The Breakdown
- Caterham knows the US is an important market.
- Project V aims to enter production in 2027.
- The electric sports car would compete against Porsche's EV Cayman and Boxster.
Despite seeming like a shrinking segment, US sports car buyers could soon have a new, exciting option. Caterham plans to bring its upcoming Project V to the North American market.
Speaking to Car and Driver at CES, a rep for Caterham said that the company is "going to take America very seriously," saying that they plan to "sell a lot of these over here."
Even with a new electric sports car on the horizon, that doesn't mean Caterham plans to end production of its gas-powered Sevens. Instead, the UK car maker wants to expand its existing lineup.
Caterham has quietly sold its cars as kits here in the States. The Seven, which is a car you build yourself, embodies pure, distilled driver enjoyment. It's a car for people who think the Miata is bloated.
The Project V, meanwhile, represents Caterham's vision of the future. An electric sports coupe might now seem like the sort of car that Caterham should build. But the goal remains the same with Project V.
It's lightweight. In fact, the projected curb weight sits well under 3,000 pounds. The power output is said to be around 270 horsepower, while the driving range is over 200 miles. Project V sounds like an entertaining power-to-weight ratio wrapped in a gorgeous skin.
While the coupe is still very much in prototype development phase, the positioning of the car in global markets is high on Caterham's mind. Current estimates peg a starting price at around $135,000, which would likely put it on par (or perhaps in a better spot) compared to the eventual electric offering from Porsche.
Motor1's Take: More sports cars in the market is always awesome to see. Caterham knows how to build something that drives like an enthusiast's dream, so we see no reason to believe why Project V should behave any differently. If Caterham can come to market with a price that undercuts the electric Porsche Cayman, Project V could see some success in this market.
Source: Car and Driver
