{"id":66936,"date":"2025-07-27T04:18:06","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T08:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/caterham-seven-secures-its-future-with-lively-new-turbo-engine-and-fresh-driving-thrills\/"},"modified":"2025-07-27T04:18:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T08:18:06","slug":"caterham-seven-secures-its-future-with-lively-new-turbo-engine-and-fresh-driving-thrills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/caterham-seven-secures-its-future-with-lively-new-turbo-engine-and-fresh-driving-thrills\/","title":{"rendered":"Caterham Seven Secures Its Future with Lively New Turbo Engine and Fresh Driving Thrills"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why Did Caterham Need a New Engine for the Seven?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve followed Caterham for any length of time, you know the Seven is a legend\u2014raw, simple, and utterly focused on driving fun. But even legends hit a crossroads. For years, Caterham relied on Ford\u2019s Sigma and Duratec engines to power its featherweight machines. The Sigma, a 1.6-liter, was the heart of the Academy race cars, while the 2.0-liter Duratec kept the road and track versions lively. The problem? Ford stopped making both engines years ago.<\/p>\n

Caterham did what any resourceful company would: they stockpiled blocks and parts, building engines as long as they could. But the writing was on the wall. With Sigma supplies nearly gone and Duratec stocks dwindling, the company faced a real dilemma: how do you keep a classic alive when its beating heart is no longer in production?<\/p>\n

What Makes the Academy Series So Important to Caterham?<\/p>\n

You might wonder why Caterham prioritized the Academy car for its engine search. The answer is simple: the Academy is the gateway for new racers. Every year, 34 to 40 fresh-faced drivers build and race their own Caterhams, learning the ropes and joining a community that\u2019s seen more than 1,400 people become racers over the past three decades. These cars aren\u2019t just track toys\u2014they\u2019re road-registered, home-finished, and a rite of passage for enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

Keeping the Academy alive means keeping the spirit of grassroots motorsport thriving. It\u2019s not just about selling cars; it\u2019s about nurturing the next generation of drivers.<\/p>\n

How Did Caterham Find the Right Engine Partner?<\/p>\n

Finding a replacement engine wasn\u2019t as easy as picking one off the shelf. The new powerplant had to fit the Seven\u2019s compact frame, be light enough to preserve its nimble character, and offer bulletproof reliability. Oh, and it couldn\u2019t break the bank. Not a small ask.<\/p>\n

Enter Horse\u2014a joint venture between Renault and Geely. Horse isn\u2019t a household name yet, but with the capacity to build over three million engines a year, they\u2019re a serious player. Caterham zeroed in on the HR13DDT, a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder already found in cars like the Renault Megane, Nissan Qashqai, and Mercedes A-Class. This engine isn\u2019t just proven\u2014it\u2019s guaranteed to be available well into the next decade.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Special About the HR13DDT Engine?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get nerdy for a second. The HR13DDT is a modern marvel: 1332cc, an aluminum block and head, direct injection, twin cams, and a lifetime timing chain. One standout feature is its mirror bore coating\u2014a technology first seen in the Nissan GT-R\u2014which reduces friction and saves weight. The result? The HR13 is about 35kg lighter than the old Duratec, and at least 15-25kg lighter than the Sigma, even after accounting for the added intercooler.<\/p>\n

Power output is flexible. In production cars, it ranges from 115 to 160bhp, but Caterham\u2019s prototype is tuned for 130bhp at around 5750rpm, with a broad, flat torque curve that makes it feel eager from as low as 2000rpm. That\u2019s the kind of usable grunt that makes the Seven so much fun, whether you\u2019re carving up a track or blasting down a back road.<\/p>\n

How Did Caterham Adapt the Seven for the New Engine?<\/p>\n

Swapping engines in a car as tightly packaged as the Seven is never straightforward. The HR13 mostly fits, but there are quirks\u2014like a fuel pump and rail that poke up higher than the old engines, requiring a new bonnet design. Some teams considered modifying the pump, but with it pressurizing fuel to 350 bar, the consensus was to leave it as is for safety.<\/p>\n

The prototype I drove at Brands Hatch was built on the wider SV chassis in left-hand drive, giving engineers more room to work. The exhaust and catalytic converter, for instance, would interfere with the steering column in a right-hand-drive car, so those details are still being ironed out. A second prototype, based on the narrower Series 3 chassis and built for right-hand drive, is already in the works.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s It Like to Drive the Caterham Seven with the Horse Engine?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s cut to the chase: the new engine feels right at home in the Seven. It\u2019s not a fire-breather, but it\u2019s honest, responsive, and eager. There\u2019s a touch of turbo lag if you\u2019re really looking for it, but in a car this light, it\u2019s barely noticeable. From 2000 to 5000rpm, the engine pulls with real enthusiasm, and the power delivery is linear and progressive\u2014just what you want for a car that\u2019s all about driver engagement.<\/p>\n

Caterham\u2019s engineers have worked to make the turbocharged engine feel as naturally aspirated as possible. There\u2019s even a symposer\u2014a tube with a vibrating membrane\u2014to enhance the induction noise, giving the engine a satisfying growl without resorting to artificial tricks.<\/p>\n

Gearbox-wise, the new setup uses a six-speed Mazda MX-5 unit, which is a bit heavier than the old five-speed but paired with a lighter, bespoke limited-slip differential. The result? The overall weight stays about the same, preserving the Seven\u2019s legendary agility.<\/p>\n

How Will This Change Affect Caterham\u2019s Lineup?<\/p>\n

For now, the Horse engine will be exclusive to the Academy cars. Entry-level 170s will continue with Suzuki power, and other models will stick with the Duratec until supplies run out. But let\u2019s be real: Caterham didn\u2019t sign up for a new engine just to build 34 cars a year. With its flexibility and tuning potential, the HR13DDT is poised to become the backbone of the Seven lineup in the years ahead.<\/p>\n

One important note for purists: if you want a naturally aspirated Seven, now\u2019s the time to act. The new engine is turbocharged, and while it\u2019s been tuned to feel as NA as possible, the era of high-revving, naturally aspirated Sevens is drawing to a close.<\/p>\n

What Does This Mean for Future Caterham Owners and Racers?<\/p>\n

The switch to the Horse engine is more than just a technical update\u2014it\u2019s a lifeline for the Seven\u2019s future. With a secure supply of modern, efficient engines, Caterham can keep building cars that deliver pure driving joy, while meeting ever-tougher emissions and reliability standards.<\/p>\n

For Academy racers, the new engine promises the same accessible, rewarding experience that\u2019s made the series a launchpad for amateur motorsport careers. And for road car buyers, it means the Seven will remain relevant, reliable, and\u2014most importantly\u2014fun.<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line: The Seven\u2019s Spirit Is Alive and Well<\/p>\n

Change is never easy, especially when you\u2019re dealing with an icon. But Caterham\u2019s careful, thoughtful approach to finding a new engine shows real respect for what makes the Seven special. The HR13DDT may not have the cachet of a classic Ford lump, but it delivers where it counts: lightness, reliability, and a driving experience that\u2019s as grin-inducing as ever.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a die-hard Seven fan, rest easy. The future looks bright\u2014and fast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"Caterham<\/a><\/p>\n

\n Prior put the Caterham’s Horse prototype through its paces around Brands Hatch<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Caterham Seven\u2019s future is now assured thanks to a new engine from a firm formed by Renault and Geely<\/p>\n

\n

Caterham has been at a set of figurative crossroads for some time, pondering what will replace the Ford<\/a> Sigma and Duratec engines it has been using for yonks.<\/p>\n

Neither the Sigma, a 1.6-litre used in Caterham\u2019s<\/a> Academy racing cars, nor the 2.0-litre Duratec, used in its road and fastest race cars<\/a>, has been made for several years.<\/p>\n

Caterham bought a batch of Sigma blocks and has been assembling completed engines using those and spare parts, but they will shortly run out. It still has considerable stock of complete Duratec engines \u2013 1200 of them \u2013 but it doesn\u2019t believe Ford has used the unit in over four years.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, both need replacing, but the Academy race car is a priority, so that\u2019s what\u2019s being addressed first.<\/p>\n

The Academy series, designed for new race drivers, results in 34-40 Caterhams being built and raced per year. Over the past 30 years, more than 1400 people have become racers through the programme. The cars are mostly home-finished and all have to be road-registered.<\/p>\n

At a literal crossroads, a Caterham isn\u2019t the world\u2019s most convenient vehicle: you sit a long way from its nose, low, and with iffy visibility. But in corporate terms, things are brighter.<\/p>\n

In Bob Laishley, the company has a CEO with decades of OEM experience and a vast contact book, although he modestly says that wasn\u2019t a necessity because it quickly became apparent that plenty of engine manufacturers would be happy to supply the company.<\/p>\n

Combustion engine production, even development, is in no danger of imminently ceasing. The conundrum has been finding an engine that fits, that\u2019s available, reliable and sufficiently light, and is priced correctly. Or, at least, correctly enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have searched high and low,\u201d says Laishley, and the answer has come from Horse,\u00a0a relatively new joint venture between Renault<\/a> and Geely<\/a> that \u201cis looking to sell engines\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Horse has the capacity to make more than three million engines a year and wants automotive customers. Caterham has settled on its lightly turbocharged 1.3-litre four-cylinder, badged HR13DDT, made in Spain and already used in more than 20 models including the Renault Megane<\/a>, Nissan Qashqai<\/a> and Mercedes A-Class<\/a>. So \u201cit has been used in a number of cars and Horse has guaranteed supply well into the\u00a0next decade\u201d, says Laishley.<\/p>\n

In existing production cars, the HR13DDT unit has standard outputs as little as 115bhp and as much as 160bhp, higher still where it\u2019s already used in saloon car racing.<\/p>\n

It has 1332cc capacity, a 72.2mm by 81.3mm bore\/stroke, an aluminium block and head, direct injection, twin overhead cams, a lifetime timing chain and mirror bore coating, in which cylinders receive approximately 0.2mm of friction-reducing coating rather than a cast-iron cylinder liner (the sort that has a circa 2mm wall thickness). It\u2019s tech the R35-generation Nissan GT-R<\/a> received first and it gives \u201ca lot of weight-saving in the block\u201d, says Laishley.<\/p>\n

The upshot, I\u2019m told, is that the HR13 engine weighs 35kg less than a Duratec motor (around 15-25kg less than a Sigma, by my estimates), although some of that will be undone by the need for an intercooler and associated pipework and ducting. Complete, it certainly won\u2019t weigh more than the Duratec, according to Laishley.<\/p>\n

The final advantage is that \u201cit fits\u201d, says Laishley, although these things are somewhat relative. Most of it fits. A fuel pump and rail sprouts from the top of the engine, which the Caterham bonnet will have to be sculpted to clear.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a tiny piece of the engine but one of the most critical. Various teams have contemplated rejigging it, but that it pressurises petrol to 350 bar has inclined them to leave it as designed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve come to Brands Hatch, where it\u2019s binning down with rain, to try the first Caterham Horse prototype, an SV (wide-body) chassis in left-hand drive. The wider chassis gives Caterham\u2019s team a bit more space to work with, and the exhaust and catalytic converter would foul the steering column on a right-hand-drive model, so they\u2019re using this left-hooker while redesigning the exhaust.<\/p>\n

A second prototype, an Academy race car, which has a narrow (Series 3) chassis in right-hand drive \u2013 and is thus representative of the first production versions \u2013 is in build at the factory.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve seen some CAD mock-ups of the bonnet and the finished version will look much sleeker than the strictly functional add-on you see pictured here. It will want some additional cooling vents too.<\/p>\n

Caterham\u2019s engineers say that beyond ensuring the engine fits, they have done precious little to it. It makes 130bhp at around 5750rpm and builds in very linear fashion from 2000rpm, with a very flat torque plateau of a little under 130lb ft from 2000rpm to 5500rpm (bhp and lb ft being equal at 5252rpm).<\/p>\n

The rev limit is 6500rpm but they say there\u2019s no need to take\u00a0it there, because torque and power both ebb away after the peak.<\/p>\n

Caterham will use its own ECU (it\u2019s more reliable than using an OEM ECU that requires \u201cturning things off that don\u2019t want to be\u201d, says Laishley) and the base power might eventually go up or down a bit so that Academy race\u00a0cars retain lap times as close as possible to those of today\u2019s Sigma-engined cars.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In the meantime, there\u2019s plenty else to be getting on with. Not only will there be a new engine, but also a new gearbox and limited-slip differential. Gearboxes are becoming the latest six- rather than five-speed Mazda MX-5<\/a> units and there will be a bespoke Caterham-specced LSD in place of the BMW<\/a> one used now. The gearbox is a bit heavier than the five-speed but the LSD is lighter, so overall weight is the same.<\/p>\n

Because of the new engine, gearbox and differential, the 2026 set of Academy cars won\u2019t be available to home-build: the procedures simply won\u2019t be finely honed enough, so Caterham will complete them all at the factory.<\/p>\n

As I write, pricing has still to be confirmed, but I\u2019m told it will be a little \u2013 but not prohibitively\u00a0or mick-takingly \u2013 more expensive than a\u00a0Sigma-engined car. The bits just cost more.<\/p>\n

Those will be the first and, for the time being, only Horse-engined Caterhams. Historically, Academy cars typically become \u2018Roadsport Championship\u2019 race cars the year after they have competed in the Academy and then can be upgraded to 270 and 310 race cars thereafter: those championships, then, will have a mix of Horse and Sigma engines from 2028.<\/p>\n

Entry-level 170s will still use the small Suzuki<\/a> engine. Other road-going Caterhams will continue with Duratec engines until stocks run out. You can speculate that, with its various power options and obvious tuning capability,\u00a0the Horse engine will become the norm thereafter: Caterham clearly hasn\u2019t signed\u00a0up a new engine maker to build just 34 cars a year. The other point to note is that if you want to have a naturally aspirated Seven, the time is now.<\/p>\n

Caterham would like the new engine to feel as naturally aspirated as is possible, though. So at Brands I sink into the driver\u2019s seat to receive a briefing, although there\u2019s not much to tell.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a light to warn of the impending rev limiter, but unless I deliberately take it there, I\u2019ll have probably naturally felt the urge to shift up a gear by then. And while the sound is all authentic, there is a symposer (a tube and a vibrating membrane) to accentuate the induction noise.<\/p>\n

By today\u2019s standards, 100bhp per litre is modest and so is a redline in the mid-6000s. That redline and power output are figures an old 1.7-litre Ford Kent Crossflow would be familiar with. And if I told you that the Horse engine reminded me a bit of one of those, I wouldn\u2019t mean it as an insult.<\/p>\n

This is, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s unkind to say, a functional rather than spectacular sort of engine. It will pull at any revs because it has modern electronics but there\u2019s notable response from 2000rpm and it pulls very keenly from 3000-5000rpm.<\/p>\n

If there is turbo lag, and even at low boost pressures I suppose there must be some, you don\u2019t really notice it in a car as light\u00a0as a Seven. Perhaps it would be more notable\u00a0in the dry, but in the wet there\u2019s sufficient response to light up the rear tyres out of Druids hairpin easily, and even in higher-speed corners enough to straighten the car\u2019s line without feeling like you\u2019re waiting for the engine to\u00a0do your bidding.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s just linear, progressive\u00a0and responsive, and I think the symposer takes the edge off some gravelliness, to\u00a0add some gruff induction \u2018bwoap\u2019.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s geared for around 3000rpm at 60mph in sixth, and while it\u2019s hard to gauge how the large expanse of a race circuit totally matches the road, that and the ratios \u2013 with a gearshift every bit as tight and slick as the Mazda<\/a> five-speed\u2019s \u2013 feels \u2018about right\u2019.<\/p>\n

In truth the whole package does. Would it be nicer if it was a super-light, naturally aspirated 1.6-litre that revved to 9000rpm and made 160bhp while it was getting there? Perhaps, but people don\u2019t make engines like that which meet regulatory requirements any more.<\/p>\n

The Horse engine hits the right numbers. And, in its delivery, in its responses, and even in its aural appeal, it largely hits the mark too. I think Academy drivers are going to have as much fun as ever. The future supply is pleasingly secure.<\/p>\n

And if you must have a naturally aspirated\u00a0Seven, you know who to call.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":66937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,137],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-featured","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66936","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66936"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66936\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66936"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66936"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66936"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}