The raw figures will grab the headlines, but it's the manner in which this performance is applied that truly impresses. The suspension system is all new: Double wishbones are featured all-round with inboard-mounted, pushrod-activated coilover spring and damper units. An anti-roll bar resides at the front but not the rear, and a limited-slip diff is a 750 ($1,419) option targeted at track-day fanatics. The tires are supplied by Avon and measure 245mm at the rear.
This setup was fine-tuned by Lotus chassis guru and ex-F1 racer John Miles. Miles has been involved in some of the best damped cars ever made-Elise and Vanquish included-but the CSR is his finest work yet. Such a lightweight car has no right to ride this well. The imperfections that are a feature of every English backroad go almost unnoticed. You spot them in the road ahead but their impact is not transmitted to the carbon seats. It's truly extraordinary and inspires huge confidence.
In the old car, you always felt like you were traveling 30 mph faster than you actually were, but in the CSR the opposite is true. A cursory eye on the speedo is required if you're to stay on the sensible side of legality. The grip from the Avons is immense, at least in the dry, and the rear needs to be provoked before it will indulge in a satisfying slide.
The Caterham's ground covering ability is immense but that's not to say it's become soft, or that it's any less engaging than the full-bore R500. The steering, which boasts just two turns from lock-to-lock, chats away like a teenager on a first date. The throttle response is so instant a delicate right foot is called for and the brakes stop proceedings with racecar vigor. You need to drive this car, but it rewards the skilled like no other.
After a riotous morning in the road car, it came time for some fun and frolics at the UK's Cadwell Park circuit. Caterham's race series are some of the most hotly contested on the planet and the new CSR will be the racing flagship. This car on slicks is a mighty tool that demands concentration and skill in equal measure. The grip in the dry is simply astonishing and it takes provocation or carelessness to unsettle the rear. It has become a clich to talk about a Caterham being "a single-seater for the road," but on the track the statement is more appropriate than ever. The sight of 30 of these cars all approaching the first corner together will be a must-see for motor racing fans the world over.
Such a talented toy does come doesn't come cheap. The road-going CSR 200 costs a profligate 28,500, while the 260 will deprive your rear pocket of 34,000 ($64,389) or nearly 37,000 ($70,027) in the spec tested. That's huge money for a car with a pressed-stud roof, a tiny boot and next to no creature comforts. For those who balk at the price, the De Dion car will continue and is priced from 15,450 ($29,241) in the UK. Caterham is currently negotiating to bring the CSR into the United States and the latest information will be available at www.uscaterham.com.
Expensive it is, but for those with the cash to spare the CSR offers a heady dose of motoring nirvana. It may continue to look like a refugee from the 1960s, but this eccentric British car is now one of the most exciting and accomplished sports cars of this or any other time.
Caterham CSR 260
DrivetrainLongitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine2.3-liter inline four, dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder
TransmissionSix-speed manual
SuspensionDouble wishbones front and rear, coilover springs and dampers, anti-roll bar (f)
BrakesFour-wheel disc brakes
PerformancePeak Power: 260 bhp @ 7500 rpmPeak Torque: 200 lb-ft @ 6200 rpm
0-60 mph: 3.1 sec.Top Speed: 155 mph