Caterham Superlight R500

Quoted weight for the Superlight is about 50 kg (110 lb) less than the Roadsport, due in part to the lack of a spare wheel and carrier. Engine options again are something of a temporary mix of incoming Ford Sigma (150 bhp) and outgoing Rover k-series (160 bhp) for the R300. Both the R400 and R500 use the 2 litre variant of Ford Cosworth Duratec engine, in different states of tune. The R400 is quoted at 210 bhp (160 kW), the R500 at 263 bhp (196 kW). With the recent launch of the R500 (April 2008), Caterham made available the options of a sequential gearbox and launch control. Quoted performance for the R500 is 0-60 in 2.88 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h).

At the beginning of December 2008, the R500 was featured on the popular BBC television show Top Gear, putting in a timed lap of the Top Gear circuit of 1 minute 17.9 seconds. This is, to date, the sixth fastest official lap timed by the show, faster than, amongst others, the Bugatti Veyron. This feat was considered even more impressive due to the coldness of the conditions which made it difficult for the test driver ("The Stig") to get heat into the tyres. Shortly afterwards, on the 14th December show, Top Gear made the R500 its '2008 Car of the Year'.