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There's not much meat in this article, but it seems Ben Lord of Inverurie, near Aberdeen, is setting a small factory making Seven-esque racing cars. This particular one has a 400bhp Chevrolet engine and will do 0 to 60 in about 3.9 seconds, which is speedy enough. Read the story and watch the video.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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The latest KTM X-Bow newsletter is out and among the highlights is that the first production X-Bow was delivered to its owner on 6th August, just two and half years are after the car was first announced. To add to the celebration, it's the first car to be produced in Austria for over 50 years.
And if you want to strap into the X-Bow yourself, KTM are organising an "Orange Experience" at Silverstone later in the month. You can sign up online if you are interested.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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The Macclesfield Express reports on Graeme Smith 's superb run of title wins after taking two podiums in the Caterham Graduates at Anglesey last weekend. With still three races to go, the championship was his after seven wins, including two at Silverstone.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Erin Baker is reporting her progress in The Daily Telegraph Caterham Academy and it seems from her blog that last week's race at Silverstone didn't go that well. The full report will be in the The Telegraph later in the month (Saturday 23rd she reckons) so keep your eyes out for it.
More details of the race weekend and the results are available at Caterham's website.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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The Evening Gazette mentions in passing that David Headon seriously crashed his Caterham R400 at Mallory Park last week. It seems that he's ok but I didn't hear anything else about it on the 'net. Anyone any details or video?
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Given the success of the Dutch Academy series, it seems only natural that Caterham would announce a second series of racing in 2009. Consequently the Seven manufacturer is taking orders for next year, which is expected to be fully booked in short order.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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T3 has reviewed the Caterham R500 and reckons it is the "biggest hit of bowel-slackening adrenaline you can buy on four wheels". Who am I to argue?
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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A lightweight article over at Australian Car Advice informs us that footie player Jason Culina has bought an Elfin MS8 after being "blown away by its performance". You can read the rest of the story in five seconds.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Another post, another Locost build site. This time, it's Blake's Lucky 7 - he's been building the car since March of '08 and from the pics it looks like he's got the frame together and is now working on the suspension. Good luck.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Australia's Elfin has reproduced a head-to-head shoot out between four of the hottest cars around that orginally featured in May's Tarmac Magazine. Of the Clubman, it says that it's "like poking a lion with a stick." 'Nuff said.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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The latest KTM X-Bow newsletter is now available online, featuring the X-Bow's performance in the 24hr race at Spa-Francorchamps.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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If you need an excuse to pick up a copy of GQ, now's your chance. The September issue has a review with Ken Okuyama of Pininfarina who was commissioned to create a car for TAG Heuer. The end result looks a bit like an Aerial Atom with clothes on. More info here too.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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The Lotus Owners Gathering (LOG) 28 was held a few weeks ago in and around Indiana so there are loads of photos of exotic cars, including a few Sevens. Looks like a good time was had by all.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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British Columbia to be exact. Caterham's official distributor isSuper 7 Cars Inc. based in Chemainus, BC, Canada and they seem to be producing a fairly stonking Seven called the Super 7 GSX
1300R "Hayabusa". There's plenty of info on their website and there's also a news article in the local community website. Good luck with the expansion plans, guys.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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I generally don't post links to videos of erratically driven Se7ens but as there aren't many RAW Sylva Strikers around, I'll let this one past. Don't get your hopes up, it's fairly ordinary anyway.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Ok, so the review isn't actually a head-to-head between a Caterham 7 and a Pagani Zonda but as the Evo test driver seems to be the main user of a Zonda, comparisons are inevitable. Of couse, there's no real comparison - ones a super car and the other is supercar.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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At the London Motor Show this year, you can step outside to enjoy the Westfield Active Drift Experience. For five pounds you can be driven sideways round a tight circuit by the resident pro driver. Sounds life fun. More info over at Car magazine.
Update: The Express and Star has a second review plus a video.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Evo magazine have in-car footage from Roger Greene's Westfield at Castle Coombe. It's pretty good if you want to see a race from start to finish.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Probably of very dubious legality but there's a video on-line called the Secret Life of Colin Chapman. No, it's not salacious tale of his private life but a documentary on his work at Lotus, his rise and eventual fall.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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IFR Automotive debuted its new car, the Aspid, at the British International Motor Show in London. This is definitely a presitge Se7en, starting at £75,000 with each car customised to the purchaser. The prototypes ran 2.0l engines, developing 270bhp as standard, with a supercharger option taking it to 400bhp in car weighing just 700kg.
Deliveries are expected to start next summer.
There are some pictures of the Aspid at the show. Looks good if you like a roof with your Se7en.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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| At the Swansea MC hill climb at Llys y Fran, Simon Rogers piloted his Caterham R400 to take second place behind Henryk Kozlowski in a Jedi single seater, losing out by just under two seconds. Good stuff.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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| August's newsletter from Race Technology demos the DL1 data logger, offers training courses on data logging and announces that their technology has been selected for the Powerboat P1 World Championships. Nice. Click on More>>> to read the newsletter. |
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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In response to the Forrestburn photo, the photographer Giles Guthrie got in touch to say that the driver's name is Craig Nicol and that there's even better picture of him at Doune. And he's right.
As before, photo by Giles Guthrie.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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While I'm catching up on the build sites, an honourable mention has to go to Jam's Tiger Avon build site, which is actually the first Tiger build site that I know about - Jam actually provides some links to a few others.
Anyhow, good selection of text and piccies, with some screenshots of his Megasquirt setup.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Aerosam has been blogging the build of his Locost BMW V8 for a month or two now with around ten posts and pics. If you are interested, head on over for a read. He's a bit stumped at the moment and could do with some help.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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| Definitely off-topic, but if you need some relaxation, why not try Lotus 7 Yoga.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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The Birmingham Post has an interetesting article on Westfield adopting lean manufacturing techniques. Apparently this led to changes in the way the assemby area is run and the results have been impressive. Westfield are now rolling the concept out to other areas of the business.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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| According to the Nidderdale Herald (http://www.nidderdaleherald.co.uk/sport/Harewood-Hillclimb-to-stage-Montague.4345063.jp) , it's going to be a busy Sunday at Harewood Hillclimb with Montague Burton Trophy meet. This takes in rounds from no less than four championships, including the Lotus 7 Club Speed Championship. Should be a good day's motorsport.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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| Caterham is now offering insurance for Sevens and while I haven't read all the fine print, it appears that they are offering three days of trackday cover, which is a nice touch. They'll also cover modifications, too. GB only I should imagine.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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According to reports on the BBC's and The Independent's websites, it looks as though the remake of The Prisoner will finally go ahead. Rumour has it that Patrick McGoohan will make a cameo apprearance but no new yet on what will replace the Lotus 7 as his car of choice.
The article at the Independent covers the background to both the show and Portmeirion quite well - worth a read.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Autocar have a "first drive" review of the new Caterham 7 Superlight R500. In particular they mention the six speed sequential gearbox and the launch control.
They like it. They like it alot - "The R500 is not just back;
it's better in every respect."
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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In Aintree Sprint last weekend, the Se7ens were out in force with the Westfield class being won by John Loudon and Mark Wallwork's Dax Rush Quadra doing the business in the Over 1700 class. Well done.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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You knew it was going to happen sooner or later. An electric Caterham 7 has been finally put together...and they seem to have done a reasonable job. The electric car, called ThoRR, has been created by Evisol using a 272 hp motor. Allegedly it'll do 0-60 in 3 seconds but no word on top speed or range.
There are good pictures and a video on the ThoRR site.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Auto Express are running a competition to win a Caterham driving weekend up in Scotland. Closing date is 8th May and the competition question is a doddle.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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There's a good picture of a Seven steaming along at Forrestburn. If you are the driver, let us know how you got on.
Photo by Giles Guthrie.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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There's a lightweight review of the 2007 Caterham Roadsport over at
LifeTime Sports . Nothing out of the ordinary.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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| Although I can't currently see it in the online store, Caterham have announced a DVD "Fifty Years of the Seven" celebrating all that it is the Seven, from its early days as the Lotus Seven, right through to the modern day incarnations. Bargain at £19.99.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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There's a great picture of a Westfield getting
a bit sideways in a race at Outlon Park over on a Fickr. While you are
there, check out some of the other pictures from the same photographer, Matt
Smith.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Contrary to popular opinion, I haven't been abducted by aliens and I am still alive. The reason that I haven't been blogging is that my wife and I now have a little baby girl and she's been taking up all of my spare time. I will try and return as time permits but babies are just such time sinks.
Keep it between the hedges.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Yet another Seven-esque vehicle which I knew nothing about, comes from Czech manufacturer Kaipan. The current version is the 57 and much like a Caterham Seven, comes in varying kit configurations and uses the VW-Audi 1.8l engine as found in the Skoda Octavia (and several other cars from the VAG group). Looking at the pictures in the photogallery, the cars look pretty good.
There was also a Kaipan 47 of which about 50 cars were produced, though it's now discontinued.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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This isn't a real build, but rather the assembly of 1:43 scale Lotus 7 model. The detail is quite astonishing and you can see the finished model as well. I love the tiny chassis.
I can't find a website for the kit manufacturer, MEA, but here's a picture of the some of the Lotus 7 models.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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| Accelerate appears to be a free motoring magazine published out of Weston Super Mare in the UK. It's got two reviews of the Caterham R300 and R400 which generally say great car but somewhat impractical for day-to-day use.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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September's Caterham Life (2.5MB PDF) is now available from Caterham's website. Highlights this month include 50th Anniversary Celebration, editorial from the Managing Director and Bayswatch 2007. All in all, six pages of Seven goodness.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Although I missed this at the time, a bunch of Caterham and Lotus Sevens drove from Land's End to John O'Groats to raise £5000 for Leukaemia Research. The convoy of fifteen cars started on Saturday 18th August from Land's End, reaching John O'Groats on the Monday. In the end, the event raised over £7500 and I'm sure further donations would be welcomed. See the LEJoG website for details.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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Not sure of all the details, but it looks like there was a Se7ens run up the Pacific coast from California all the way up to British Columbia. Anyway, couple of good photos.
Yes, I know it's a Lexus-based bulletin board.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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In the Motul Tour Britannia, Joe Twyman and Oliver Bryant were just off the podium after finishing fourth overall in their Lotus 7 S3. This presitigious three day tour for historic cars takes in Brands Hatch, Brooklands, Donington Park and Oulton Park to name but a few and they were up against some stiff competition from Ferraris, Porsches and Alfas.
Dates for 2008 will be announced shortly.
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| Posted by AndrewP at | | | |
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