Affluent motorists hit by the recession are ditching their supercar rides in favor of a taste of classic British motoring.
Caterham Cars has become an unusual beneficiary of the economic downturn with an increasing number of owners downsizing their six-figure chargers in favor of pre-owned, but ironically faster, versions of the legendary Seven.
The flagship CSR260, with its fully independent rear and inboard F1-style front suspension, is proving the most popular model amongst those more accustomed to the latest offering from Ferrari, Aston Martin and Porsche.
During the last month alone, a Ferrari 430 and a Porsche 911 Turbo were just two of the cars owners traded in favor of models from the niche sportscar maker.
The Headline Numbers |
| Aston Martin DBS | Ferrari 430 | Caterham CSR260 |
| Engine | 6-liter V12 | 4.3-liter V8 | 2.3 -liter Cosworth |
| Horsepower | 510bhp | 483bhp | 260bhp |
| Top Speed | 191mph | 197mph | 155mph |
| Acceleration 0-60 | 4.2 secs | 3.5 secs | 3.1 secs |
| Weight | 1,695kg | 1,450kg | 575,g |
| Torque | 570Nm | 465Nm | 271Nm |
| Gearbox | 6-speed manual | 6-speed manual | 6-speed manual |
| Power-to-Weight | 301bhp/ton | 333bhp/ton | 452bhp/ton |
| PRICE | $245,000 | $204,000 | $51,500 |
While the cost of the Caterham might constitute `downsizing', the performance certainly doesn't, with the CSR260's mighty 452bhp per ton exceeding the power-to-weight ratio of its more expensive brethren.
Caterham Cars Managing Director, Ansar Ali, said: "The Seven has always delivered the sort of performance and engineering you'd expect in a supercar, but at a fraction of the price.
"With motoring getting ever more costly for all motorists, those driving cars built by traditional supercar makers are clearly still hankering after the buzz of driving a performance car and, with the power to weight ratio of our cars outstripping the competition, a Caterham is an intelligent choice in terms of price and driver satisfaction."
Please visit www.caterham.co.uk or call (883) 333-700.