Caterham Superlight R500

The K-Series Superlight R500 was launched in 2002 and immediately became the fastest Caterham ever to be manufactured for sale. The Sevens already ultra light-weight design was taken to extraordinary new levels, with grams being shaved off everything possible. This included fitting the car with carbon fibre front and rear wheel arches as well as a carbon fibre nose cone and dashboard. The aluminium panels which made up the side and rear skins were made from a thinner, lightened piece of aluminium. Even the engines sump and bell-housing were cast from magnesium to further reduce every last ounce of weight.

In addition to the extreme weight saving, Caterham installed a freshly designed, naturally aspirated 1.8L VHPD K-Series engine producing a eye watering 230bhp! The combination of these power gains and weight losses pushing this Sevens power-to-weight ratio to 500bhp per tonne. Thats Bugatti Veyron territory!

This extreme Caterham may not be for the faint of heart, but it is sure to raise the pulses of even the most experienced drivers and has gone down in history as perhaps being Caterham’s purest ultimate performance machine.

This well kept example has been excellently maintained, no matter the cost, chalking up more than £25,000 in service bills over its 21 year life. The result however is an excellently original example of one of the rarest and most highly regarded Caterham’s in history.

Exterior

• Mercedes Platinum Silver paint
• Painted carbon fibre nosecone with exposed carbon tip
• Carbon fibre cyclewings
• Painted carbon fibre rear wheel arches
• Black Pack
• Full Superlight roll cage
• Carbon fibre aeroscreen
• Tonneau cover

Engine & Transmission

• 1.8L K-Series VHPD R500 engine 230bhp
• Ultra light-weight flywheel
• R500 carbon fibre Octapus Induction system
• 4-into-1 R500 exhausts system
• Magnesium dry sump and bellhousing
• 6-Speed gearbox
• Limited slip differential

Brakes & Suspension

• Adjustable platform Caterham Bilstein R500 suspension
• Aerofoil wide-track front wishbones
• De-Dion rear suspension
• Watts-linkage
• Adjustable rear anti-roll bar
• Uprated front brake callipers with ventilated discs
• Uprated brake master cylinder

Wheels & Tyres

Front:

• 13x6" Black and diamond cut Apollo alloys

• 185/50R13 Avon CR500 tyres Rear:

• 13x8" Black and diamond cut Apollo alloys

• 205/50R13 Avon CR500 tyres

Interior

• Caterham Tillet carbon kevlar seats
• Red Caterham 4 point harness
• Standard floors
• Carbon fibre dashboard
• MOMO quick release steering wheel
• Push button start
• Change up lights