Caterham Cars and MG X-power join forces. Story by Shane O' Donoghue, images by Kelvin Fagan.
The promise of a timed run in an MG X-powered Caterham 7 lured over 200 journalists to the MG Rover factory complex in Longbridge on April 09. Entering the conference centre for the actual presentation, there were murmurs that the slalom course looked a bit small in the car park outside. Like the cars themselves, small, but certainly not boring. You need only look at the admittedly embarrassing grin on the face of yours truly opposite to see that the trip to The Midlands was not wasted!
The announcement itself is not breaking news exactly. Caterham have used MG Rover engines for many years now. Indeed, the K-series engine has proven to be very popular. However, this new agreement does indeed go further than just engine supplying - the companies referred to each other as partners. This partnership will not just be in producing/developing components either - marketing, one of MG's strengths, is to be shared, which I have to agree, should benefit both parties. The X-power brand is already making a massive impact on the motorsport world with its catch phrase "outrageous fun for everyone" and lurid paint schemes. The MG Le Mans car was competitive first time out, and challenges again in France this year. The MG ZS BTCC car won in only its third race last season, and is favourite to take the challenge to the Vauxhall Coupes this year. The ZR is being used in the Junior WRC, with a full charge on that championship due for 2003, and now there are talks of an MG X-power branded engine for the US CART championship for the 2003 season - see the press release here.
The brand already has a serious following in the UK, and Caterham will benefit massively from this. On the other side, Caterhams are raced throughout Europe, and now will carry X-power branding, hence spreading the name further.
Coffee and lunch out of the way, we headed outside for the real reason we were all there... Two 1.6-litre (X-power naturally!) Caterham 7s were at the ready, not far off race-prepared. Due to the numbers, only two runs were possible - one of those a practise. This was my first time in a Caterham, so I was keen to enjoy the experience rather than concentrating on a fastest time (that's my excuse and I am sticking to it). Getting into the 7 is the start of the experience. It is a really slim car, and even I (not particularly well built) was held tightly in place by the seat and the tall transmission tunnel. The pedals are also very close together, but on the move they are perfect. The advantage of the central tunnel is that it provides a handy place to rest your elbow during gear changes. Not that the course made any room for anything above the 1st cog. Reverse was used by some...
The "track" was laid out with small traffic cones, designed presumably not to damage the car when it all goes wrong - as it often did! Taking off from the timing beam, it was necessary to navigate the car through a tight slalom of cones before opening out the engine, around a large radius curve. This suddenly tightened on the exit leading to a pair of cones. The last cone was driven right around (360 degrees), encouraging the use of unnecessary oversteer before coming to a stop after the timing beam. Sounds easy, right? It was on the practise run! Under pressure to perform, and having sniggered when a few others spun and stalled, I was determined to show them all how a power slide around a cone should be done... It did not work out quite as planned. Hence my manic grin while snaking the rear end and completely missing the cone! Oh well, I enjoyed myself. As did everyone else that had a go.
It was interesting to watch a bunch of journalists, normally quite restrained in their efforts to be social with each other, laugh and joke and shout encouragement when it comes to driving a car on the limit. Note that all this was carried out at no more than 30 mph. Who says you can't have fun in a car anymore? The MG X-powered Caterham certainly proves you can.
We hope to test a Caterham on the road in the near future, as well as a car from their rival Westfield - we'll keep you posted.
Other Caterham and MG news
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