Caterham Seven X330: yet another track-day weapon?
More of a track-day god. This is the most powerful Seven ever, packing a supercharger and 330bhp in a car that weighs next to nothing. That makes for a mammoth 600bhp-per-tonne and places the X330 firmly in front of the Bugatti Veyron in the power-to-weight stakes. Don’t start dribbling just yet though, as the X330 is strictly a concept – for now. Caterham is toying with the idea of production but the car is currently a test bed for the firm’s development of bioethanol power.
So, what have the boffins at Caterham done to create such a massive power-to-weight figure?
The standard range topper from Caterham is the CSR Superlight which pumps out 260bhp from the 2.3-litre Ford Duratec engine and results in a blistering 0-60mph time of 3.1 seconds. Add to that a Rotrex supercharger and you’re looking at acceleration to make your eyes water. It’s too early to confirm figures but Caterham is estimating a 0-60 time of 3 seconds or less. Not content with bolting on a meaty supercharger, Caterham has also shaved a few more pounds off the X330 by using lighter gauge steel in the chassis, new lightweight wheels and oodles of carbon fibre for the bodywork. Track-day junkies should start praying for production.