177kW Caterham Seven 485 lands in Oz
Caterham's local line-up bolstered by the most powerful model offered to date in AustraliaMinimimalist British sportscar specialist Caterham has unleashed the most powerful model to be offered for sale in Australia, namely the Seven 485.
Priced from $117,416 driveaway, the newcomer is powered by a Ford-sourced 2.0-litre atmo engine that pumps out 177kW at a towering 8500rpm and 206Nm at 6300rpm, enabling it to sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.9sec and hit a v-max of 240km/h.
The engine is also Euro 6-compliant, and the company quotes an overall consumption figure of 7.7L/100km.
The standard wheels are 15-inch, anthracite-coloured aluminium rims, shod with 195/45x15 Avon CR500 rubber.
The Seven 485 is offered only with a six-speed manual gearbox, with ACES gearchange lights available as a $715 option. Also on the options list are a limited-slip differential ($2860) and aerofoil front wishbones ($2000).
Carbonfibre front guards are standard, but carbonfibre rear guards add $1715 to the price in unpainted form or $1930 painted.
Other options include a track-day rollbar ($715), half soft-top for summer ($750), tonneau cover ($450), lowered floor ($930), leather upholstery ($1290), metallic paint ($4000), body stripe ($645), decal pack ($575), plus more.
The car’s moniker is indicative of Caterham’s initiative to reintroduce the ‘Seven’ prefix to its new models, providing a stronger link with the company’s past.
The new Seven 485 replaces the previous Superlight SV R300 model but, for the time being, the current Roadsport SV 120, Roadsport SV 175 and the CSR 175 models will remain available.
With the Roadsport SV 120 using a 1.6-litre Ford engine, it is classified as a fuel-efficient vehicle in Australia and consequently doesn’t attract the Luxury Car Tax in standard form.
Caterham introduced the three-cylinder Suzuki-powered Seven 160/165 as an entry-level model in some markets late last year, but we won’t be getting this vehicle as it’s only available in the smaller (and cheaper) Series 3 range.
Likewise we will be denied the steroidal Seven 620, which is a UK specification model only as it doesn’t meet European or Australian noise and emissions regulations.
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