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89-614: Caterham Cars Ltd. is a British manufacturer of specialist lightweight sports cars established in Caterham , England, with their headquarters in Dartford , England. Their current model, the Caterham 7 (or Seven), originally launched in 1973, is a direct evolution of the Series 3 Lotus Seven designed by Colin Chapman . In the 1990s the company made the Caterham 21 , a two-seater soft top alternative to

178-483: A Quaife six-speed sequential gearbox replacing the standard Caterham unit used in the R300. As with all series above Academy, it runs on Avon CR500 tyres. The Superlight R500 series is the latest of Caterham Motorsport's Superlight series of RSA Racing cars. Powered by a 2.0-litre Ford Duratec engine producing maximum horsepower (bhp/rpm) of 263 bhp @ 8500rpm and maximum torque (lb.ft/rpm) of 177 lb.ft @ 7200rpm. With

267-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),

356-409: A definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to the inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally,

445-503: A donor car, fabrication or any special skills. Although the Seven has always been popular with enthusiasts outside of the UK marketplace, export of the Seven to other markets has increasingly been limited by homologation , safety and emissions regulations in the modern era. As a result, the chassis/engine combinations, specifications, pricing and kit-form availability vary widely between countries. In

534-483: A fixed roof, doors, radio, air-conditioning, airbags, traction/stability control, ABS , satellite navigation or cruise control. As a result, the Seven is somewhat limited in its practicality for everyday usage and is instead recognised by driving enthusiasts for its focus on driving enjoyment, making it an ideal track/race car or 'Sunday' car. Chapman and Lotus helped to pioneer the British kit car industry. The Lotus Seven

623-487: A much softer version came out called the Seven Clubsport 1.8. The range continued to be developed in the years as a great alternative to someone who wanted a little bit more than a Classic, but less than a Superlight. Roadsport A cars are ex-Academy cars, with no engine upgrades. However a number of performance upgrades such removing the windscreens and lights, widetrack front suspension and uprated dampers are allowed, as

712-523: A power-weight ratio of 568 bhp-per-tonne and a top speed of 155 mph. The CSR chassis comes in two basic trims which mirror those of the S3/SV cars. The 'basic' CSR has a road and touring oriented spec with full windscreen and weather equipment. This is available as the CSR200 (200 bhp) or CSR260 (260 bhp). The CSR Superlight (also 260 bhp) is the current Caterham performance flagship strips away

801-518: A precise legal meaning in the judicial codes of some countries. The equivalent process of testing and certification for conformance to technical standards is usually known as type approval in English-language jurisdictions. In motorsports a vehicle must be type approved by the sanctioning body to race in a given league, such as World Superbike , International Level Kart Racing , or other sportscar racing / touring car racing series. Where

890-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,

979-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like

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1068-476: A racing class requires that the vehicles raced be production vehicles only slightly adapted for racing, manufacturers typically produce a limited run of such vehicles for public sale so that they can legitimately race them in the class. These vehicles are commonly called "homologation specials". The term is also applicable in the Olympic Games , in venue certifications, prior to the start of competition. An issue

1157-557: A supercharged model for a race-series above the R300-class was released, including slick tyres and a sequential gearbox. In September 2013 Caterham made a car called the 620R. It was based on the R500, but was supercharged . This increased the power output to 315 PS (311 hp; 232 kW) at 7,700 rpm and the torque to 219 lb⋅ft (297 N⋅m) at 7,350 rpm. It also reduced the 0–60 mph (97 km/h) time to 2.79 seconds. It has

1246-497: A tubular steel chassis. Nose cone and wings are either GRP or carbon fibre depending on specification. All Sevens are front-engined with rear-wheel drive and two seats. Their extremely high performance is achieved through light weight (less than 500 kg (1,102 lb) on some versions) rather than particularly powerful engines. As well as a lightweight chassis and bodywork, Caterham Sevens achieve their very low mass through their lack of comfort and safety oriented features such as

1335-513: A weight of 506 kg (516 kg) and a sequential gearbox, it is capable of 0–60 mph in 2.88 seconds and a power-to-weight ratio of 520 bhp-per-tonne. Advertised top speed 150 mph. The R500 has been made Top Gear car of the year 2008. In another appearance earlier in the series, it placed fifth on the Power Lap board with a 1:17.9. This time beat the €1,100,000 (£899,000/$ 1,550,000), 1001 hp Bugatti Veyron . In October 2012

1424-496: Is a limited edition with limited production to 25 per annum. In 2010 Caterham offered three different chassis variants in the UK. The most popular variant retains the dimensions and layout of the Lotus 7 Series 3. Caterham introduced this variant in 2000 to accommodate larger drivers (space is restricted in the S3 for drivers over 6 ft (1.8 m) tall.) Although visually very similar to

1513-526: Is a mostly-carbon-fibre bodied Caterham, with Kevlar seats, combined with an "over 500bhp" 2.4-litre, 40-valve supercharged V8 and a reduced body weight of 520 kg (1,146 lb), boasts almost 1,000 bhp (746 kW; 1,014 PS) per tonne (initial announced specifications were 550 bhp (410 kW; 558 PS) and 530 kg (1,168 lb), but the RS website specifies "in excess of 500bhp," and 520 kg (1,146 lb) or 530 kg (1,168 lb);

1602-449: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and

1691-463: Is based on the larger dimensions of the SV but with a substantially revised and stiffer chassis, inboard 'pushrod' front suspensions, fully independent rear suspension, improved aerodynamics, potent Cosworth engines and a new 'integrated' dashboard layout. The most basic version of the 7 was traditionally offered with a 'live' rear axle but now comes with De Dion tube rear suspension found in other models of

1780-494: Is cheap and durable, but has gear ratios meant for a much heavier car. The six-speed gearbox is expensive and had early 'teething' problems, but its ratios are considered the perfect match for the Seven. Independent companies such as Quaife do offer replacement gear kits for the T9 as well as sequential boxes for those with a racing fever and the need for a more robust transmission. The most extreme engine/chassis combination available from

1869-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in

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1958-472: Is professional team support. RSA races at the same events as RSB, but has longer 30-minute races. Roadsport B is largely for drivers that have come through the previous season's Academy. Some minor modifications are permitted to the car, including fitting a rear anti-roll bar and sticky Avon CR500 tyres. Technical support is still provided by the factory, and professional team support is not permitted. RSB has 20-minute races at 7 or 8 'double-header' meetings over

2047-407: The 2012 and 2014 seasons . In 1994 Caterham produced a model called the '21' . Mechanically the 21 was very similar to the 7, using a modified 7 spaceframe chassis with a new GRP roadster-style body, including a wrap-around windscreen and fold-away fabric hood (convertible top) manufactured by Oxted Trimming Company. The 21 benefited from a considerably stiffer setup than a 7, due to the work on

2136-511: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,

2225-534: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over

2314-601: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as

2403-870: The Caterham Midlands showroom operates outside Leicester . In 2012 elements of Caterham Cars moved into a new facility in Leafield , Oxfordshire, where it is expected the new models of cars to be produced in the future will be developed and built. This new facility was formerly used by the Arrows F1 team and the Super Aguri F1 team. The Leafield site also accommodated the Caterham F1 team, which moved from its original base in Hingham, Norfolk and competed in Formula One between

2492-509: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This

2581-460: The K series and carried the 'Xpower' branding. However, the partnership evidently came to an end with the collapse of MG Rover, with the 2005 model introducing a Ford Duratec engine. Typical powerplant output ranges from 140 bhp (104 kW; 142 PS) to over 300 bhp (224 kW; 304 PS), depending on specifications and modifications. The gearbox is either the classic Ford T9 five-speed or Caterham's own six-speed box. The T9

2670-463: The MG F and Lotus Elise , (which both sold many more units). A track-only car, the SP/300.R , a joint project with Lola was released for customer testing in 2010 and was scheduled for release in 2013. Caterham was an independent company until their acquisition by Team Lotus in 2011, leading to the formation of Caterham Group . In 2021, Caterham Cars was acquired by VT Holdings, Japanese importer for

2759-564: The "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States

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2848-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among

2937-486: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after

3026-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by

3115-495: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as

3204-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro

3293-497: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with

3382-407: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . Homologation In today's marketplace, for instance, products must often be homologated by some public agency to assure that they meet standards for such things as safety and environmental impact. A court action may also sometimes be homologated by a judicial authority before it can proceed, and the term has

3471-486: The 21 cars produced in the first year, all were fitted with the Ford Lotus Twin Cam 1557cc engine, with the exception of chassis number 7 which, intended for racing, was fitted with a 1962cc twin cam engine sourced from Alfa Romeo. The Lotus/ Caterham 7 is widely regarded by car enthusiasts and the media as one of the signature sports cars of the 20th century. With 2007 marking the 50th year of continuous production,

3560-496: The Caterham Seven since 2009. Colin Chapman 's Lotus Cars launched the Series 1 Lotus Seven in 1957. The car was immediately embraced by enthusiasts as a low-cost, lightweight sports car and successful race car. Revised Series 2, Series 3 and Series 4 versions were subsequently launched in 1960, 1968 and 1970 respectively. Caterham Cars had been a major Lotus 7 dealer during the 1960s, and its founder, Graham Nearn, purchased

3649-607: The Formula 1 team. Caterham Racing was used by the company to act as a feeder team towards developing racing drivers for the Caterham F1 Team , until the company had to cease operations in both series. Sports car A sports car is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in

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3738-639: The Mazda Rotary engine. Since 2017, several cars have been built with the direct injection turbo Ford Ecoboost 1.6.litre version of this engine which with a hybrid turbo provides more horsepower than Caterham's own supercharged Duratec, and more torque than any factory car including the V8 Levante. In 2001, Caterham designated MG Rover the sole engine supplier for factory-built Sevens, with Ford Zetec, Honda Fireblade, Yamaha R1 and Suzuki Hayabusa engines still available for kit assembly. The Rover engines were based on

3827-460: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include

3916-403: The S3, the SV is longer, taller and wider and has significantly more space for taller and broader drivers with the added benefits of more luggage space, a larger fuel tank and more stability. The SV chassis is 25 kg (55 lb) heavier than the S3. The CSR was launched in 2005 following extensive research and development by Caterham with the objective of creating an improved Seven. The CSR

4005-419: The Seven still enjoys strong support and success in clubman-style racing. Since 2006 Caterham Cars has been run by an ex-Lotus management team led by Ansar Ali (CEO) and Mark Edwards (COO). In June 2012 Ansar Ali announced he was to leave Caterham Cars and Graham Mcdonald (the company's former CFO) became the new CEO. As with its Lotus Seven precursors, Caterhams are constructed of aluminium sheet attached to

4094-490: The UK, the vehicles can be obtained as kits or entirely assembled by Caterham and registered for the road under IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) regulations. In the '60s, the original Lotus Seven was sold only in kit form in both the UK and the US, in order to evade the very high taxes on complete new cars that were not assessed on automobile parts. As of 2014, however, Caterham has named Superformance their official distributor in

4183-455: The US in part-built form and sold as rolling chassis via Superformance's nationwide dealer network for customers to then complete the build personally or through the Superformance dealership. The initial US line-up includes several Caterham Sevens: 280, 360, 480, and the 620R. Until 1987 the offices, factory and showroom of Caterham Cars were located in the town of Caterham, Surrey. In 1987,

4272-488: The United States. International demand has increased dramatically in part due to the addition of a F1 Race team and the changes in Caterham's structure focusing on the distribution of the Seven worldwide. Caterham has since introduced a new model line up and focused on their production and production times to better suit their new international market, making their partnership with Superformance possible. Sevens will be shipped to

4361-479: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The Sports Car: Development and Design The basis for

4450-437: The car's 400 bhp-per-tonne power-to-weight ratio. The Superlight R300 was introduced for 2009, designed to bridge the gap between RSA and the existing Superlight R400 class. It is expected to be popular with experienced RSA racers wanting to move on to the next level in speed. The Superlight R400 series is Caterham Motorsport's premier British championship. The R400 is a 220 bhp Cosworth powered dedicated race car with

4539-488: The car. A 250 bhp (186 kW; 253 PS) Caterham JPE (Jonathan Palmer Evolution) briefly held the world record for production car 0–60 mph times (at 3.4 seconds) until it was bettered by the $ 1.2M McLaren F1 (Nowadays, you can buy one for about 18-20 million dollars). The many aftermarket tuning companies for these cars have also offered the Ford Zetec , Honda Fireblade, Honda Blackbird, Suzuki Hayabusa and even

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4628-567: The chassis and having a full body. Comfort was introduced in the same minimalist style as the 7, adding just enough to make it a proper roadster without adding too much weight. Caterham, however, underestimated the effort involved in creating a completely new car and took far too long from its inception to deliver the first customer cars, seeing many people who had placed deposits defect to the Lotus Elise and other vehicles. Early ones were used as "prototypes", leaving customers to help iron out some of

4717-426: The course of the season, usually all in the UK. The Superlight is intended for track and fast road usage. Superlight spec includes performance options such as carbon bodywork and a close ratio 6-speed gearbox. A wind deflector in place of the windscreen makes a helmet more or less mandatory. The Superlight R400 uses a 2.0 litre Ford Duratec engine tuned to 210 bhp (157 kW; 213 PS). The R400 name indicates

4806-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although

4895-572: The early '90s, Caterham started using powerplants from other sources, with the least expensive models using 1.4-litre K series engines from MG Rover for the base model, and Vauxhall engines including full race versions of the 16 valve 2.0XE "red top" as fitted to 1990 Vauxhall Works Touring Cars. Rover engines span a power output of 110–250 bhp in the R500 Evolution, Vauxhall engines 165 bhp (123 kW; 167 PS) to 320 bhp (239 kW; 324 PS) in some factory built versions of

4984-489: The early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around the world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise

5073-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including

5162-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In

5251-415: The factory as of 2013 was the 620r with the 310bhp / 297Nm engine, bringing the car's 610 kg (1,345 lb) from zero to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 2.79 seconds. The previous model also held a production car world record for zero to 100 mph (160 km/h) back to zero at 10.73 seconds (faster than many modern family saloons can reach 60), set on 27 April 2004. For the 2012 season , Team Lotus

5340-467: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,

5429-516: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in

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5518-629: The foibles of the new car. The 21 never sold particularly well, with only 48 ever made. It had moderate racing success in the Belcar 24-hour series in Europe and is credited with helping Caterham develop the widetrack setup used in SVs (amongst other developments) and the CSR's sweeping interior is reminiscent of the original 21 design. The SP/300.R is a new track-only model designed by Caterham alongside Lola Cars . The SP/300.R

5607-556: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and

5696-507: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)

5785-615: The math may or may not achieve "over 1,000 bhp (746 kW; 1,014 PS) per tonne"). The eight cars, costing £115,000, sold out and only eight will be produced to celebrate more than 50 years in production. Two days' of mandatory "driver training" are included in the price of the car. All of the 2008 model line-up is available as a 'CKD' complete kit for build by the owner, with the exception of CSR models. Historically, engines have been supplied by Ford, specifically Ford Kent engines or Cosworth -derived race-prepared BDA/R units, enlarged to 1.7 litres and generating 150–170 bhp. In

5874-476: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since

5963-544: The most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1

6052-783: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899

6141-624: The past in the United States Caterhams were sold as kits only, lacking some modern safety features required of manufacturers, but which are not required for individually assembled vehicles. Buyers could either choose to construct the cars themselves or pay their regional dealers or local builders to assemble them. Typically the engine and transmission are sourced separately as a unit – often from Caterham – but all other components (including frame, suspension, differential, driveshaft, interior, wiring and instruments) were provided in kit form. In

6230-451: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911

6319-449: The production and administration of the company moved to a new factory in Dartford, Kent . Caterham Cars retained a Caterham South showroom and servicing facility in the town of Caterham adjacent to the railway station until February 2013. The Caterham dealership closed after the premises were sold for development and the showroom relocated to temporary facilities in Crawley. Additionally

6408-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in

6497-534: The rights to continue manufacture of the Seven design from Chapman in 1973, after Lotus announced its intention to discontinue the model. Caterham initially restarted manufacture of the Lotus Seven Series 4; however, when this proved unpopular, production switched to a Series 3 model in 1974. In 1974, under the name of Seven Cars Limited, Caterham built 20 production cars with chassis numbers 1 to 20 and one prototype, with chassis number 0 (CS3 3550 – CS3 3570). Of

6586-452: The same range. This trim level strips away all non-essential equipment and comforts. Roadsport is the trim level intended for general usage, different weather conditions and touring. The spec includes a full windscreen and weather equipment to increase practicality. A large range of performance options are available. The Roadsport dates back to 1996 when it was called the Superlight R, in 1998

6675-545: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired

6764-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as

6853-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as

6942-473: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type

7031-491: The windscreen, integrated dash and other comfort-oriented components for maximum performance, with specialist 'Dynamic dampers' added to improve its already phenomenal grip. The 'basic' CSR set an unofficial time of 1.17.4 on the BBC Top Gear test track at Dunsfold, placing it ahead of many of the world's most expensive performance cars. The 'Caterham Levante', built by RS Performance Engine Developments Ltd. (RS=Russell Savory),

7120-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with

7209-671: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won

7298-609: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in

7387-485: Was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture

7476-468: Was offered in kit form to allow buyers to avoid new car tax in the UK. Subsequently, Caterham continued offering cars in 'complete knock down' (CKD) kit form as the tradition of hand building your own Seven was well established amongst enthusiasts. Today, all Caterham Sevens are still offered in kit form in the UK except the CSR (Series 6) model. Modern Caterham kits differ from the majority of kit cars as all parts are supplied ready to assemble, not requiring

7565-510: Was officially renamed Caterham F1 Team . The team continued to compete under this name in the 2013 and 2014 seasons , before financial problems caused it to fold. Between 2012 and 2014, Caterham raced in the GP2 series, under the guise Caterham Racing , which was rebranded from the Caterham Air Asia team that raced in the 2011 season. The team raced under the same Green and Yellow livery as

7654-678: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for

7743-654: Was raised at Cesana Pariol —the bobsleigh , luge , and skeleton track used for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin —over its safety in luge. This delayed homologation of the track from January 2005 to October 2005 in order to achieve safe runs during luge competitions. In towed water sports, tournaments must adhere to homologation requirements set by the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation in order to qualify as ranking. In speed climbing , in order for world, continental or national records to be recognised by

7832-662: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as

7921-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of

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