(Mon 14 Apr 08)

Sports car manufacturer Caterham has revived the old R500 name for its new car, one of the fastest the company has ever produced.

The Caterham Seven Superlight R500 uses a modified two-litre Ford Duratec engine producing a maximum of 263bhp. Thanks to a weight-saving programme on a car which already seemed to have not so much as an unneccessary ounce on it, the R500 weighs just 506kg, and with the available power it has a claimed top speed of 150mph (exceptional considering how unaerodynamic the shape is) and a 0-62mph time of just under three seconds.

Uprated brakes, advanced suspension and Avon CR500 tyres help to keep everything under control, and there are other niceties such as keyless ignition, a quick-release Momo steering wheel and a Stack digital instrument display.

In "standard" form the R500 costs £36,995, but if you want to get really serious about this there are several options intended for trackday use: a sequential gearbox (to replace the regular six-speed manual) at £2950, launch control at £350, a carbon induction airbox at £450 and Eibach springs and dampers (similar to those used in the Caterham C400 race series) at £1250.

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