New 275bhp supercharged Superlight R600 developed for top-tier 2013 Caterham race series
A supercharged 2.0-litre Ford Duratec four-cylinder engine – similar to the Caterham SP/300.R sports prototype - will power the R600, giving it the acclaim as fastest production Seven ever, as well as being the first to feature forced induction.
The R600 Championship starts in 2013 and takes over from the tough-fought R300 series as the top tier of Caterham motorsport. A grid of 16 cars is expected in the championship's debut season, with 30 cars anticipated to compete in 2014.
Caterham’s chief motorsport and technical officer, Simon Lambert, said: “Caterham racing just got even more interesting.”
“This will provide our existing R300 racers with a real step up, and a new and exciting challenge, even for experienced drivers. The R600 represents an increase in aggressiveness, although the linear power delivery of the supercharged engine makes it superbly driveable,” added Lambert.
A factory-prepared R600 will cost £44,995 and features a six-speed sequential ‘box, Titan limited-slip differential and Avon slick tyres or wets. Existing R300 owners can upgrade their cars to R600 spec, with prices to be confirmed at a later date.
Caterham bosses say there are no immediate plans for an R600 road car, but hint it wouldn’t be difficult to craft one from the existing race-car platform. They fear it could be too extreme for the road, but say it’s a route to investigate once the race-car has proven its worth on track.