Caterham and RS Performance joined their forces and created the Caterham RS Seven, the ultimate in bespoke Seven coachbuilding. It will be priced at £115,000 (dependent on specification).
The Caterham RS Seven will be powered by a 40-valve, 2.4 litre V8 engine that delivers an incredible 400bhp in normally aspirated mode, or over 500bhp as a supercharged variant, whilst weighing only 90kg in full running gear.
The unbridled lightness of the RST-V8 matched to the already featherweight Seven chassis delivers a power-to-weight ratio of over 1000bhp per tonne – more than double of a Bugatti Veyron.
Press release after the jump.
2008 Caterham RS Seven
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- Model: 2008 Caterham RS Seven
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Press release
For those wanting an expression of British sportscar exclusivity, Caterham Cars has joined forces with RS Performance to offer the ultimate in bespoke Seven coachbuilding. Caterham has long been the epitome of personalised motoring with almost every version of the 12,000 Sevens on the road differing from one another. The joint venture takes that famous philosophy to an altogether new level.
RS Performance is an exclusive, niche engineering house. Born out of the passion and pedigree of its founder, Russell Savory, it will offer an ‘everything is possible’ service to Caterham customers wanting cars truly ‘built to order’.
Using the motorsport-honed Caterham chassis and benchmark technology as a cosmetic and engineering base, RS Performance, will “turn imagination into reality,” says Savory.
The heartbeat of every RS-monikered Seven will be the unique RST-V8 engine. With more than 16 years of development behind it by Russell Savory, the 40-valve, 2.4 litre engine reliably delivers an incredible 400bhp in normally aspirated mode, or over 500bhp as a supercharged varient, whilst weighing only 90kg in full running gear.
The unbridled lightness of the RST-V8 matched to the already featherweight Seven chassis delivers a power-to-weight ratio of over 1000bhp per tonne – more than double of a Bugatti Veyron. This unique partnership will be open to customers looking for the ultimate in exclusivity, and carry a price tag to reflect the tailoring, detail and hand-built craftsmanship that will go into every RS-badged Caterham.
Validation of the engineering house’s abilities comes in the form of the supercharged ‘Levante’. This is the first Seven to rollout of RS Performance’s Hertfordshire doors and which only seven more of this type will be available.
With a 12 week waiting time and costing over £115,000, this supercharged engineering masterpiece boasts a modern interpretation of the Seven’s classic looks with a sophisticated electronics package with traction and launch control to help get the phenomenal power to the floor. Weight reduction runs throughout the car, from the carbon fibre interior finished with Kevlar seats down to the hosing used on the cooling systems
The RS Performance badge will sit alongside the established, and soon to be expanded, Ford powered Caterham Seven range.
“Caterham and Russell Savory have a long history, and this seemed a natural progression of that relationship and shared engineering philosophy,” explained Ansar Ali, Caterham Cars managing director.
RS Performance RST-V8 Engine Technical Specification
- Configuration 90° V8
- Capacity 2.4 litre
- Valves 40
- Construction Aluminium main frame with dry sump
- Max Power 380 bhp @10,000rpm / 500+bhp @ 10,000rpm (supercharged)
- Max Torque 190 lbsft @ 8500rpm / 300 lbsft@ 8500rpm (supercharged)
- Gearbox 6-speed
- Overall length 45.6mm
- Overall width 45.6mm
- Height 48mm
- Weight 90kg
- Service intervals 8000 miles (minor) / 30,000 miles (major service & belt change)
RS Performance ‘Levante’ Technical Specification
- Price £115,000 (dependent on specification)
- Chassis Caterham SV
- Engine 2.4-litre, 40-valve RST-V8 supercharged
- Max Power 500+bhp @ 10,000rpm
- Max Torque 300 lbsft @ 8500rpm
- Supercharge boost 0.8 psi
- Gearbox 6-speed sequential, paddle shift option
- Transmission LSD
- 0-60mph (claimed) Less than 3 seconds
- Top Speed 150mph (limited)
- Wheelbase 2305mm
- Overall length 3530mm
- Overall width 1685mm
- Height 1140mm
- Weight From 520kgs
- Suspension de Dion rear, Nitron 3-way adjustable shocks all corners
- Wheels Image Billet; front 8 x 15, rear 10 x 15
- Tyres Avon CR500; front 195/45-15, rear 245/40-15
- Brakes Hi Spec; front 280mm vented, rear 260mm.
- Exhaust system BTB 2 x 4-2-1 rear exit
- Dashboard Farringdon and SPA design
- Driver aids Traction Control, Launch Control
- Additional Two day driver training course provided on delivery of vehicle