Hello sim racers!
Here we go again with another content announcement for rFactor 2, and this time, we are delighted to be able to bring a very important national level racing car to the simulation, free to all users, as part of our upcoming 2022 Q3 Content Drop this August – the wonderful Caterham Academy!
A car steeped in history and sold in the thousands throughout the UK and abroad, for decades now, Caterham has become synonymous with bringing motorsport to the wider public, and very soon our drivers here in rFactor 2 will get the opportunity to sample what is one of the most cost-effective and enjoyable ways to hit the race circuits, now in virtual form!
Initially launching with the Academy version of the mighty Caterham, with further models to follow in the months ahead, this nimble and exciting car is one of the finest ways to get yourself out on the circuit and feel the white-hot heat of competition for yourself. Low power but exceptionally light, the little Caterham is the type of car that just adores being thrown around on the racetrack, and produces an incredibly entertaining driving experience that allows races to not only have fun, but to also get in and up close with your rivals on track. Expect to make a pass in a Caterham and be done with the move? Unlikely, you’ll probably find you’ve got at least another couple of cars going side-by-side with you on the run down into the next corner – more than likely the next few corners actually!
The Car
Caterham, or specifically the Lotus 7 on which this model is based, has been around and prominent in motorsport for a very long time indeed. Loved by drivers and racers for the simplicity of the design and upkeep, as well as the golden combination of manoeuvrability and low weight, this car is very much the definition of what a ‘driver’s car’ should be. Happy to be hustled around on road or track, and not afraid to offer up the odd rear overtaking the front moment, without ever getting too dramatic as to being out of control, Caterham has become a byword for the type of car anyone and everyone eventually gets behind the wheel and goes racing with.
The model set to be released to rFactor 2 as a free content addition during the 2022 Q3 Content Drop is the entry level Caterham Academy, part of the pyramid of championships that Caterham offers in order to help drivers progress and develop their racing skills up through the multitude of series run by the British manufacturer.
Similar to the higher ranking series cars, the Academy comes in at slightly lower horsepower than the more senior categories, with the Ford Sigma derived engine capable of producing around 115 mph top speed, and 0-60 tracked somewhere around the region of 5.3 seconds. On paper, these most certainly aren’t supercar beating figures, but when you couple this with the fact the car weighs a scant 625 kg including the driver, you quickly begin to understand that this is a vehicle that will very easily produce an exceptional driving experience, whilst still being more than capable of offering up some really close and intense racing out on the many varieties of circuit available within rFactor 2.
Complete with multiple liveries to offer up a healthy mix of designs for multi car events, and as a car that is sure to be introduced into the rFactor 2 Competition System soon after release, here at Studio 397 we firmly believe that the mighty Caterham will quickly prove itself to be as popular with our virtual racing drivers, as it is with our real life counterparts on the world circuit. Forgiving enough to encourage close racing and beginner-friendly tendencies, and challenging enough to be exceptional fun for even the most seasoned driver, we can’t wait to see how the community react to the new car once it is released as a free content addition this August!
Technical Specs
- Caterham tuned Ford Sigma, 1596cc, 4 cylinder, naturally aspirated.
- Max Power (bhp/rpm): 125 @ 6,800
- Max Torque (Nm/rpm): 150 @ 4,800
- Weight: Minimum 625kg including driver.
- 5 speed gearbox.
Release Details
The Caterham Academy is set to release as part of the upcoming 2022 Q3 August Content Drop for rFactor, alongside a raft of new content, features, fixes and improvements. The car will be made available as a new, free item within the Studio 397 Steam Workshop page, available to download for all users of the simulation once released.
The August update will introduce the Caterham Academy, with further models from the Caterham racing range set to be introduced as part of future quarterly update build releases.
Announcements So Far
We are very much looking forward to our community taking this car out on the track for the first time, and we look forward to making even more cool announcements as we continue our build-up to the Q3 August Content Drop in rFactor 2. As always, stay tuned to our social media channels, Discord and the forum for all the latest news and features, as and when they are revealed.
Caterham Academy – Coming soon to rFactor 2!
