Caterham CSR

Caterham CSR generations: what changed, and what did not

What the generation does not split: body, gearbox type, drive, cylinder count, layout, boost type, displacement (2261), fuel grade (92), eco class, clearance, or wheel sizes. The split is output and mass. 2.3 MT 200 hp is the heavier, lower-output car. 2.3 MT 260 hp is the lighter, higher-output car.

1 generation (from 2005-01-01, end not measured) is a Roadster with 2 versions. Both are 2.3 MT, Gasoline, Turbo, Inline 4, 6-speed Manual, RWD, Euro 4, 100 mm ground clearance, and the same wheels: 195/45 R15 and 255/40 R15. Front suspension is Independent, spring; rear is Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem. Front brakes are Ventilated disc; rear brakes are Disc.

What the generation does not split: body, gearbox type, drive, cylinder count, layout, boost type, displacement (2261), fuel grade (92), eco class, clearance, or wheel sizes. The split is output and mass. 2.3 MT 200 hp is the heavier, lower-output car. 2.3 MT 260 hp is the lighter, higher-output car. If you came here from “CSR vs SV” or “485 CSR”, those names are not in this catalogue row; the two CSR versions on this page are only the two 2.3 MT outputs.

Caterham CSR 200 vs CSR 260 specs (engine, gearbox, drive)

Both engines are 2261 Gasoline Inline 4 Turbo units on 92 fuel. Valves per cylinder, engine position, fuel system, compression, and bore × stroke are not measured on either version. Peak torque rpm is not measured on either version.

Arithmetic on the same 2261 block

• Extra output on 2.3 MT 260 hp: +60 hp (+30% vs 200), +44 kW, +50 Nm (+22.6% vs 221).
• Specific output: 200 / 2.261 ≈ 88.5 hp per litre on 2.3 MT 200 hp; 260 / 2.261 ≈ 115.0 hp per litre on 2.3 MT 260 hp (+26.5 hp/l).
• Peak power rpm is 500 higher on the 260 hp car (7500 vs 7000).

The extra money, if you pay it, does not buy a different displacement, a different cylinder count, a different layout, a different boost type, an automatic, or another driven axle. It buys 60 hp, 50 Nm, a 500 rpm higher power peak, and — in the weight table below — a lighter kerb mass. Gearbox and drive stay Manual 6 RWD on both.

Performance and mpg: 0–100, top speed, fuel use

2.3 MT 260 hp is 0.7 seconds quicker to 100 (3 vs 3.7, about 19% less time) and 25 km/h faster at the top (250 vs 225, about 11% more). That is the whole measured performance gap.

Fuel is only measured on 2.3 MT 200 hp: city 16.6, highway 8.5, combined 11.5. Combined is 3.1 above highway and 5.1 below city; city is 8.1 above highway. On 2.3 MT 260 hp, city, highway, and combined are not measured. Do not treat the 200 hp mpg figures as the 260 hp car’s figures. CO2 and tank size are not measured on both, so range cannot be calculated from this sheet.

If the search is “CSR 200 review” in the sense of daily use, the only mpg numbers in this catalogue sit on 2.3 MT 200 hp. If the search is “CSR 260 specs” for pace, the 260 hp car is the one with 3 s and 250 km/h — and no fuel row.

Caterham CSR weight and dimensions

Tank volume is not measured. Exterior length, width, height, and wheelbase are not measured. Ground clearance is 100 on both. Wheels are 195/45 R15 and 255/40 R15 on both.

2.3 MT 260 hp is 50 kg lighter at kerb (515 vs 565, about 8.8% less). Gross mass is 875 on the 200 hp car and not measured on the 260 hp car, so payload cannot be compared: 875 − 565 = 310 kg on 2.3 MT 200 hp only.

Mass per horsepower

• 2.3 MT 200 hp: 565 / 200 = 2.825 kg per hp.
• 2.3 MT 260 hp: 515 / 260 ≈ 1.98 kg per hp.

The 260 hp car carries about 0.84 kg less per hp (roughly 30% less mass per horsepower). Horsepower per kilogram: 200 / 565 ≈ 0.354 hp/kg vs 260 / 515 ≈ 0.505 hp/kg. The 260 hp version has about 43% more hp per kilogram. That gap is power and the 50 kg kerb cut, not power alone.

Clearance does not change with version. Chassis search terms do not get extra numbers here: suspension and brake labels are the same on both 2.3 MT cars.

Which Caterham CSR version to choose

There is one generation and two 2.3 MT outputs. “Which generation” is not a choice. “Which body” is not a choice: both are Roadster. “Which gearbox / drive” is not a choice: both are Manual 6 RWD.

Choose 2.3 MT (200 hp) when you need measured fuel use. It is the only version with city 16.6, highway 8.5, and combined 11.5. It is also the only version with a measured gross mass (875). You give up 60 hp, 50 Nm, 0.7 s on 0–100, 25 km/h of top speed, and you carry 50 kg more kerb mass. Peak power is at 7000, not 7500. Specific output is about 88.5 hp/l and 2.825 kg/hp. If the buying filter is “I want the CSR whose mpg is written down,” this is that car.

Choose 2.3 MT (260 hp) when the numbers that matter are pace and mass. You get 260 hp (191 kW), 271 Nm, 3 s to 100, 250 km/h, and 515 kg kerb — about 115 hp/l and 1.98 kg/hp. You do not get fuel figures, CO2, tank volume, or gross mass; those are not measured. Same 2261, same Inline 4 Turbo, same 92 fuel, same Euro 4, same 100 mm, same wheels. The extra output is +60 hp and +50 Nm on 50 kg less kerb.

What extra output does not buy in this data: a later generation, a different body, more gears, another driven axle, a larger engine, a different fuel grade, a different eco class, more clearance, or different tyres. Price is not measured, so “what the extra money buys” here means what the 260 hp row adds over the 200 hp row: +60 hp, +44 kW, +50 Nm, −0.7 s, +25 km/h, −50 kg kerb, and a blank fuel table.

If you only remember one split: both catalogue names are 2.3 MT. Separate them by 200 hp / 565 kg / 3.7 s / 225 km/h / mpg measured versus 260 hp / 515 kg / 3 s / 250 km/h / mpg not measured.