Caterham R500 is Top Gear's Car of the Year

Dec. 17 - The British television show, Top Gear, has named the Caterham Superlight R500 its 2008 'Car of the Year'.

The most extreme version of the legendary Seven appeared on the popular BBC show for the first time at the beginning of December,
instantly leaving a lasting impression on presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. First shown at the London Motor
Show, the car weighs in at 460 kg.

Caterham got together with Minster Race engines and nutured an incredible 230 bhp out of the Rover K series motor. With a unique Caterham Racing inlet manifold, steel con rods and crankshaft, Cosworth forged pistons, a dry sump and a specially developed exhaust system with carbon cladding, this is a very impressive power unit that will rev to a 9,200 rpm.

In the hands of Top Gear’s mystery test driver, The Stig, the R500 put in one of the most visually spectacular laps around their benchmark test circuit, Dunsfold. Free of any driver aids, the Seven slipped and slid to a lap time that disgraced cars costing over ten times as much.

Despite incredibly cold conditions, the Seven was less than a second slower than the absolute record around the 'Top Gear lap' and rapid enough to steal the overall fifth fastest time, previously held by the 1 million pound Bugatti Veyron.