New Car: 2013 Caterham Seven Supersport R

Long a favorite of devotees of the purist driving experience, Caterham has added a higher-performance version to its line of Seven-model roadsters. Powered by a performance-tuned 2.0-liter Ford Duratec four-cylinder engine producing 180 hp, the power output of the car might not sound mind-blowing, until you consider the new Supersport R tips the scales at less than 1200 lb, giving it a supercar-rivaling power-to-weight ratio.

Although it may offer supercar-level performance, its price is much more attainable for the working bloke, at the equivalent of $39,751 in kit form, or $44,522 fully-built. Although not quite as extreme as the firm’s SP/300R dedicated racer, it’s less than half the price fully-built. But you’re not going to find LED accent lighting, lane-departure warning, or active braking on this model. It’s the epitome of driving purity, and is a distinctly analog experience. But you will find a unique Supersport steering wheel, composite racing seats with four-point harnesses, and a windshield.

As part of the announcement about the Supersport R was the reiteration of a previous announcement of a joint-venture engineering collaboration with Renault, with the aim of reviving the storied Alpine, and the creation of a range of new vehicles, including an ‘everyday’ sports car aimed at delivering Caterham’s philosophy of ‘accessible fun’ to new markets.

Caterham cars are currently available in the U.S. through selected regional distributors, but are for “off-road use only.” Could the announcement of the collaboration with Renault mean a new generation of street-going, ultra-light performance machines could be heading stateside? We sure hope so.

Thanks to: Motor Trend