Caterham's new Project V is heading stateside, but costs are creeping higher than initially quoted. The British kit car maker is banking on American enthusiasts willing to pay up for a purpose-built, stripped-down roadster in an era of bloated performance cars. Details on final spec and pricing are still sparse, but expect the entry point north of initial estimates.

Caterham is shipping its first electric sports car to the U.S., a stripped-down two-seater built on a new platform they're banking on refining for the next thirty years. The Project V ditches the Seven formula entirely—no tubular frame, no donor parts—and aims at purists who want lightweight handling without apologizing for going electric. It's either visionary or a Hail Mary from a kit car builder that finally got tired of living in Lotus's shadow.

The Project V is Caterham's answer to the question nobody asked: what if we took everything that made our cars fun—the lightweight chassis, the driver focus—and replaced the soul with a Yamaha motor and a battery pack. It's coming to the US market betting on wealthy enthusiasts who want the badge without the engagement. Don't expect it to save the brand.