s long-standing relationship with Ford continues to allow Caterham’s engineers unparalleled technical access to the Ford range of engines. Today, Ford products power the entire range of Caterham cars, from the entry-level Roadsport through the entire Superlight collection.
Caterham’s engineers have chosen the supercharged Duratec with its drivers in mind. As with all Caterham products, the driving experience is at the core of the SP/300.R’s design.
The supercharged induction module has therefore been chosen for its linear torque delivery across the entire engine speed range, which is perfectly-matched to the lightweight architecture of the car.
Caterham has worked alongside partners such as Pectel to deliver a highly-developed package that will reward drivers with advanced data logging and features such as ‘push to pass’ power enhancement and an integrated semi-automatic gearshift control.
The SP/300.R will be capable of being adapted to suit alternative engines but the factory-fit engine will offer unrivalled levels of reliability – together with a perfectly-matched Hewland semi-automatic FTR transmission, Caterham aims to reproduce the enormously-durable drivetrain solution that has been so successful in the Superlight R300 series, where engine rebuilds are virtually unnecessary.
Chassis
The rich racing heritage of the Caterham Seven and Caterham’s motorsport expertise will ensure the success of the Company’s expansion into sports prototype racing.
However to achieve that end, Caterham has teamed up with the world’s leading manufacturer of customer race cars, Lola Cars. Its expertise, particularly in the sports racing category, was invaluable in the creation and styling of a bespoke chassis that forms the basis of the SP/300.R.
With the styling aerodynamically, rather than aesthetically led, the SP/300.R has been designed using Lola’s state-of-the-art CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) technology, with input and critique from Caterham.
The basic chassis is an aluminium tub with a longitudinally mid-mounted engine, coupled to a stress-bearing rear transaxle. A forward splitter and large rear wing reduce lift, while a flat underbody maximises ground effect benefits.
A broad aero platform generates optimal downforce and balance, while the aerodynamic performance is fine-tuned by ducts and dive-planes. The SP/300.R bodywork also features an F1-style raised nose section and sectioned panels, which will help reduce repair costs, ease maintenance and, importantly, allow single-handed removal of body panels track-side.
Caterham’s research suggests that most sports prototypes in today’s market require more than one person to assist in the removal of body panels, e.g. oil check, set-up, etc; the SP/300.R will be the only sports prototype that offers this unique, flexible and yet convenient feature.
The car also takes subtle design cues from the instantly-recognisable Caterham Seven; for instance, the Seven’s grille shape appears beneath the raised nose of the SP/300.R.
Performance
The pairing of Lola’s world-beating aerodynamic package with the Ford engine will produce a car that will easily meet the desires of Caterham customers, whether they are seeking their first serious step into sports prototype racing or the ultimate trackday machine.
The supercharged Duratec’s 300bhp will propel the sub-600kg car from 0-60mph in around 2.5 seconds, translating into 500bhp-per-tonne, excluding the driver.
The gearing of the car has been selected to reach maximum rpm in top gear at the end of Spa-Francorchamps circuit’s Kemmel Straight, chosen as it is one of the more frequently-visited race and trackday venues. Top speed will be around 170mph.
Suspension
The SP/300.R will benefit from full race suspension – front and rear dual wishbones with pushrod dampers, adjustable ride height and bespoke wheels and tyres will all make for a race car of exquisite balance and stability.
The rear suspension architecture is derived from that used at the rear end of the Lola Formula 3 and World Junior cars – coupled with the high downforce generated by the aerodynamic package, this will be a direct and rewarding race car to drive.
Wheels & Tyres
Thanks to Caterham’s long-standing partner, Cooper Avon Tyres, the SP/300.R will stand on bespoke rubber developed specially by Cooper Tire for this car.
Cooper Tire provides tyres for the British Formula 3 International Series, acknowledged as the toughest domestic single-seater championship in the world and a recognised ‘stepping stone’ to Formula 1. The SP/300.R’s tyres are fitted to 13-inch race rims.
Measuring a muscular 250mm wide at the rear, and 180mm at the front, the tyres have been specifically designed to cope with vast engine torque married to a lightweight chassis.
Safety
Naturally, the SP/300.R has been built to comply with MSA safety regulations. The main component of the safety system is a roll cage, which has been designed specifically for the car and incorporated into the styling schemes.
The chassis has also been designed as a race chassis with the requisite crash structures. Other components include the six-point harness, fire extinguisher, cut-off switch and so on.
Components
In keeping with the SP/300.R’s stature as a premium race product, Caterham has selected fixings and fittings of a very high quality.
These include the steering wheel, which incorporates data display (Stack/MOMO), wheels (ATS, Speedline or OZ), brakes (AP Racing) and driver’s harness (Schroth).
One-make championship
With Caterham’s vastly rich heritage in motorsport - both domestically and internationally - it is no surprise to find that Caterham Motorsport is planning a prestigious one-make series in which the SP/300.R will star.
The details of its own championship are yet to be finalised, but the SP/300.R series will initially focus on UK circuits, with the potential addition of one round abroad.
However, the projected success of the cornerstone debut season is expected to make the SP/300.R and its race series eminently marketable further afield in Europe, which will provide a major boost to Caterham’s already thriving export market.
Caterham Motorsport
Caterham has proven over the last 25 years that it is expert in producing and managing world-class motor racing championships and events.
The Company’s motorsport ‘ladder’ provides a cost-effective, easy-to-run solution for drivers of any ability to get into racing, from complete novices with the Academy series to the Superlight R300 for seasoned semi-professionals.
The Caterham Academy, which takes novice non-racers through the process of getting their race licence to enjoying their first season of competitive action, has become one of the UK domestic scene’s lynch pins, creating around 750 brand new racing drivers since its inception in 1995.
It is the proven organisational expertise and infrastructure that will run the new one-make championship for the SP/300.R, starting in 2012.
The Caterham-Lola SP/300.R is priced at £60,000, excluding local taxes.
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