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Studio 397 continues revealing the upcoming content for its 2022 Q3 August Content Drop for rFactor 2.
Following yesterday’s announcement of the Mk1 Austin Mini Cooper S Group 2, Studio 397 now announced that also the British Caterham Cars brand will be coming to the rF2 racing simulator. The free-of-cost Academy version of the Caterham Seven will be part of the 2022 Q3 August Content Drop, with more Caterham models following in the coming months.
The Caterham Seven is a super-lightweight sports car based on the classic Lotus Seven, sold in a kit. In the real world, the Caterham Academy is a unique series exclusively for novice drivers. As an all-inclusive ‘introduction to motorsport’ package, it includes a Ford Sigma-powered road-legal race car, race license, technical support, and the racing itself.
Studio 397 Quote:
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 also get in and up close with their rivals on the 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 maneuverability 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 be 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 free content added 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 the 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 reacts 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 the 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 on 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.
2022 Q3 August Content Drop 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.
Official Webpage – www.studio-397.com – The rFactor 2 Racing Simulator is available via Steam for €29,99.
