Caterham Seven: lightweight base model due this year
Caterham is preparing to launch a lightweight entry-level variant of its stripped-out Seven sports car, releasing a teaser image of the upcoming model.
Speaking with Autocar, Caterham Cars CEO Graham Macdonald said the new model would please Caterham purists as well as expose the brand to new buyers.
“As we celebrate our 40th anniversary at Caterham, it feels good to be taking the brand right back to where it started,” Macdonald said.
“Colin Chapman designed the original Seven to be entirely ‘fit-for-purpose’ – a racing car for the road with the driving experience at its heart.
“With that in mind, the new entry-level Seven will be uncomplicated, easy to run and, most important of all, an intuitive and exciting drive.”
Autocar reports the new base model – tipped to launch in the third quarter before deliveries commence before the end of the year – will come equipped with a fuel-efficient Euro 6-compliant engine and will embrace the brand philosophy of “adding lightness”.
The cheapest model in the current line-up is the Caterham Classic, which at £14,495 ($22,600) is approximately the same price as an entry-level Ford Focus in the UK. Its 78kW/129Nm 1.4-litre petrol engine combines with the Classic’s 525kg mass for a 0-100km/h sprint of 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 177km/h.
The Classic is not available in our market, where the $57,275 Roadsport SV120 instead fills the entry-level role.
Note: Caterham Supersport R pictured above.
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