When you hear the name Yamaha, the mind almost automatically thinks of motorbikes and maybe musical instruments, but the Japanese firm actually has a pretty legendary track record when it comes to automotive powerplants as well.
Yamaha Motor codeveloped the 1LR-GUE V10 that powers the Lexus LFA for example, and also played a part in the Toyota 2ZZ-GE and even the Volvo B8444S V8 block that powered the first-generation XC90 and the second-generation S80 models.
Now, the company is once again helping another brand go fast, and stepping into the electric era while doing so. Yamaha is now working with Caterham, helping to bring an electric sports car to life. Dubbed Project V, this lightweight, carbon-fiber monocoque machine will be all about the driving experience—as you’d expect from the British firm.
Caterham leads the charge on design, while Yamaha, with its precision engineering, handles drivetrain development. If that doesn’t get you excited, then maybe the car’s claimed specs will: 268hp, 0-100km/h in under 4.5 seconds, and a top speed of 230km/h.
The term “lightweight EV” might sound like an oxymoron, but if this is going to be a proper Caterham, then the two firms will have to achieve a difficult balance. Fitted with a Yamaha-developed drivetrain and vehicle motion control systems—as well as a 55kWh battery and double-wishbone suspension—the car is designed to offer the kind of lightweight, pure driving fun that Caterham is famous for.
Weighing in at a target of just around 1,190kg, Project V sounds like the kind of machine that would make any purist’s heart race.
First teased at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed and again at the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon, Project V aims to hit the streets by 2025, with mass-production firmly in Caterham’s sights. The price? An estimated £80,000 (P5.97 million), which sounds like a lot, but for a blend of Caterham’s no-nonsense driving fun and Yamaha’s cutting-edge electric tech, it might just be worth it.
Design-wise, Project V takes cues from Alpine, Maserati, a little bit of Aston Martin, and maybe even a tiny touch of Porsche to create a reasonably unique machine that strays away from Caterham’s usual boxy looks.
It’s a statement of intent from two brands committed to delivering the future of driving, but now they need to convince their customers that electric is better than combustion, which might just be the hardest challenge.
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