Iconic Caterham sports car brand sold to Japanese conglomerate

Iconic British sports car brand Caterham has been bought-out by Japanese automotive distributor VT Holdings for an undisclosed price.

Caterham – which began selling its famous Lotus-derived lightweight 'Seven' model in 1972 – today builds approximately 500 cars per year.

According to the manufacturer, these production figures are not expected to change dramatically as a result of the sale.

In an official statement, Kazuho Takahashi – the owner of of VT Holdings – said: “[We are] proud to welcome Caterham to the group.

"We have not only purchased a globally renowned performance car manufacturer but become custodians of a motoring legend."

"We will protect and develop the Seven to meet the legislative challenges that lie ahead," he added.

A spokesperson for Caterham Cars Australia – which generally delivers between one and three cars locally each year – told CarAdvice business was unlikely to be compromised: “If anything, we hope this will help ease supply constraints, and allow us to sell more vehicles.”

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