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Caterham’s latest retro sports car, the Seven SuperSprint, which was on sale during the Goodwood Revival, managed to set a new record for the automaker. In just 7 hours, all 60 SuperSprint vehicles that were up for sale, were all spoken for.

The UK based automaker says that the relative speed at which each car was snapped up was nothing less than extraordinary. The vehicle, which was introduced to mark the original Seven’s 60th anniversary has become the fastest selling car in the company’s history.

David Ridley, Caterham’s Chief Commercial Officer, said, “After last year’s incredible sales result with the Sprint, we were hoping for similar success with the SuperSprint. Having said that, to sell out within seven hours is something we’ve never seen before.”

“Considering that last year we took orders for over 600 Sevens, the SuperSprint’s success is likely to account for around 10% of our annual sales in 2017 and we are on track to beat last year’s sales record,” he later added.

Only 60 units in total will be produced, 30 of them are destined for the UK while the remaining 30 will make their way to other parts of Europe. Based on the its popularity, its safe to say that retro style racers like the Seven are still in high demand.

A modern reincarnation of the legendary racer that first started out life as a Lotus, the modern Caterham Seven still looks similar to the original albeit with minor and more modern upgrades, which include newer brakes and more reliable mechanicals.

Under the hood is a 95bhp Caterham Works Racing-tuned, three cylinder engine that is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox that sends power to the wheel via a limited slip differential. As for stopping power the car gets front discs and rear drum brakes.

Adding to the appeal are Bilstein shock absorbers and 14″ wheels, unique Brooklands windscreen, quilted and stitched seats trimmed in Innes tan Scottish Muirhead leather, a wooden-rimmed sports steering wheel, and 1960s-style racing livery.

The SuperSprint is available as a single-seater or twin seater versions but both will be identical safe for the aero screens.

The following are some of the highlights of the car:

  • 95bhp Caterham Works Racing tuned three cylinder engine
  • Caterham Works Racing developed live rear axle with A-frame
  • Race inspired suspension package with adjustable platforms
  • Limited slip differential
  • Extended front cycle wings
  • Quilted, stitched seat, trimmed in Innes tan Scottish Muirhead leather
  • Single 4 point race harness
  • Le Mans style mesh grille and side intake

Caterham executed a similar strategy last year by launching the Sprint and that too, sold extremely well but not as well as the SuperSprint. Take a look at the tribute video below to see what the Caterham brand has brought about since the Seven’s birth 60 years ago.

For the first time in a while, Lotus is showing signs of financial stability. This comes after a statement from Lotus Group International Limited (LGIL), saying that it had finished financial year (FY) 2016/17 on plan with a EBITDA profit of £2.0m. This is a marked improvement over the £16.3m EBITDA loss for the same period for the financial year (FY) 2015/2016.

Apart from that, the company has also seen an improvement in Profit Before Tax. This year, it has made a profit of £11.2m, which is a commendable feat considering its dismal £41.2m loss in FY15/16. That said, the bulk of the profit for the FY16/17 came in the second half of the year with a figure of £10m.

Lotus attributes this ‘key’ turnaround to a more streamlined portfolio of sports cars, which includes the Evora, Exige and Elise model range as well as the availability of the new Lotus 3-Eleven. Unlike most automakers, Lotus has stuck to its roots by producing lightweight sports cars with driver enjoyment as the core necessity.

By focusing on its core strengths, the automaker believes that its cars are the finest they have ever been and should pave the way for future investments and developments of new models. And the demand for Lotus vehicles is evident by the company expanding its global markets to include the US. As a result there is now a total of 215 Lotus dealerships in the world compared to 138 that were recorded in 2014.

Speaking of the automaker’s financial feat, Jean-Marc Gales, CEO, Group Lotus plc said, “This is a proud moment for Lotus and to have achieved so much is testament to the hard work of all our staff. Our vastly improved profitability, together with an increase in revenue means that for the first time in many years Lotus is now a self-sufficient and sustainable business.”

Geely’s recent aquistion of Proton, which is Lotus’s parent company, has not changed the governmance of the small scale sports car manufacturer, yet. Though that might soon change as the Chinese giant automaker looks to increase efficiency and synergy between the brands in the near future.

Lotus is beefing up its customer experience programmes with the introduction of the new Lotus Driving Academy, which is slated for launch in August 2017. It is aimed at drivers looking to experience the latest of the manufacturer’s sports cars as well as hone their driving skills on track.

There are various tiers of the programme ranging from the entry level experience through to the intensive ‘Gold’ course. Prices of each vary depending of the depth of involvement, and as a whole, this driving academy is catered to suit those looking to have a fun filled day on track to those eager for a more involving experience and informative track sessions. This will then help enable them to become better drivers/racers.

These ‘experience’ levels are classified into license categories that include ‘Scare Yourself Sensible’, Bronze, Silver, Gold and the top of the range Lotus License. During the course of the training, drivers are taught skills as such power oversteer, heel and toe, a personal evaluation and are given exclusive merchandise to remind themselves of their day.

Speaking of the new school, Jean-Marc Gales, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc, said, “Lotus Driving Academies around the world are hugely popular, giving hundreds of people the opportunity to enjoy the pure driving experience of a Lotus sports car in a high octane environment.”

He went on to say, “This popularity has meant that we already have official Lotus Driving Academies in Malaysia, the USA and France and now a new one at Hethel, the home of Lotus. Only with the Lotus Driving Academy will you get an unbeatable experience on a challenging track in some of the best giant slaying sports cars you can drive.”

Lotus offers a fleet of Exige Sport 350 and Elise Sport 220 sports cars for participants of this new programme. There are even left-hand-drive versions for those who prefer to drive from the wrong side of the car.

All license participants get to to see the Lotus factory, tour the classic Team Lotus facility that houses some of the most memorable vehicles in the company’s history as well as experience a high-speed, on-the-limit ‘demonstration lap’ with one of the instructors.

All driving instructors of the programme have a fair bit of racing experience with a number of them having participated in GT and BTCC racing divisions as well as one from Formula One, which is Martin Donnelly.

Lotus hopes that with this new driving academy, participants get to sharpen their car control skills as well as experience the best that the Hethel based manufacturer has to offer them both on and off track.

Lotus has released a new variant of its Evora sports car called the GT430 and boasting that its the most powerful road going car that it has ever produced. Sporting lightweight carbon-fibre panels and better performance, the car is pipped to be the most exhilarating Lotus on the road right now. In fact, it has even managed to beat the lap time of the super lightweight Lotus 3-Eleven on the manufacturer’s Hethel test track.

Its looks aren’t that dissimilar from other variants that bear the nameplate, however the devil is in the details. It has specially designed body panels that feature exposed carbon weave sections at the front and rear. The front and rear bumper, front splitter, front access panel, roof panel rear wing and tailgate are all made from carbon-fibre.

When placed side by side with the regular version, it becomes apparent that the GTE430 has larger front apertures, a new carbon fibre splitter, air blades and louvers positioned on top of each front wheel arch.

At the rear, aero ducts behind each wheel reduce pressure in the wheel arch, there’s wider Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, and a large rear diffuser. Both are crowned by the large, profiled carbon wing. As a whole, the car generates up to 250kg of downforce through its thoroughly tweaked aerodynamics.

And the extensive use of these lightweight materials has resulted in the car shedding 26kg at 1,258kg making it the lightest Evora produced, lighter still than the anorexic Evora Sport 410. This feat was accomplished despite the addition of 9kg worth of aero kit including the carbon-fibre rear wing as well as larger wheels and tyres.

The car is still powered by the same 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine that produces 430bhp and 440Nm of torque. The increase in torque is a direct result of a new air-to-liquid gearbox cooler which first debuted on the Evora 400.

The engine is mated to 6-speed manual gearbox that features a low inertia, single-mass flywheel. Lotus has also fitted the car with a Torsen-type limited slip differential (LSD) to give it better traction and faster exit speeds during cornering.

Thanks to the performance increase, the car is able to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds and reach a top sped of 305km/h. And the edition of a titanium exhaust system that is 10kg lighter than the standed one, the car seems to hit all the right notes.

As for suspension, the car gets Öhlins TTX two-way adjustable shocks and Eibach Springs which not only offer a 10kg weight saving but provide drivers with better options to fine tune the setup to suit their needs.

Just like the exterior, the cabin incorporates the same carbon theme with the carbon trim panels, carbon race seats and carbon instrument binnacle cover that complement the graphics design on the instrument panel.

There’s the same dynamic stability modes (Drive, Race and Off) that alter the electronic safety systems based on how much control the driver prefers to have over the car.

Despite the extreme weight saving measures that were taken, Lotus still managed to give it a touchscreen infotainment system that offers iPod and bluetooth connectivity functions as well as satellite navigation and reverse camera integration.

The steering wheel, dashboard, door panels, transmission tunnel and centre console are all trimmed in a combination of black Alcantara and perforated leather, with a full leather or full Alcantara trim option available at no additional cost. All trim choices are complemented by contrasting twin colour stitching, in red and white, and matte black interior panels.

Speaking of the car, Jean-Marc Gales, CEO, Group Lotus plc said, “The Evora GT430 is a landmark car for Lotus. It’s a truly beautiful car, meticulously finished in hand-crafted carbon, and employing the latest aerodynamics and lightweight materials. This highly developed vehicle perfectly reflects Lotus’ attention to engineering and design.”

According to Lotus, only 60 of these cars will ever be produced making it one of the rarest Evora cars in the history of the company. We shall have to wait and see if one or two manages to make its way to our shores.

Lotus has introduced a new variant to its featherweight Elise family. Named Sprint edition, the new car adopts new clever weight saving measures that are reminiscent of the good old days when Colin Chapman was running the shop.’

Engineered in and out to be the lightest of the Elise family, the Sprint edition receives new distinctive styling to the exterior and interior of the car. It gets new front and rear aesthetics which are in line with the company’s design language including the lightweight open-gate gear selector mechanism seen on the Exige Sport 350. Other visual changes include bodywork keyed colour inserts for the sports seats, transmission console and HVAC surround, along with Sprint badge stitching. In addition to that, the car also receives an array of optional Alcantara trim panels on the doors, sills, seats and vents surrounds with contrasting stitching.

Improvements to the body include redesigned lightweight front clam panel, wider radiator apertures and mesh pattern grille, rear transom panel with two rear light clusters with reversing and fog lights mounted inboard. Aerodynamics have been tweaked too, with the addition of rubber elements on the flat underside ahead of the front wheel and an additional diffuser vane at the rear to improve air flow.

Lotus boasts that through various weight saving measures, it was able to bring down the overall weight to a mere 798 kg (dry). This was done by utilising lightweight components which include a Lithium-Ion battery (Saves 9kg), carbon race seats (saves 6kg), new lightweight forged alloy wheels (saves 6kg) as well as a carbon access panel, roll hoop cover, engine cover and polycarbonate rear screen that saves 6kg.

Comparatively, the Sprint edition is about 26kg lighter than the previous Sport and Sport 220 models even when fitted with optional two-piece brake discs (4kg lighter). Buyers can either opt for a 1.6-litre engine (134bhp and 160Nm of torque) or a supercharged 1.8-litre (217bhp and 250Nm of torque) one. As such, 0-100km/h for the Elise Sprint is 5.9 seconds and 4.1 seconds for the Elise Sprint 220. Lotus’s acoustic engineers have made some improvements to make the engine note more appealing to the 6 year old in all of us.

Stopping power comes courtesy of AP racing twin-piston calipers and Brembo single-piston rear calipers, however, a lightweight two-piece brake disc setup is also available as an option. Lotus does offer a number of ESP driving modes which are Drive, Sport and Off. The new Elise range which includes the Sprint, retain the same suspension configuration with fully independent double wishbone setup and a front anti-roll bar as well as Bilstein high-performance gas dampers and Eibach Coaxial coil springs for the front and rear.

Despite the lightweight measures, Lotus has still given the Sprint edition a new in-car entertainment system that offers Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, but like most Lotus buyers, the engine note is all the music we need.

The Sprint Edition sits above the the rest of the Elise line up but slots under the Elise Sport 220. Lotus plan on delivering cars to respective customers in April of this year and we hope it lives up to all the weight saving measures Lotus says it has.the hypeLotus says it deserves.

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