British sports car company Caterham has never introduced a new car in its 50 years of existence. Its only vehicle, up until today, was the Seven, a design acquired from Lotus half a century ago. That all changes with the Project V, an all-electric coupe that promises to bring Caterham into the future.
Shown here in concept form just ahead of this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Project V is both a strong departure and a close companion to the lightweight, simplistic Seven roadster. Caterham is targeting a curb weight of 2623 pounds—lighter than a Toyota GR86—with production set to begin in 2025. That’s thanks to a carbon fiber monocoque with aluminum frame extensions on either end.
The Project V’s power comes from a 55-kWh lithium-ion battery pack connected to a singular 268-hp mounted at the rear axle. Caterham claims a 0-62 mph time of under 4.5 seconds, a top speed of 143 mph, and a maximum range of 249 miles on Europe’s WLTP cycle.
Caterham
There’s double-wishbone suspension front and rear with fully adjustable geometry, along with electrically assisted power steering, brake discs all around, and staggered 19- and 20-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. Three drive modes, Normal, Sport, and Sprint, control acceleration and steering inputs based on the car’s environment.
The Project V, built for Caterham by Italdesign, looks unlike any Caterham we’ve seen before, streamlined and modern. But chief designer Anthony Jannarelly says it hasn’t strayed from the company’s core philosophy.
“A Caterham Seven’s design is simple and minimalist, it’s designed for its intended function, to be lightweight and fun to drive,” Jannarelly said in a statement. “With Project V, we’re applying this philosophy to the sports coupé architecture to create a seducing and timeless silhouette. Every single feature has to justify itself from a weight perspective to maintain lightness and optimize driver engagement.”
Caterham
Caterham
Inside is a real, actual cabin—another first for the Caterham brand—that keeps things toned down and simple, with two gauge pods for the driver and a central touchscreen display with a handful of physical controls underneath. The seating layout is a funky 2+1 design, with two normal seats for the front row and a singular, centrally mounted seat in the rear. Buyers can option a 2+2 layout as well, but we think the three-seater design is far cooler.
The Project V is targeted to go on sale by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026 with a starting price of less than £80,000 (around $103,000). It’s unclear at this time whether it’ll be officially homologated for U.S. roads, or be imported as a kit car like the Seven. And for those who don’t subscribe to the all-electric future, don’t worry, the Seven isn’t going away any time soon.
Caterham
“Project V isn’t instead of Seven, it’s complimentary to it, and we believe that by retaining the core Caterham values, it will appeal to both our existing customer base and attract new fans to the brand,” CEO Bob Laishley said in a statement.
Brian Silvestro
Road & Track staff writer with a taste for high-mileage, rusted-out projects and amateur endurance racing.
Keyword: All-Electric Project V Is Caterham's First New Car Ever: 268 HP, 2623 Pounds