Muscle cars get classified as being only for straight line performance by many. Who doesn’t love going fast for no reason other than going fast. However, there are plenty of other forms of racing, and Ford has their fingers in those as well. A new economical Caterham recently made its debut at the Tokyo Auto Show.
According to
Autoblog,
Caterham has built the CSR 175, which is powered by the Ford 2.3 Duratec engine.
Photos courtesy of Autoblog.
This is the same engine powering two other models (the CSR 200 and CSR 260) in Caterham's current lineup. The CSR 175 makes 175 horsepower, making it an entry level model in the Caterham CSR lineup. The CSR 200 starts at £33,995 (about $55,670), so the 175 will be priced lower than that. The Duratec is a stand-by engine, and in a few years it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility to see the Caterham powered by EcoBoost.
The Caterham CSR is an exercise in minimalism, saving weight where it can, so that wee bit of horsepower can provide some exhilarating performance. The body is built from aluminum on a tubular frame, and is equipped with an independent rear suspension for effective handling. It comes with a heater and windscreen, but no radio (or other creature comforts).
