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Christopher Bruce2013-10-04 14:52:27

Caterham Will Expand Through Joint Ventures Says Fernandes

It wants to make a crossover or city car

 
 
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Caterham believes the key to its future is joint ventures

CaterhamCaterhamCaterhamUnited Kingdom, 1973 > present9 models
354 photos
1 video
is a name that keeps getting repeated, despite that fact that they are regularly at the back of the Formula 1 grid, and all of its road cars are an evolution of a design that originated in the late 50s. However, owner Tony Fernandes wants to expand the brand, and his way to do it is by creating joint ventures with more established automakers. Caterham gets access to powertrains that it needs, and the larger automakers get a relatively cheap, very experienced engineering team.

The idea has already bore fruit in the form of Caterham’s joint venture with Renault for the new AlpineAlpineAlpineFrance, 1955 > 199414 models
219 photos
. RenaultRenaultRenaultFrance, 1898 > present189 models
6052 photos
17 videos
is supplying the powertrain; Caterham is doing the chassis, and both share ownership of the Dieppe factory.

The next step for Fernandes is to look for other automakers who would like to work with him, and he would especially like to build a crossover or city car.

“It has to be joint ventures. When we started AirAsia, we couldn’t afford to buy planes; we had to lease them. With a car joint venture, we would in some ways be leasing other people’s technology by sharing platforms and using factories that have already been built,” said Fernandes.

The future Caterhams will not just be rebadged vehicles from other automakers. Fernandes plans to re-engineer the vehicles to give them a distinct Caterham identity.

“We want to keep it affordable, but as a small manufacturer you won’t do that on your own,” he said.

Source: Autocar

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