True or Hoax?

[slomove]

Superformance as Caterham dealer?

[slomove]

I guess it is true. It is also on the Superformance web site

[Doug Liedblad]

Nothing on the Caterham USA website about it.

[Lucky Dawg]

Superformance as Caterham dealer?

Actually they are now the US distributor. Not sure what this means for the curremt dealers.

[rzempel]

Are they "the" US distributor, exclusively, or "a" distributor? The press releases don't mention, or even imply, exclusive distributorship.

[Sean]

Now posted on the News section of the Caterham site HERE.

Following is the complete text of the announcement on that page:

Caterham Cars and its iconic Seven will be officially sold in the USA with a new US distributor as of January 1st 2014.

Superformance (www.superformance.com) is based in Irvine, California and will sell several variants of the Seven.

Increased American interest in the legendary British sportscar was sparked earlier this year, when X Factor supremo Simon Cowell took delivery of a Seven CSR 260 at his home in Los Angeles.

Superformance will stock a range of Seven variants, although primarily the higher-power incarnations of the car, which have traditionally been more popular in the American market. The range will include the Seven 480 and the new Seven 620R, which will top the US line-up initially.

Caterham Group CEO, Graham Macdonald, said: “The US market has always been a difficult one for us, thanks to the stringent federal homologation rules. But we know there is an appetite for our particular brand of lightweight and performance and we already export our SP/300.R to the States through Dyson Racing.

“In the last two years, Caterham has significantly broadened its reach internationally and signing a new official distributor in the form of Superformance in America is a natural extension of how our brand is expanding, rapidly, across the globe.”

Sevens will be shipped to the USA in part-built form and sold as rolling chassis via Superformance’s nationwide dealer network for customers to then complete the build personally.

[moosetestbestanden]

Well, the Caterham USA site's contact page still points to Arvada, CO., at least for the time being.

Time will tell I suppose.

[randychase]

The importer of record will be Superformance with an east coast and west coast port. Existing dealers and existing Superformance dealers are part of a discussion about how this will all work moving forward. There will be some changes in how the cars are imported, with the possibility that they still may offer a kit option, but that kit may be a higher price than a ready-for-an-engine roller. Car models will be have name changes and should include the 160 all the way up to the 620R.

More information after Barrett Jackson January. If any owner can get their car to Scottsdale for Barret Jackson, Superformance is interested in talking to you, as they intend on having a nice display for the cars as the start of a more focused marketing campaign for Caterham cars in the USA market.

[moosetestbestanden]

There will be some changes in how the cars are imported, with the possibility that they still may offer a kit option, but that kit may be a higher price than a ready-for-an-engine roller. Car models will be have name changes and should include the 160 all the way up to the 620R.

I wonder what implications r.e. SB100 registration this may have.

More information after Barrett Jackson January. If any owner can get their car to Scottsdale for Barret Jackson, Superformance is interested in talking to you, as they intend on having a nice display for the cars as the start of a more focused marketing campaign for Caterham cars in the USA market.

Love to, I think. Maybe. Somehow I'm left wondering whether my track pitted and none-too-shiny U-Build-Em (frickin ROCKET fast:-)) car would necessarily impress either the new importers or the Simon Cowells and all the other billionaires of the world, who apparently are the target market. Not that I'm complaining. A couple more rich guys at the track whose take-offs I could buy wouldn't bother me at all. Nope, not at all. :-)

And while they probably already know this, if the fellas at Superformance want to or need to confirm just how fast a Cobra (replica or original) is compared to a track-prepared Caterham they're welcome to come out to the track and see. :-) Now that's a selling point. To me at least. :-)

[Sean]

I wonder what implications r.e. SB100 registration this may have.

It should not have any, but with the various state agencies involved, it would seem the window for misinterpretation of the rules will be opened a whole lot wider than it was before...

[randychase]

And while they probably already know this, if the fellas at Superformance want to or need to confirm just how fast a Cobra (replica or original) is compared to a track-prepared Caterham they're welcome to come out to the track and see. :-) Now that's a selling point. To me at least. :-)

In my conversation with the main guy, he mentioned that the Caterham would be a true track car, which they do not have in their range line up. They do understand that.

[randychase]

And yes, a roller should be fine for kit car purposes. One does not have to assemble the other things other than the engine and gearbox. They sell now to the US market their cars as component cars so they know what they are doing.

There is a possibility of a new federal bill that might simplify this. Not sure how that is going to go.

[slomove]

Birkin has been selling rollers to the US forever. The kit option was actually a disassembled roller AFAIK. For the SB100 it made no difference.

[Rod]

If you go the Caterham USA web site the contact us feature takes you to Irvine CA, and no mention of colorado.

[Doug Liedblad]

It's changed since I posted the link earlier.

It was still to Colorado then.