2012 Caterham Superlight R400

2012 Caterham Superlight R400 Super 7 In the age of electric cars, 1,000 horsepower is almost commonplace. The acceleration can be thrilling, but when you get on a backroad you can't hide the enormous weight these vehicles require. But there are other ways to get mind boggling acceleration - just remove the weight. Caterham are experts in this area. For decades, this small English company has been building their own variant of the Lotus 7 - a small sports car that dominated circuit racing in the 1950s - but with modern performance in mind. Of the many models they offer the Superlight R400 is without a doubt one of the most exciting. This 2012 Caterham Superlight R400 Super 7 was built by Caterham USA and shows just 2,749 miles. Finished in Titanium Silver, this car tips the scales at a scarcely believable 1,240 lbs. The open wheeled sports car has been fit with the Superlight carbon fiber wing protectors, sill protectors, windscreens and rear view mirrors - all paint matched to the deep gray body color. It sits on a set of lightweight 13-inch wheels, wrapped in Avon R-compound tires. On this car, the eyes are immediately drawn to the side exhaust on the passenger side that provides a great sound when underway. A black metal roll-over bar both stiffens the chassis and adds some extra safety to this convertible. The interior is wrapped in red leather and is as simple and purposeful as you would expect for a car of this type. Remove the suede-wrapped Momo steering wheel for easier entry and drop into the driver's seat. You are met with a large speedometer and tach just in front of you, with a row of shift lights perched atop the dashboard - perfect for time on the track. To your left and right are a slew of buttons to control everything from blinkers to the horn, and in front of the passenger are a trio of auxiliary gauges for temperatures and fuel level. The center tunnel is topped with a unique almost carbon-fiber-look leather, and the shift lever for the 6-speed gearbox falls perfectly to hand from the steering wheel. Under the hood sits a 2.0-liter Ford Duratec with dual overhead cams and fuel injection. Although its factory-rated 210 horsepower and 150lb-ft of torque may not blow you away on paper, when paired with a car this light, the car is an absolute rocket ship. This car has also been treated to a Caterham roller barrel throttle body upgrade kit that offers an estimated 10 horsepower bump, bringing the total to 220, and a Caterham dry-sump system has also been up-fitted for absolute reliability on track. Power is sent through a 6-speed manual transmission, through a limited-slip differential to the rear wheels. Not only has Car & Driver clocked this car's 0-60 mph sprint in just 3.7 seconds, the car can pull over 1 G in cornering on the skidpad. If you're looking for a car that can provide thrills in a straight line, out corner nearly any other performance car and looks like nothing else on the road - this is your car. It may not be packed with tech wizardry, but for the real driver who is looking for a car to get their adrenaline pumping every time they slide behind the wheel, it's hard to imagine something that would check those boxes better. Key Features 1,240lb Curb Weight 2.0-L Ford Duratec DOHC Inline-4 210 Horsepower / 150lb-ft of Torque Caterham Throttle Body (+10 HP = 220hp) Dry Sump upgrade kit 6-Speed Manual Transmission Limited-Slip Differential Header w/ Side Exhaust 13-Inch Lightweight Wheels Avon R-Compound Tires Widetrack Steering Rack Uprated Brakes Nitron Adjustable Coil-overs Carbon Fiber: Wing Protectors Wind Screens Rear View Mirrors Carbon Superlight Dashboard Display </l...