Caterham drives ahead with R&D

SPORTS car maker Caterham is revving up its research and development work after yesterday unveiling a standalone engineering company.

Caterham Technology and Innovation (CTI) will develop new models for its parent company but will also take on contract work for other marques.

Tony Shute – who Caterham said was credited with bringing the original Lotus Elise to market – has been hired as CTI’s “head of road cars”.

He said: “When the opportunity to be involved with creating the next iconic Caterham arose, I couldn’t turn it down. The core principles and ambitions of CTI have enabled us to attract some of the brightest and most-respected talents in their fields.”

Caterham was bought in April by Air Asia owner Tony Fernandes, the Malaysian entrepreneur who runs the Team Lotus Formula One racing outfit and who last month took a controlling stake in Queens Park Rangers football club. There has been speculation he could rebrand his F1 team as Caterham.