Inoxline Performance exhaust

 

TL;DR if you don't do it for the looks, do it for the sound

I don't like the factory exhaust. It's just too big, and hides the Caterham lettering on the left side of the car.

Even the assembly guide shows a slimmer option fitted to the 170. 

For 550€, Inoxline Performance provide you with a bespoke exhaust system with a 10cm diameter silencer that is 2kg lighter than the original 15cm nonsense. I took a day off and went to have it fitted right at their workshop. Damien is actually working alone and the stainless pipes are bent properly and not an horrible job of welding small pieces for the curves. All his work is pure craftmanship, real pieces of art.

https://inoxlineperformance.com/caterham/1494-echappement-caterham-170r.html

Installation is a 30 minutes job once the original exhaust is cold-ish. Just a bit of WD40 at the junction with the catalytic converter, a jubilee clip and 2 nuts to remove from the bobbins.

Where the original exhaust system lacks in character (way too silent, only the noise of gas whooshing out), this one makes the car sound match its looks. Son ramage se rapporte à son plumage. Nothing crazy that would have the police stop you to check your papers, just a nice deep roar at low RPM, and a bit more rage when revving high.

The 2 hours drive back home was enough to give the stainless pipes their nice bronze tint.

 

 

After a few months, the brushed finish on the stainless steel pipes had a tendency to keep dirt and proved difficult to keep somewhat clean looking. So I spent a few hours polishing the exhaust with Belgom Alu. I didn't touch the silencer, only the lengths of stainless tube. It gave it its original silver color back, but with a mirror finish. The bronze tint came back after a few hours on the road, as expected. I really like it that way.