Need for speed: Caterham car on display at Lewes British Motorcar Show May 4
When the 18th Annual Lewes British Motorcar Show opens Saturday, May 4, a British sibling of the show’s featured marque, Lotus, will be on display. The British sports car that bears most of the earmarks of its two-seat sports car ancestor Lotus 7 is a 2009 Caterham Super 7 SV. It will be featured as a car of interest at the Lewes Historical Society Complex, Third and Shipcarpenter streets.
“Caterham Car Services in the town of Surry, England, bought the rights to continue building the Lotus 7 from Colin Chapman, who founded Lotus in 1957," said the car's owner, George Alderman."Because Caterham was not permitted to use the Lotus name or badge, the marque became known as the Caterham Super 7 with a badge similar to the Lotus design to mark the heritage.”
The Caterham, trimmed out in traditional Lotus yellow and British racing green colors, is four inches wider and eight inches longer than the original Lotus 7. This car is powered by a Ford Duratec 2.0-liter, all-aluminum engine with a dual cam, 16 valve head. It has a five-speed overdrive transmission. The car’s total weight of 1,500 pounds gives it a power-to-weight ratio of just 8.6 pounds per horsepower, meaning that it is capable of zero to 60 mph in a mere 4.6 seconds.
The Lewes British Motorcar Show is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. finishing with a Winners Circle Parade through downtown Lewes. Preregistration is $15 and day-of-show registration is $25. Show admission is $3 for adults; children under 12 are admitted free.
