Caterham Seven 160 announcement

Caterham announces the new model “Seven 160”.

The price is US$35,300 (3.65 million yen) including tax.
Car sales will start on April 1 (Tuesday) in Japan.

The Seven 160 is based on the European specification car, and is made as a compact car to satisfy the light car standards of Japan for the size and engine capacity etc.
 
The car is installed with the 660cc super-compact engine of Suzuki make.
The weight of vehicle is under 500kg, accelerates 0-100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds, and reaches the maximum speed of 160 km/h.

The CEO of Caterham group Mr. Graham McDonald said, “Caterham group keeps challenging a new field. In that, this 160 has adopted the concept of seven, and has proven the ability of Caterham to conform and obtain even the severe regulation system in the world. We will supply a completely different car to all the Japanese people, based on the Seven that is low cost and environmentally friendly, though our company has not manufactured a car like this until now, along with the driving happiness. Above all, this is the true Seven”. 

In the Caterham Seven 160 announcement, Kamui Kobayashi, who is going to carry out the F1 return of Caterham appeared on the stage.

He said, “This is going to smile with the nature, and this is the generation in which the present cars are electronically controlled cars that control the driver, but this Caterham Seven 160 relishes the feeling of the driver controlling the car. I am very proud that such a car exists in this generation of cars. I wish to drive this car thinking that I was tricked”.

Kamui Kobayashi’s maiden drive at Caterham

Jerez test final day

Kamui Kobayashi suffered due to the unfortunate rain, but he just made his maiden drive at the Caterham CT05.

He left the garage of Caterham at local time 8:25,

and completed the installation lap using CT05 installed with wet tire.

Kamui Kobayashi returned to F1 with Caterham wore the black tone helmet.
This brought about a different atmosphere that was not seen until now.

 

Happily waiting for the preliminary contest lap time of the first F1 Australian GP race on March 15. What else can I do?

Kamui Kobayashi sign up with Caterham, and finally returns to F1

At last, the F1 return of Kamui seems to have be decided. The team is Caterham.

It is F1 team led by the world-famous entrepreneur Mr. Tony Fernandez, who purchased the air Asia and Caterham cars, and is succeeding in one after another.

The Caterham team fell to the last rank in the year 2013, and it seems that they have signed up with Kamui by expecting the experience point to strengthen the team.

The Caterham team representative has commented that they would like to select the pair of experienced driver and young driver in the year 2014, when the regulation has drastically changed.

They seemed to have appointed Kamui who has the machine setup and race results, based on the experience of being in last rank of 11^th place in Constructors and that is behind Marussia, though they had the faster car than the rival Marussia, the 2013 Caterham selected the driver with less experience

Every ear 20 teams engage in F1 contest, and I think very few race will have everything like machine, team strategy, tire etc. go well.

It is an opportunity for the driver to show his skills on how skillfully to put in order in these few contest.

I think that there is still a big difference between Alonso, Räikkönen and Kamui in this aspect.

However, I would like to expect a Kamui type driving this year also because the driving of Kamui, in attaking boldly even with the incompetent machine, fascinatingly reflects with the fans who are very familiar in F1.

And, I wish Kamui to work hard to hold the steering wheel of McLaren Honda that will enter the race from the next year!