(September 20, 2013) SINGAPORE — Caterham Cars, a company based in Surrey, UK, has unveiled the AeroSeven Concept, a new performance concept road car, at the SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.

As the first model designed with significant input from all of the Caterham Group’s specialist business arms, the AeroSeven Concept signals the brand’s intentions in terms of product engineering processes, speed to market, as well as a hint to its styling direction for future models, including the all-new sportscar being developed in conjunction with Renault and due for release in early 2016.

The AeroSeven Concept, which draws heavily on methods used by the F1 team, will be the first ever Caterham model to be fitted with traction control. Thanks to a newly developed Caterham Engine Management System, drivers will be able to enjoy fully-adjustable traction and launch control functionality.

Based on an updated interpretation of the highly acclaimed Seven CSR platform, the carbon-fibre bodied concept vehicle, which will reach 62.5mph in under 4 seconds, will initially draw its power from the normally-aspirated, EU6-approved, 237 horsepower engine developed by Caterham Technology & Innovation for the recently launched Caterham Seven 485. Other engines are also being assessed for suitability. 

Caterham Cars is a manufacturer of specialist lightweight sports cars based in Caterham, Surrey, UK. Their current model, the Caterham 7 (or Seven), is a direct evolution of the Series 3 Lotus Seven designed by Colin Chapman and originally launched in 1973.

In the 1990s the company made the Caterham 21,a two-seater soft top alternative to the MGF and Lotus Elise, (which both sold many more units). A track-only car, the SP/300.R, a joint project with Lola was released for customer testing in 2010. On April 27, 2011, then-Team Lotus owner Tony Fernandes announced that he had purchased Caterham.

“We may be a small voice now, but we’re on our way to engineering a decent set of lungs,” said Fernandes, Caterham Group Co-Chairman, as he outlined his ambitions for Caterham Cars ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix today.
 
“Caterham will show itself to be a progressive, open and entrepreneurially powered car brand that will deliver and surprise in equal measure.

“It has been a British institution for the last 40 years, and automotive secret in many ways, but in the very near future, the Caterham name will sit proudly on crossovers, city cars as well as a range of sports cars for everyone,” he added.

Fernandes confirmed that while the brand will include mainstream crossovers and small cars, the intention is to also extend its ‘sporting heartbeat’ with a range of accessible sports cars for the lifestyle buyer to the thrill-seeker; a journey it has begun with the new AeroSeven Concept.

Asia will be a key focus for Caterham as it develops a product range to meet the demands of a market both Fernandes and Kamarudin know extremely well.

“Twelve years ago, we were told our plans for AirAsia could not work,” said Fernandes. “Today, AirAsia is the world’s most profitable airline with a growing fleet of over 120 planes servicing 160 routes across 80 cities in 18 countries, carrying over 25m people annually. As proud winner of the title “World’s Best Low Cost Airline” for the past five years, we’re fulfilling our dream that ‘everyone can fly’.”

Fernandes says that the same passion to succeed, and learn from within, is being applied to building the Caterham Cars brand.

“The Joint Venture with Renault to produce an all-new sportscar for both the Alpine and Caterham brands demonstrates our clear intent on doing this right, doing it sensibly, but above all, doing it the Caterham way,” he added.

The AeroSeven Concept is stacked with race car-inspired features, including aerodynamic styling, an exclusive steering wheel with driver-focussed functionality, and an intuitive fully active Graphical Display Unit (GDU).

Graham Macdonald, Managing Director of Caterham Cars, said: “Over the coming years, we will be expanding our range of sports cars as we look to meet the differing needs and desires of potential customers – from the lifestyle customer to the ultimate thrill-seeker. The AeroSeven Concept is the first model in that journey.”

With expertise drawn from each corner of the Group to develop the bold AeroSeven Concept, the new car features a number of exclusive technologies and attributes not seen on any previous Caterham.

Based on the acclaimed Caterham Seven CSR chassis – featuring fully independent rear and F1-style inboard (pushrod) front suspension – new dampers, springs and anti-roll bars harmonize the car’s aerodynamic characteristics to deliver Caterham’s legendary agility and handling finesse.

Driver focussed chassis control systems debuting on the AeroSeven Concept include Caterham’s fully variable traction and launch control functions. Caterham is also analyzing the feasibility of using Bosch’s race-derived anti-lock braking system.

The Caterham Engine Management System is completely adjustable via steering wheel mounted controls. The system, which can be completely disengaged, has been developed by Cateham Technology and Innovation to enhance the AeroSeven Concept’s performance while giving complete control to the driver.

Delivery of the production version of the concept model will begin in autumn 2014.