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The last R500D... That isn't actually the last R500D


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link to press release on Caterham websitehere

 

Mine is actually #175 so I do own the very last R500 Duratec (although not factory built) as you can see on

 

The full video overview of the car is on this page on my blog

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Quoting Harry Flatters: 
Have you actually got a plaque/plate to that effect? If so, you will want them to correct their press release, I guess.
Yup....

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YrwoT7hmJ4g/Uy8euJ4t5dI/AAAAAAAAA4w/SPvH0csOKVw/s3200/_DSC1655.jpg

 

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Being #174 (that's just been sold), I suspect it was started (or at least planned!) before Daniel's, hence is #174.

 

Then Daniel bought, received, and completed #175, either before the factory got around to finishing #174 or maybe just before they sold it.

 

It might just be that Caterham have "today sold the last R500D that we had", rather than "have just now completed the last R500D we'll ever build".

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Quoting Roadracer1977: 
... I do own the very last R500 Duratec (although not factory built)...
Isn't your car a bit of a "Trigger's Broom" on that front...? *smile*

 

You built it originally, then the factory dismantled, repainted and rebuilt it... so is it now factory built?

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*biggrin*

Quoting BigCol: 
You built it originally, then the factory dismantled, repainted and rebuilt it... so is it now factory built?
I'll leave that one as a 'debate' topic... I'll be interested to know what the consensus is...

 

To me it feels like I built it (somewhat originally like you say )

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A kit Caterham probably never goes "on" a production line and certainly never "rolls off" one as the press release says.

 

3 February - Daniel received his R500 in CKD kit form - order number (?) 175.

7 July - The last factory-built R500 rolled off the production line - order number 174.

 

As a marketing manager, I'm normally pedantic to the n'th degree, but I see nothing wrong in this release . . . but that aside, it's a sad day for a much loved car. ☹️

 

Is it emission regs that killed it off, so now the range will jump from R485 up to 620R?

 

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Quoting gileshudson: 
3 February - Daniel received his R500 in CKD kit form - order number (?) 175.

7 July - The last factory-built R500 rolled off the production line - order number 174.

It's an interesting one really - at which point does the number of vehicle denote which one it is??? Chassis production, order placement date???

 

From what I can see I have number 175 and the last factory built one is number 174. Which would mean according to that numbering system I have the last one 😬

 

Quoting gileshudson: 

Is it emission regs that killed it off, so now the range will jump from R485 up to 620R?

No idea what killed it off, at a guess I'd say yes it was emissions, but at another 10k on top of the R500 price for a 620R I find that a very big leap for (aside from other benefits, torque, seq box etc) 'only' an extra 47bhp (approx 20%) and around another 50kg in additional weight (approx 10%) to offset the extra horsepower IMO.

 

Edited by - Roadracer1977 on 8 Jul 2014 14:04:00

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Quoting Self-appointed Club Pedant: 
As a marketing manager, I'm normally pedantic to the n'th degree

Except when it comes to superfluous apostrophes *tongue*

😬

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The number sequence has little to do with the build sequence of the cars, you can pick pretty well whatever number you'd like because the plaques will have been made in advance. 174 was probably the highest number they had left.

Oh, and Nigel's car is No.120.

 

Stu.

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Quoting BBL: 
Maybe they never assigned number 13, so 174 built, numbered 1-12 and 14-175? Just an idea; I have no specific knowledge or insight into this matter.
That'd still make mine number 175 - unless I'm not understanding your logic? *smile*
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*arrowup* As Stu mentioned, the production number could differ from the plate number. It does seem odd that a press release would mention the final model as number 174 and yours is number 175... unless it was a Ferrari, then it would be quite normal. *tongue*
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Quoting Red SLR: 
Sorry, but when ever I see R500D I just think R500 Diesel. 😬
Now that would have ALOT of torque *eek*
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I think Caterham are just allowing the number system to be deliberately obfuscated. This is to do it's Lotus Heritage. I have been researching my Lotus Elan's history and this little numbering hiccup is nothing compared to the numbering system allocated to the later Elans, especially the Sprint. Loads of S4 spec cars went back into the factory and were converted to Sprint spec - with a new number - after standing unsold for months.' Last' sprint went to Portugal, but actually the 'last' one went to Denmark!!
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