Pagoda SL Group

Off Topic => Other cars => Topic started by: mdsalemi on October 03, 2025, 20:59:04

Title: I thought it was a go kart
Post by: mdsalemi on October 03, 2025, 20:59:04

Saw this in a client’s garage.
Thought it was some kind of go kart or a midget racer.
Turns out it is a Caterham Seven.
Looks exceptionally dangerous to me. The wife (who I was working for) forbid travel on the highway, hates the noise and won’t ever go in it again.

Title: Re: I thought it was a go kart
Post by: AndrewB on October 03, 2025, 21:24:18

Originally designed by Colin Chapman as the “Lotus Super Seven”, it has a high power / weight ratio and exceptional handling. They are still driven all over the UK

Title: Re: I thought it was a go kart
Post by: Cees Klumper on October 04, 2025, 01:05:09

I'm sure it's a blast to drive. A variant of this design is the Donkervoort - Dutch designed and made, and highly sought after in Europe. Price new for a D8 is close to 200K. Euros:

Title: Re: I thought it was a go kart
Post by: Garry on October 04, 2025, 05:32:15

Lots here in Australia as well.

Title: Re: I thought it was a go kart
Post by: JamesL on October 04, 2025, 11:37:07

Absolute hoot to drive, huge fun and very controllable: very easy to do donuts. BUT… on track.

I cannot imagine sitting in one alongside a 40t truck at 70mph, on wet roads - but people do. I’ve seen them on the Eurotunnel going to places all over Europe. The owners see it as a 4 wheeled motorbike, and often dress accordingly

Title: Re: I thought it was a go kart
Post by: mdsalemi on October 04, 2025, 13:04:11

The wife, who is my client, was in it exactly ONCE. Had to do a yoga session first in order to get in. Got rocks in her hair, sand in her face on the ride. Burned herself on the @&$% exhaust climbing out. Never again. When I asked her what it was (it’s really tiny) her eyes shot me “that look” that said “don’t even get me started…”

“My husband’s toy. I hate it.”

A 5.0 Mustang right next to it. Both very loud. Hates the noise on that one, too.

Here in NC, land of the loudest cars in the USA, many “enthusiasts” equate noise with speed. Can’t make the car faster? Well, make it louder!

Meanwhile back at the Salemi ranch sits two Mustang Mach-E PEVs. Either will give most conventional 5.0L Mustangs a good run for the money, and silently. So quiet that there is a dashboard option is to turn on a very subtle sound (the sound is in the interior only) of acceleration to give the driver an audible cue as to what's happening under brisk acceleration.