FIRST LOOK: Caterham Project V: 268bhp electrified lightweight
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- Опубликовано: 28 май 2024
- Here’s some big British news for you - Caterham has unveiled a car with an actual roof. There’s more to the Project V concept than just its coupe shape of course, but for Caterham a tin top is a very big deal.
Looking a bit like a cross between the Caterham C120 (the sports car that never was thanks to a failed joint-project with Alpine) and the Jannarelly Design-1 (Caterham’s recently appointed chief designer is none other than Anthony Jannarelly), Project V is a small, lightweight and simple EV. Sounds promising.
At just over 4.2m long, 1.2m tall and a little under 1.9m wide, it’s obviously a fairly hefty departure from the Seven, but thankfully Caterham hasn’t been drawn into the bonkers electric hypercar power war. So, a single, rear-mounted motor sends just 268bhp to the rear wheels and there’s a 55kWh lithium-ion battery that can rapidly charge at 150kW. That should mean a 20 to 80 per cent top-up in 15 minutes and a range of around 249 miles.
The all-important weight figure? Thanks to a carbon fibre and aluminium composite chassis, plus composite body panels, Caterham is targeting 1,190kg - almost exactly the same as the combustion-engined Alpine A110. 0-62mph should take less than 4.5 seconds and top speed should be around 143mph.
To find out more about Caterham’s future, join Top Gear Magazine’s Tom Ford for a full tour around Project V, guided by Caterham’s CEO, Bob Laishley.
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:23 A Closer Look at Project V
04:01 Caterham CEO Bob Laishley
06:20 Why choose a 'modest' hp?
08:19 Why this design?
09:28 The battery pack
11:00 The interior
14:15 Conclusion
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This is the first electric vehicle that’s actually appealed to me. Small, lightweight, fun, not too much power, not focused on 0-60 or lap times, simple interior and looks great.
yes! 268 hp, enough.
Didn’t lotus do something like this years ago?
@@nunyabidness3075 tesla did with the og roadster in 2008 on a stretched widened lotus Elise chassis. 👍🏻😎
And it's a breath of fresh air to see that they didn't go crazy with slapping a big ass laptop screen on the dashboard.
Same here, would be perfect!
Finally an ev that doesn’t focus on hp or 0-60 something that actually focuses on drivers experience and lightweight
See the og 2008 tesla roadster which could outperform this 15+year's ago already. 👍🏻😎
You mean like the super (not) cool Lucid?
@@4literv6 elon fanboy spotted
Light weight but not great range half of lucid air about. Plus driving experience is very much about performance to some degree. This is a beautiful car. Let's see if it makes it to customers
I was gonna comment "Yeah Dood, Lightweight > The Air I Breathe" but seeing these comments made me back out😬
If future has to be electric, then this is the sports car I want to drive and own. Not those 1000hp 2 ton monsters with a million touch screens.
Tesla model s is actually 4 tons it's worse
You got it spot on. I wouldn't mind electric cars if they focused on driving feel rather than being a computer on wheels that is full of gimmicks and appeals to middle aged moms. Just give me a simple fun sports car like an mx5 or gt86 but replace the engine with electric motors and i'd be happy
This is basically a lotus or mx-5 coupe. I applaud the effort. Simplicity is under appreciated.
Looks gorgeous inside and out. Hope it makes it to production without too many changes.
Just wait until you hear the price at release
@@verhu010 80,000 GBP sounds about right, an expensive unique sports car.
It looks like the tiny Hillman Imp based Ginetta G15. From 1968.
Owned a Caterham 7 for many years, and loved driving it. This concept car looks amazing, and I agree with other commenters on my relief that they're not focusing on 0-60 but on making this a true drivers' car. 80K is a lot, but even so, it's hard to complain when it's in a class by itself. Well done.
I absolutely love this from Caterham! From the looks, the weight, retro, philosophy, style, and the simplicity, especially loving the dashboard, switches, etc. Also, Caterham our being smart, thinking about future battery technology, and incorporating this into their design. Team from the designer, owner have really paid close attention to detail, not bothered by being the fastest but simply designing a car for people who love to drive. And even more kudos this coming from a small company that doesn't have the resources like the big players like Porsche, Volkswagen and being able to pull this beauty off.
Even Gordon Murray, i think, would definitely approve. Well done, Caterham, for putting hope in the era and transition to EV from the combustion engine. Hopefully it will drive as well as it looks.
Finally, an EV you can actually be excited to look forward to coming in the near future.
Well done Caterham
It's perfect except bloated price
@boringsoaring I guess it's understanding Caterham is a smaller company even compared to the likes of Lotus. Personally, I think it looks totally georgous, and if it drives as well as it looks, I think 80k isn't as crazy as it first might seem. Believe me, 80k is a lot of money, but this is the first EV I've seen apart from Mazda concept that I actually wouldn't mind owning. If Caterham were a larger manufacture yes the cost would properly be like 60-65k. However, no manufacturer would take the risk to do what they have created here so you wouldn't get anything like this, which makes it all the more special.
Guess only time will tell, but Im so glad they created what they did, and hopefully, the production version will be virtually identical regarding styling, etc.
The company deserves to do well!
That’s a very good looking car. There’s something about it that resemblances Aston Martin
( You Just Made My Mind Up 4 me Abt this Car!’) you Hit It Right On the Nose😇Smart Guy myFriend
Well done Caterham. Simple, light weight, fun to drive. Everything Lotus used to be.
If the Caterham 7 is the better sequel of the Lotus Super Seven, this looks like a better sequel of Lotus' Tesla Roadster
I think this is one of the most beautiful cars I’ve seen for a very long time - fantastic effort Caterham, i hope it works out for you!
I think the concept is absolutely brilliant. TIcks all the boxes, has enough power (can be easily upgraded by them also for future editions), has no nonsense, lovely designed interior and "infotainment". So they really should make this
But the price? It doesn’t add up
I really like it but I was not expecting 80k price tag. Given the simplicity I was hoping for 40 to 60k
You dont get much in that price range these days - You are looking at a 3 series, certainly not a low production handbuilt sportscar.
Small niche production
You're not going to get both a composite tub and body, and a near-prototype electric drivetrain for 40-60k.
Carbon fibre is still expensive unfortunately
the car is built around an aluminium chassis though @@Marc-zi4vg
As always Tom Ford delivers something special. The best Motor journalist there is. A proper journalist! And yes Caterham shows that an EV sports car is possible. It's not all 0-60 at snap neck pace. For proper drivers this could be the one! 💪🤞👌
The very first Tesla, was an electric Lotus Elise. Which was a proper EV sports car.
Thank you Caterham, for designing a simple, yet stunning & exciting car in a world of overdesigned cars with 20 spoilers, 6 splitters, 150 fake air intakes ... Finally some good design!
Reminds me a bit of Gordon Murray's T50 with the beautiful clean shape design which I love.
The front reminds me a lot about the Jaguar C-X75's front. The whole car looks lovely.
I remember the C-X75...very cool concept
It's the same designer behind the Design-1
Whoever designed this knows what great looking cars should look like. This looks absolutely beautiful!.......it looks like an Aston Martin.
why are people so fixated on hp numbers ,jesus, 260 is more than enough in such a lightweight car. I think this approach of lightweight and manageable power is great !
We need an autocross beast! Lightweight, instant torque, quick charging low range high discharge energy pack. Right now the Tesla model 3 performance is very competitive in autocross even when it’s specs make you think it shouldn’t be.
Amazing! Never would have predicted anything like this from Caterham. Absolutely gorgeous and I love their focus on weight and the driving experience.
And a surprisingly wonderful design upgrade from the Janarelly Design-1. You can see the DNA from the Design-1 to this, but it's a remarkable transformation. The Design-1 seemed to have a lot of design baggage in it's effort to reflect "automotive history." This design takes from the Design-1 what worked from a more objective design aesthetic, without regard to the weight of history, and upgraded it. A stunning upgrade and one of the best looking (potential/possible/fingers-crossed) cars on the road.
And I love the interior. By reducing everything to the essentials (wake up Tesla, your shit sucks for the driver) in a functional way, they've put together a driver's compartment for that ages. As he says, "You don't need anything else." That is an interior that other "sport oriented" manufacturers should look as the model.
Left hand drive and for cheap in the U.S., please, asking for a friend....
I think it's stunning. Beautiful, light, fast enough, and timeless interior and packaging. If it handles as well it looks, it'll be such a winner.
This is the first electric car other than the new RX7 that gave me the "I could see me buying this" well done!.Bonus points for not putting screens everywhere and keeping it simple
Quite like the lightweight approach here! Well done! Finally a electric car which isn't 1.7 tons
Just like the more powerful and quicker 0-60mph, longer range&similar weight 2008 tesla roadster on a lotus Elise stretched&widened chassis.
@@4literv6 yeah, but this is good looking, a Tesla Roadster not.....Be sure that brilliant Lotus chassis ist best with around 750kg and a petrol engine behind you :)
I thought lotus emira was sexy but this.. my goodness i am in love
Agreed, I have an Emira, which is stunning, this is just as good looking, the first EV to actually look like a proper sports car.
Gotta admit, his answers to the questions were really good and well thought out.
This is brilliant! I've been waiting for someone to really challenge the trend of EVs just being big, heavy cars with 1000hp that are uncomfortably fast in a straight line. I love the design, the elegant simplicity and am excite to see what people think when they can get behind the wheel. The interior is 10/10 also, only the things you need and just clean. Love it.
What a gorgeous little sportscar!😍 Shades of CX75 and GMA T33 in its design cues.👌Nice one Caterham!👍👏👏👏
To my eyes, much more beautiful than the T.33. Never gonna be as engaging to drive but then again, it is 20x cheaper so there is that…
Beautiful and lightweight so it is not just some straightline monster
Caterham, please build this car!
I hope Caterham the very best and hope this car becomes a reality.
This is the first EV that I would truly love to own. A car that is still unashamedly focused on the joy of driving. Lightweight, brilliant handling and no unnecessary paraphernalia.
This is the way it should be. Thank you Caterham ❤
I love the styling, I love the simplicity, I love the thinking behind it and I love the concept. Unfortunately with cars like the MX-5 and GR86 about for a lot less, does this car appeal enough to justify the price? Maybe in 2026 it will but I think the market will be very limited at that price point.
All that said I think Caterham have done a great job here and I hope other manufacturers follow suit and volume brings prices of cars like this down.
battery tech is improving so future versions could have lighter, more energy dense and faster charging batteries, making it even better
I like the philosophy behind this , every aspect is beautifully designed. I hope it goes into production. I think they have a winner on their hands.
So many things to like about this car. I love that we still have tactile dials and switches! I abhor the tacked on Ipad-screen "simplicity" that many oddly believe is modern/smart.
I think the car is absolutely gorgeous. If I had the means, I'd buy one in a second.
This with an A110 and 718T would be a great line up.
There aren’t many automotive company CEO interviews that leave me with a feeling that the person was just telling the truth, rather than spewing marketing drivel. Kudos!
The original Tesla Roadster from 2008 had a Curb weight of 2,877 lb (1,305 kg) according to Wikipedia. In the beginning it came with 248 horsepower and in 2010 it was upgraded to 288 horsepower. It did 0-60 inn 3.7 seconds. All in all extremely similar to this car eventhough it was launched 15 years ago. I don't know about range though.
It managed 245 in EPA testing. I need this Caterham.
it certaintly looks good but what about the sound? @@allandodge4636
Back to the beginnings of EVs, indeed!
I wish Tesla had kept building the Roadster as a side project. I'd be happy with a new one with the base rwd Model 3 powertrain and half the batteries.
And it had all the creature comforts of a Lotus Elise. Which meant it was a lot more creature than comfort.
Beautiful! This is the British sports car I need! I would love to drive a 7 but it could only ever be a toy (I can't turn up for work as a butler soaking wet with flies in my teeth). This is practical but also track-day ready. Reminds me of great British sports cars of the past like the MGB and TR6 let's hope they make it.
Dammit I fell in love with an EV
What a shame it doesn't have an ICE power-train.
Gorgeous looking car. Reminds me of the Jaguar C-X75
Wow, Caterham... wow ...
This ticks ALL the boxes.
Lightweight ✓
Handling ✓
Functional ✓
Simple, yet beautiful Exterior design ✓
Simple, yet beautiful Interior design ✓
Usable performance ✓
Designed and engineered for weight balance ✓
Below 100K starting (80K) ✓
Great range vs Power ✓
This might be the best new electric car ever made for driving enthusiasts.... ✓
Caterham, you better build this. And build a lot. And make it available across the pond in the US.
😎
I love everything about this video. Everything that CEO is saying is just spot on. Thank you so much for this!! I really like what he said about the performance. It is getting really easy to make an EV fast. But that's not the point of this. My EV6 I think is too fast for a typical family SUV. I worry about when everyone is driving EVs in the future. Everyone having 0-60 in 4 seconds will cause problems. So the power should be relative to the car. The Caterham has always been a beautiful track car, not a drag strip car. A family SUV is meant to be a family hauler, not a hot rod.
I get it that 0-60 isn't everything but I still want some competitive performance lol, especially if it's electric. These days you can buy a Corvette or Mustang with a gnarly V8 for the same price, or even cheaper, that's faster than this. But anyway, give me 0-60 in under 4 seconds and I'm sold on the Caterham Project V!!
I like that it`s not overloaded with that tech-amagedon and its endless non tactile and disorienting touchscreen-monitors with their sub-sub-sub-sub-menues. In my opinion they did an excellent job in ergonomics to still respect the joy of driving a car.
As a guy who’s built/owned a Caterham 7 and owns both an Elise and a 992 GT3, the “build in lightness” mantra is huge.
Every single dynamic aspect of a car is enhanced with less weight, PERIOD!
There would definitely be a spot in my garage - even at this price point and even with this “low” power (let’s be real: 0-60 in 4.5 seconds is plenty exhilarating!) - if they can bring it to the US. 🤞🏼
I never thought a lightweight affordable electric sportscar would ever exist. I was resigned to getting an old Lotus or MX5, but I am definitely going to save up for this
Edit, just got to the potential 80K starting price... Ouch. Guess I'll keep looking then
I feel like I’d be happy to sacrifice 10-12 kgs for a fronk. Apart from that I’ll have one. Love the battery layout, phenomenal design and driving focus.
Totally understandable, but I'd still wonder about those additional reasons he touched on, though, like compromising the chassis, crash structure, and cooling. It wasn't all about the weight.
Love the simplicity and the focus on driver experience over Nurburgring times
I was wondering why it looks like the Design-1. It's Janarelly after all!
All the time watching this I was thinking: "This is a Lotus". Because it's built to the same principles that Lotus' cars have previously been built to. Not a huge surprise, after all the Caterham 7 originally was based on the Lotus Type 7 and these companies are kinda close. It's lovely to see that someone keeps the spirit of Lotus alive, it's sad that it isn't Lotus themselves.
The Project V looks gorgeous, excited to see where this goes.
I really, really like this car. Might be a good trade if I ever get tired of my Aston. I just wish the price wasn't in the 85-100k range. Still, though, it reminds me of a more affordable version of Gordon Murray's T33, which is a very good thing. It's simple, clean, and focused.
So agree about the touchscreen. Can’t stand those interiors with what looks like an iPad stuck to the dash. Nice to see proper buttons and switches.
Absolutely love the looks and the simplicity, oddly, I think I want it to have a gas motor instead. Or in addition. I do think 80 grand is a little high but I'm still very interested. I like that the infotainment is just a mirror of a phone, wireless Android is all I need. I love the three seat design. That was a great idea! And I still can't get over how much I love the looks.
A drivers car with a personality… I didn’t think they (car manufacturers) made those anymore. Very exciting. Bravo, Caterham.
I think it looks gorgeous. The fact that the car doesnt' have extra fuel weight, means it'll be even more spicy. I think it'll be every bit as quick as a 400hp cayman.
With a top speed 40mph slower than the Cayman, and having to carry its battery weight with it all the time, I can assure you the Caterham will not see which way the Cayman went in any scenario involving fast straights - so on track, no. But that said, it IS a great looking vehicle and it should be fun. On the road, it looks like it will be a barrel of laughs.
@@plop31 half the price? what are you smoking? The base model is half the price without autopilot. Also, you obviously don't understand the enjoyment of driving. The Tesla drives NOTHING like a sports car. It's only good in a straight line.
LOL. The Cayman will eat this car for a snack and then move on.
@@DonLee1980 i haven't driven one, but from what I've read and heard the Tesla model 3 performance definitely drives like a top sports sedan, rails the corners with a very low centre of gravity
I just check the specs. This car will do 0-60 under 4.5 sec. The cayman 5.1 sec...
The styling is amazing, I love all the details and hints to the design of the 7 at the grill and lights
I really like the philosophy behind it and it looks great inside and out. The price is probably going to be the challenge for many. That sort of money puts it amongst some v good competition
For me personally, a second hand one at a lower price would be v appealing
10/10, would buy
this matches every single value i ahve in a car, timeless styling, involving, you are a part of the vehicle and it upholds saving speed instead of making it. thank you Caterham.
Genuinely hope they make this available in the US. This is exactly the car I’ve been wanting Mazda to make - except with an incredibly simple one-hand top down kind of situation…..
Realistically, whoever makes it to market first and best when I have the money, Caterham, Lotus, Mazda, Porsche, whomever, will get my money. Bonus points for convertible and cheaper.
Looks gorgeous inside and out.
Fantastic! Design, simplicity, elegance. BUILD IT!!!
looks really cool if not a little expensive. Love the interior with actual buttons and no silly screen.
best looking car since the 918
That interior is perfect
Good lord, everything about this is perfect! Please sell these in Australia
I love this car. Caterham nails a beautiful electric vehicle. I've always been one for handling and the driving experience over straight line neck snapping "Go". It's brilliant in design, form, and function...
Looks almost exactly like the Jaguar C75x
Please, Caterham, build this and do NOT change much in production! I'd have this shipped to the States. Probably won't matter the steering is on the right due to it having an electric powertrain. Take my money, already!!!
The interior is *chef's kiss*. The rest of the automotive industry needs to take notes.
It's beautiful, it's Caterham and it's cool as f.....❤
I love this - first electric car I've had any sort of interest in. Brilliant!
This concept car really pops. I do hope it makes it to market here in the USA. It is so rare to achieve a stand out design that reaches the masses. I think Polestar achieves it. I love that Caterham is simple with some dials and switches.
Looks ASTONishing!
Looks amazing! I hope it makes it into production
This car has hit it out of the park in a way that the Lotus Evija didn't. Caterham looks to have a very clear idea of who they are and what type of cars they should build. The new Chinese owners of Lotus either seem to not know heritage and identity of the brand or just don't care. A 2.6 tonne SUV and a 2000 hp hyper car just isn't a Lotus!
As for this car...wow! Seriously the first electric car that got my attention. So elegant and pretty ,with an amount of performance which you could play with and use on the public roads. A part of me still wishes they could just squeeze in a turbo 4 banger where those rear seats are and a nice manual gearbox though...
Looks great and great thinking from the creators side. Love it🌟💎
Finally a new design that I like. It's just beautiful. Congrats!
I think the finishing touch would be to make a hard-top convertible version. It would simultaneously be winding the clock both forwards and backwards, giving a feeling of nostalgia and the future in a modern little sports package
This exactly what the ev world needed
As a huge fan of the 7, I expected to hate this, but I actually really love it. One of the most beautiful cars I have seen in a while and really like how Caterham approached the EV idea. This may be the only EV I would consider. On the other hand I would like one even more as a mid engine ICE sports car. It looks like there is enough space there to put a 4 or 6 cylinder engine.
That looks fantastic, all the power you need for the real world, they’ve really thought about it design wise and know they can’t compete resources with the big brand sports car makers, really think it’ll be a winner
Personal taste is exactly that, personal, suited to each of us. That said, I absolutely love the Project V, inside and out. I have nothing against electric cars except when it comes to sportscars. The sounds, the smells, all is part of the experience. Therefore, I do hope this makes it to production and, preferably, both in electric and ICE forms, to please everyone.
Well defined muscles without being aggressive looking. A timeless design.
This is such a refreshing approach to electric cars. I wish other vendors would adopt the same approach for some of their models.
I love everything about this car, the dashboard is the best one I have ever seen. I would really love that this company will do the same thing in a small 3 doors hatchback that would be the only car I would ever want
This thing is stunning, and sounds like an actual every day electric sports car. No one needs 2k horsepower or to be at 60mph in less than two seconds. Fun, and useable. Love it.
Again on point by one of my most favorite TG presenters, and a lovely car indeed. Would trade my mother-in-law for it
Love it. Elegantly timeless design, simple and compact.
Jag & Maserati want the design cred for this car..
Impressive performance and handling make every drive a joy.
Looks awesome. Really like the design both out and in.
Love it - great to see how it progresses….
That has got to be my favorite car interior of all time!
I remember one of the top Volvo Executives talking about how acceleration is becoming a commodity every electric car will be good at. For them is was a byproduct of making a responsive and safe small SUV. It is a byproduct of making a light & fun car here.
Not chasing numbers for marketing reasons and sacrificing controllability for it is something i quite admire about Caterham. This could easily somewhat become what the Miata / MX5 is for ICE cars. Fingers crossed, this machine makes me hopeful we won't all be driving dead lumps of material around. Which, to be fair, most of us always have.
Also, it's the first EV more powerful & lighter than my BMW i3S, with a more reasonable seating position. Kind of makes me saving up for it right away. I can commute to work on nice B roads, give me a reason!
Gorgeous. Saw it in the flesh at this year's FOS Goodwood.
Not a massive EV fan but loving this.
Absolutely love the car!!! What an extraordinary constructor.
This is exactly the kind of car I dream about: Simple, light weight, fun.
What a lovely car! Much kudos to the designer(s).
Of course even with Caterham keeping to their roots (excellent) I'll never afford one, but I wish the company all the best for the future - I hope this proves to be their next '7'.
As an aside I presume the sad looming end for the '7' is more to to with passing legislation than emissions, given it's design an electric '7' would be a doddle... it's a crying shame that as a society where we are increasingly looking at an energy-restricted world legislation (and fashion!) continues to drive the over use of limited resources.