Caterham-Lola SP/300.R
A previous attempt by Caterham to expand its range beyond the iconic Seven was not a great success. Only forty-eight examples of the 21, launched in 1994, were ever built. Now it’s having another go with the SP/300.R, a shrunken Le Mans Prototype in the style of cars such as the Westfield XTR and Radical SR series. The project has been developed in collaboration with Lola Cars, which was involved in engineering the aluminium tub chassis and perfecting the aerodynamics. As with the current Seven line-up, power is provided by Ford. In the case of the SP/300.R it’s a two-litre Duratec motor which, thanks to the addition of a supercharger, produces 300 bhp (223 kW / 304 PS). Drive to the rear transaxle is via a Hewland semi-automatic FTR gearbox. With the Caterham-Lola weighing less than 600 kg (1,322 lbs), that set up is enough for a zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) time of about 2.5 seconds. Top speed should be in the region of 170 mph (273 km/h). Keeping the SP/300.R on the tarmac i...