International Dealer News IDN 116 Dec 2013/Jan 2014 | страница 7

news ROOM

British sportscar maker unveils
motorcycle design prototypes
CATERHAM Group, the company
behind the historic Caterham car
brand, used the EICMA show in Milan
to launch a line-up of three prototype
motorcycle designs.
The Brutus 750 (described by the
company as the ‘SUV of motorcycles’),
Classic E-Bike (an electric bike with
retro styling) and the Carbon E-Bike
(an electric bike inspired by F1
technology) are said to be "a key part
of the Group’s strategy of growth
through partnerships".
Malaysian entrepreneur Tony
Fernandes, Co-Chairman of Caterham
Group, said: “Our vision for Caterham
Group which includes the Caterham
(formerly Lotus) Formula 1 team, and
who is also owner of Air Asia and

London based English football club
Queens Park Rangers, has taken
another step forward with the launch
of Caterham Bikes.
"Expanding our interests into the
two-wheeled market is another
natural progression for us and is a
good opportunity to showcase the
breadth of knowledge, experience and
creativity we have at our disposal
across the Group, now in the twowheeled world in addition to all of our
other automotive, technology and
innovation interests".
Production of the three designs is
targeted to begin in spring 2014, with
the Brutus 750 the first to be built,
followed by the two electric bikes later
in the year.
The Brutus 750 is said to be capable
of being used as a street bike, off-road
machine or even a snowmobile (with
a conversion that is said to be possible
in less than four hours).
With production slated to start for
all three models in mid-2014, the
‘Brutus’, based on a 750cc Dili
single, is being assembled in Taiwan
with the European production of the
two E-Bikes planned for the UK.
Caterham is describing the ‘Brutus’
as the “SUV of motorcycles,”
according to Chief Designer
Alessandro Tartarini, the son of
Italjet founder Leopoldo Tartarini,
and designer of the well-received
‘Velocifero’. Alessandro is seen here
on the right, on their EICMA booth
with Caterham Bikes’ General
Manager of Sales and Distribution
Andrea Leuthe - a former 500cc
Grand Prix privateer, motorcycle
importer and Italjet export manager.

Classic E-Bike

The first of the two electric bikes will
be the Classic E-Bike, which features
retro styling and has an expected
range of 40-80km, and does not
require the rider to have a license in
the EU.
The Carbon E-Bike has modern
styling inspired by F1 technology, and
a limited edition version featuring
exclusive F1 input and materials is
currently being worked on.

Carbon E-Bike

www.caterhambikes.com
Brutus 750