More Caterham Sevens for less

CATERHAM Cars Australia has released a revised, expanded and significantly more affordable 2010 sportscar range, headlined by three new 2.0-litre versions of Britain’s retro roadster.

The largest range of new Caterham Seven sportscars ever available here now includes four models that benefit from the stronger Australian dollar and reduced federal import duty, lowering the price of admission to the bespoke brand to $64,900.

Now available for $4950 less than the SVR 120 model it replaces, the entry-level 2010 Caterham Seven Roadsport SV 120 continues to run a 1.6-litre Ford Sigma engine.

Aimed at the budget-conscious enthusiast, the SV 120 comes with a five-speed manual gearbox, De Dion rear suspension and the same 14-inch wheel and 185/60-14 Avon tyre combination as the more powerful Roadsport SV 175 model.

The latter opens the new 2.0-litre line-up at $82,950 and is based on the outgoing SVR 200 model, which previously cost $119,000, making it a staggering $36,050 less expensive than before.

Caterham says the SV 175’s new 2.0-litre engine, developed in close collaboration with Ford in the UK, is far less costly than the expensive, hand-built 2.3-litre Cosworth engine in the former SVR 200 and CSR 200 models.

The latter previously topped the Seven range at $129,000, but that honour now goes to the 2010 CSR 175, which costs $33,470 less at $95,530.

Positioned between the two new 2.0-litre Sevens and also priced under $100,000 at $92,530 is the new racetrack-focussed Superlight SV R300, which has never been available in Australia before.

Left: Seven Roadsport SV 175, Below: Seven Roadsport SV 120.

While the SV R300 and CSR 175 lack the standard weather protection equipment, heater, heated windscreen, cloth trim and padded armrests of the road-oriented (SV 120 and SV 175) Roadsport variants, all four models are based on the latest Seven’s longer and wider SV chassis.

However, the two top-shelf Sevens employs coil-over-spring damper units and an adjustable front anti-roll bar, with the CSR sharing the 254mm ventilated front disc brakes with the SV 175 and SV R300 but adding larger 254mm solid rear discs - as opposed to the 230mm solid discs used on the De Dion rear suspension models.

While the CSR 175 is the newest evolution of the venerable Seven design and can be optioned with nine-inch-wide rear wheels and 245/40-section rear tyres, the new Superlight SV R300 rides on 15-inch Anthracite-finish alloys with unique 195/45 Avon CR500 tyres.

The new Caterham flagship also comes with a bespoke Caterham-designed ultra-close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox, plus a carbon-fibre wind deflector and front guards.

The new DOHC 16-valve 1999cc Caterham-Ford four-cylinder is Euro 4 emissions-compliant and, as the SV 175 and CSR 175 (but not SV R300) names suggest, produces 175hp, or 129kW – 18kW less than the 2.3 Cosworth four.

Caterham racing cars continue to be available, fully built or in kit form, from the West Melbourne-based importer, with all versions individually quoted on price, depending on customer specifications.

2010 Caterham range pricing:
Seven CSR 175	$95,530
Seven Superlight SV R300	$92,530
Seven Roadsport SV 175	$82,950
Seven Roadsport SV 120	$64,900