Iconic Caterham sports car brand sold to Japanese conglomerate
Caterham Cars Australia tells CarAdvice the move could free up supply for the local market.
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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