Project CARS 2: Driving the ultimate Caterham

For my next session with Project CARS 2, I get the chance to try out the most extreme Caterham ever made in one of the most technical tracks in the Middle East. I'm talking about the Caterham Seven 620 R but before I set my foot on this extreme track toy, let's get to understand more about the flagship Caterham Seven.



The 620 R, served as the replacement to the R500, is Caterham's fastest ever road car with track-proven specification for unparalleled performance unlike any other. Handbuilt in Dartford, Kent, the 620R features a unique weapons-grade gunmetal chassis, air-flow optimized nose cone, and race-developed cooling package. Powering the 620 R is a supercharged 2.0L Ford Duratec engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, producing 310bhp of power and 219lb-ft of torque. Because of its unique chassis setup, the 620 R delivers a gut-wrenching 568bhp-per-tonne power-to-weight ratio, resulting to its 0-60 time of 2.79 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. Although not as fast as today's high-performance sportscars, the superior power-to-weight ratio of the 620 R can outsmart even the most powerful sportscars on the track.



The moment I set foot on this ultimate Caterham ever built, I'm starting to think that the 620 R is going to be my new favorite Caterham but I shouldn't get to excited about having the privilege to drive one of the world's fastest performance cars on Dubai because while this is purely an open-wheeler, you need to learn when to handle this extreme track toy under certain conditions because between you and me, you need to be precise and calm to get this Caterham straight especially when I'm driving in one of the most technical racetracks in the Middle East as I shall show you my clip of my run at Dubai Autodrome with the Caterham.






And there you have it. What do you think about the Caterham Seven 620 R on Project CARS 2? Is it too challenging or just right for you? Be sure to drive one right now on Project CARS 2 on PC and Playstation4 and experience the thrill.

FH3 Hot Wheels: Shattered Blue Skies

Open-wheelers, these kind of machines that pushes the very limits of your driving fantasies and with nothing to hold you back except the sound of the engine howling, open-wheelers are made for one thing; overall thrills, and in the case of Forza Horizon 3's Hot Wheels expansion, there is no exception to the rule.



What I have here is a selection of open-wheelers that became a favorite among Forza fans everywhere since the birth of the XBOX One and its capabilities allowed the Forza producers to inject open-wheelers in the franchise. Come to think of it, these open-wheelers made for road and track use are like guerillas running amok half-naked and bearing nothing more than just guns and ammunition, they posses the same level of madness as Rambo. Don't underestimate this little fries because when they come face to face against the fat cats, it's a David and Goliath affair to remember because these open-wheelers are teaching them the painful lesson of handling over performance, whatever lies ahead. Okay, so let's get cracking with this one...





The real beauty of the Caterham is not about the Lotus Seven-inspired looks but it's the racing pedigree and the track-day performance that upsets even the mightiest of exotics elsewhere. Even in this Superlight R500 spec, this Caterham is all about showing open-wheeler fanatics what this car is made of. Of course, you can exercise your options by swapping out with different kinds of engine specs while tinkering its handling capabilities, which results to a dynamic and dangerous experience for those not familiar with it. The truth is, the Caterham is a welcoming feast for the more serious drivers elsewhere.







The Donkervoort D8 maybe known as the Dutchman's Caterham but it's more than being that. With the Audi-sourced 2.5L TFSi 5-cylinder engine, 5-speed gearbox, carbon fiber kevlar body, and track-honed dynamics, the Donkervoort is a different kind of track car for people who think they're not interested in British-made track toys like the Caterham but like a crazy open-wheeler that can ignite their senses.





What about the BAC Mono, I presume? This lightweight, ultra high performance, sportscar is infused with the latest racing technology. With its aggressive styling reminiscent of an Evangelion robot,  2.5L four-cylinder Cosworth engine producing 305HP, Formula 3-inspired Hewland 6-speed sequential gearbox, and pushrod suspension, among many other features, the Mono is all about a purist's open-wheeler that lets its drivers to experience what a thrill the Mono is to be. It's no wonder it lapped round the Top Gear Track quicker than the V8 Atom but who cares about it, I love driving this Mono through astronomical heights if it kills me.





For those who want speed any anything else, there's the king of open-wheeler sportscars, the V8-powered Ariel Atom. Using the same recipe as the infamous, face-ripping Atom, it was injected with a specially-developed V8 engine producing around 500HP of power and because of its less than a ton of weight, the result is a crazy thousand horsepower per tonne power-to-weight ratio, which is twice as powerful as a Bugatti Veyron, and still ripping your pretty face to shreds.



With open-wheelers like these, pushing them to the very limit can be very thrilling and challenging and even in Hot Wheels Thrilltopia, there's so much more than breaking their limits on the ground because when it comes to reaching their stratospheric dreams, driving open-wheelers in Thrilltopia might just be your best day ever because while it sounds so crazy, it's worth the shot of driving these pesky little rodents on the track and show the big boys who's in charge of this playpen. These cars may be small but they truly are the terrible beings you shouldn't underestimate with and with a little practice, these little track toys might just slay some exotics for breakfast, lunch, and tea, even elevenses.

Forza Motorsport 5: Power vs. Grip

When choosing a track toy, do you need a track toy that is focused on power or focused more on grip? To find out, I went to Mount Panorama, which is located at New South Wales, Australia, to find out.



Here is the venue and here are the cars prepped for this comparison:

The KTM X-BOW R. The track toy armed with the super sports car technology for the 21st century. It comes with the Audi 2.0L TFSi engine producing 295HP of power and 295lb-ft of torque. It only weighs around 1,786lbs.



And then, the Caterham Superlight R500. Top Gear's 2008 Car of the Year. It maybe 32HP less than the X-BOW R but it weighs 670lbs less than the X-BOW R so despite that power difference, its lightweight bodywork is worth the gripping capable enough to classify itself as a track toy.



There's a saying that goes "Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere". That was the word from Lotus founder Colin Chapman because some car companies value aerodynamics over engine.

So, while the X-BOW R is 60% more on power and 40% focused on weight loss, and the Caterham is more on weight loss and a little care less on the power despite the fact that it has better power-to-weight ratio than the Bugatti Veyron; guess it's time for me to grab the bull by the horns, bite the bullets, and literally put these track toys to the test at the home of the Bathurst 1000.



So there it goes. The X-BOW did it in 2:29.627 while the Caterham R500 did it in 2:29.215, meaning the lightweight R500 beaten the powerful X-BOW by about 1/3rd of the second, proving that subtracting weight is better than adding power. Maybe that's why there are some wanted to lose weight rather than add power to create a track-focused high-performance vehicle.

Official: Caterham is NOT FOR SALE

With reports circulating that Caterham Cars as well as the Caterham F1 Team are for sale, it's time for the British carmaker to debunk the rumors as Caterham denies being on sale saying that these reports are "factually incorrect" and "wholly committed to the Caterham brand". The Caterham Group is not for sale but they're happy to seek investors, not buyers, for the British car company.

Report: http://www.worldcarfans.com/114052775897/caterham-dismisses-rumors-of-a-sale

Caterham reveals Japan-exclusive Special Edition Seven

Caterham Special Edition Seven

Despite the news that Caterham is going to be up for sale, there's still more life out of the maker of lightweight track toys as they've launched a Japan-exclusive special edition made in tribute of their Formula One driver, Kamui Kobayashi. Called the Special Edition Seven, this Japan-only Caterham has bits of inspiration from Mr. Kamui Kobayashi himself and uses the Seven 250 (in Race Pack configuration) as its foundation.

It's a single-seater Caterham that has Kamui's name written in the seat and it has a dark green color reminiscent of the Caterham F1 team. 

The Special Edition Seven is powered by a 1.6L Ford Sigma Engine developing 125PS of power. 0-100kph in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 196kph. It comes with a limited slip differential and a 6-speed manual gearbox.

It's limited to 10 units, each costing over 6 million Japanese Yen.

Report: http://carview.yahoo.co.jp/news/newmodel/20140526-10204797-carview/

Forza Motorsport 5: The Caterham R500

Yes, if you are wondering what is this machine doing in the world of Forza Motorsport 5, that curiosity, or should I say conspiracy, is the Caterham Superlight R500. Part of the IGN Car Pack DLC, this is the first time Caterham made it to the world of Forza even though Forza 5 has the technology to feature open-wheelers.



Generally, I really don't want Caterhams to appear in the world of Forza because...well, you know why, but there's a good reason why this Caterham makes a great addition to the lineup because of its amazing recognition by the Top Gear committee as well as its weapons-grade performance that stands out the rest. The great thing about driving a road-legal open wheeler is that you get unlimited amount of headroom because there's literally no roof and the best way to enjoy a good open-wheeler is on the track because it's lightweight body makes it agile and nimble at the corners. The only downside is that being road-legal, it can be somewhat problematic as a daily driver. With no roof, you can get chilly if you're not dressed in warm clothes as what the Top Gear blokes demonstrated...



I can hardly imagined if I was in that situation because the Caterham doesn't have a windscreen, it seems that the chilly gets chillier when used for commuting but never mind about that. The Caterham R500 is most likely a proper track toy you can toy around in the track if you have the skills to master it.

 

While it may not be an ideal car to drive on the straight line, the Caterham R500 shines well in the handling department thanks to its incredible lightweight body and its power-to-weight ratio that is more powerful than a normal Bugatti Veyron. No wonder The Stig lapped this quicker than the Veyron and earned the accolade as Top Gear's Car of the Year 2008. Free to do whatever it wants, the R500 really turns hunters into the hunted when used in the right way. The biggest downside is that because it's very dynamic thanks to its lightweight body, mistakes are bound if you're not super focused. I got spun by this car numerous times but all it takes is some practice and with enough practice, this car is a force to be reckoned with.



This lightweight Caterham R500 is worth a blast and I love it. It makes me want to come back for more if it has the urge to swing through the corners like a lit match in the firework factory. It really feels good to have a Caterham joining the ranks in the world of Forza Motorsport for now.

 

Gran Turismo 6: Track-day Locomotion

Welcome to Twin Ring Motegi, one of the most premier racing tracks located in Japan. And here on the eastern part of the track, I'm enjoying myself on open-wheelers, every track-day boys' favorite. If you asked your friends to go on kart racing on this course, you'd better get on one of these...



It's a Racing Kart 125 Shifter, a go-kart with a manual gearbox for added challenge, capped at 175kph but can I, and some well-established open-wheelers do better? I think I can...

At Gran Turismo, we're always at the forefront of open-wheeling proportions. Those cars maybe small but they are surely had big attitudes, leaving a big and fast sportscar stripped out of its dignity and sent home to its mom. Today, I'll be personally testing three track-focused open-wheelers and find out if it can beat the 125 Shifter's 1:31.394 lap time round the eastern part of the Twin Ring Motegi.



First up is the KTM X-BOW, it's made by an Austrian motorbike company and it features a turbocharged Audi engine mounted in the middle as well as host of other features that makes it more track-focused while being usable on the road. We've gone for the R version because this is more powerful than the Street version I had a while back.

As the clock starts, the X-BOW set sail like a wheelchair mounted with fire extinguishers. This little track-day car does really have a really big attitude and in the corners, it's all in a cleavage's work. Cleavage? Ahem, it's a geology kind of cleavage, not the one you're familiar with but anyway, it managed to shaved off a second from the racing kart, bearing the time of 1:30.319, With its sleek aerodynamic styling and its superior handling, the X-BOW managed to outwit the smaller racing cart by a margin without a margin of error. So, what's next?



This. The Gran Turismo-exclusive LCC Rocket. Before Gordon Murray gave birth to the design of the McLaren F1, he collaborated with Chris Craft, a former Grand Prix racer, to establish the Light Car Company and this is the brainchild of the LCC. It's powered by a 4-cylinder Yamaha FJ1200 motorcycle engine sitting in the middle of the car producing 166HP of power. It was styled to look like a Grand Prix car from the 60's but the question is...will I need it?

Weighing less than 400kg, it's surprisingly lighter than the X-BOW but it's short of power than the X-BOW. With such stats, I felt like I was getting ripped off by the promise of being a quick car and betrayed by my steering so in the finish line, it's a photo finish. The Rocket finished at 1:31.158, a few milliseconds quicker than the go-kart but slower than the X-BOW so it's time for the last roll of the dice.

 

With me and my Caterham Fireblade. Of course, other games feature numerous Caterhams but the only Caterham you won't find anywhere else is, to be exact, the Fireblade. I may not quite specific about what Caterham should not be allowed to be featured in any other game but I'm sure this is it. This is the Caterham no other game should feature rather than the Gran Turismo series...the Fireblade.

A hard foot on the pedal...and nothing. No matter how hard I tried, the Fireblade is struggling to keep up against the go-kart and the go-kart rocked home and I am magnanimous in defeat.

KTM X-BOW R - 1:30.319
Rocket - 1:31.158
Fireblade - 1:38.900

So, based on the results conducted by me, the X-BOW R is the champion on this GT6 comparo test. Those motorcycle engine-powered open-wheelers maybe a waste of time but it's official, if you want an open-wheeler that is even better than the Rocket or the Fireblade, then the X-BOW R is for you!

The Ultimate British Lightweight Machine - The Caterham Seven Fireblade

Escaping the businessman...

The Caterham Seven is one of the finest British sports cars ever built and it was famous for its lightweight sizing, making it fast and agile like a go-kart. However, one kind of Caterham Seven only exists in the world of Gran Turismo. Go ahead, when you Google search the term "Caterham Seven Fireblade", chances are that the Caterham Fireblade only exists in the Gran Turismo franchise. I wonder if there is one Caterham Fireblade exist in real life? Are there any owners of this mysterious Caterham Seven powered by a Honda Fireblade engine?

The Fireblade storms the Top Gear Test Track

The Caterham Seven Fireblade is powered by a 900cc inline 4 cylinder engine sourced from the Honda Fireblade motorcycle, providing a power output of 138HP, torque of 87ft-lb, and weighs 369kg. Because of such lightness, many people who owned the Caterham Fireblade can max it out to the limit. It can either be 207HP (fully tuned with Stage 3 Turbo) or 237HP (fully tuned with Supercharger) respectively. Before participating in the British Lightweights at the Seasonal Events section, they want to tone the fully tuned Caterham Fireblade down a little to match the required 550PP limit. Let's just say um, increasing the weight a little.

Along came a Black Fireblade

Even with the monster hiding inside the Fireblade's lightweight body, there is a heavy disadvantage. The Caterham Fireblade is somewhat not good at straight lines because it can be easily overtaken by such heavyweight exotics, especially the rare Nissan R390 GT1 Road Car but despite that, the Fireblade loves corners especially when it gets carried away. Judging by its lightweight size, the Caterham Fireblade is the ultimate British lightweight machine. Finding it on the Used Car dealer sounds tough but once you saw one and had enough money, well, it's up to you.