A stripped-down Caterham for corner carvers on a budget

A purer driver's car than a straight-up Caterham? You jest. No, it's the Caterham Supersport, a streetable version of the spec racecar built for the Caterham Supersport Championship, third rung in the Caterham factory motorsports "ladder."

Cars tuned for Supersports racing get stiffer dampers and race springs, stiffer anti-roll bars, a wider track front suspension, improved aerodynamics by removing headlights and windscreen (in favor of a race aeroscreen), and a higher rev limit.

A stripped-down Caterham for corner carvers on a budget

Like the racecar with which it shares a name, the Supersport's powered by a 140-hp, 1.6-liter Ford Sigma engine plugged into a five-speed manual, lightweight flywheel and race-prepped suspension over CR500 Avon tyres on 13" wheels. Naturally, the street version has both headlights and windshield. It also gets limited-slip-diff, sports-minded gearing, and composite race seats with a four-point race harness.

All in, the Supersport weighs just 1,146 pounds; that power-to-weight ratio allows a 0-60 time of in 4.9 seconds. Top speed is 120 mph.

If you build it yourself, the price is £19,995 (including tax) in self-build form, Factory-built, the Supersport will cost £22,995. Smile-removal surgery may cost a bit more.