Caterham Seven Sprint: 60's inspired limited edition launches
The British sports car maker's latest creation celebrates sixty years of the iconic Lotus Seven
Next year marks sixty years since the release of the original Lotus Seven, but Caterham, which has produced the Seven since acquiring the rights in 1973, is eager to kick the celebrations off early with a new limited edition version that's suitably retro.
The throwback car is called the Seven Sprint and it's based on a Seven variant that Lotus designed back in the mid-1960s but never put on sale. Only sixty will be built by the factory and unlike other Caterhams the Seven Sprint won't be available as a kit car.
While the basic shape of the car has remained largely unchanged during nearly sixty years in production, modern Caterhams are noticeably different to their ancestors thanks to fat, grippy tyres wrapped around alloy wheels, tight, hugging wheel arches, vented bonnets, vibrant paint jobs and slick cockpits kitted out with carbon fibre.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Seven Sprint is a much more delicate looking car. Two large, flared front wings acting as wheel arches immediately catch the eye, but there are smaller bodywork details too. These include retro inspired rear lights, a polished side exit exhaust, classic looking badges and cream coloured steel wheels with chrome hubcaps.
The car comes in six classic colours – Cream, Mellow Yellow, Regency Red, Camberwick Green, Misty Blue and of course British Racing Green.
The cockpit is designed in period style with scarlet leather, an old-fashioned set of instruments and switches on the dashboard, as well as a polished boule-style gear knob and a vintage wood-rimmed steering wheel. Both the cockpit and luggage space are carpeted.
Caterham has even powder-coated the chassis grey to keep the car as in tune with its roots as possible. It's a wonderful tribute act that Top Gear says would look amazing parked alongside other recent retro love-ins such as the Land Rover Defender Heritage edition.
Underneath the evocative styling is a modern Caterham. The Seven Sprint is based on the entry level Caterham 160 and uses the same 660cc Suzuki-sourced three-cylinder turbo engine with just 80bhp.
That's not a lot of power, but it's a very small and light car. It should be capable of 0-62mph in just under seven seconds, with a top speed of 100mph.
If you want to be one of sixty prospective owners, a £27,995 outlay is necessary. That's exactly £11,000 more than the Seven 160 the Sprint is based on, making this both an elusive and expensive little sports car.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The mental health crisis affecting vets
Under The Radar Death of Hampshire vet highlights mental health issues plaguing the industry
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Onion is having a very ironic laugh with Infowars
The Explainer The satirical newspaper is purchasing the controversial website out of bankruptcy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Rahmbo, back from Japan, will be looking for a job? Really?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Lotus Eletre review: what the car critics say
The Week Recommends All-electric hyper SUV is not just entertaining to drive – it’s also ‘extraordinarily well made’
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sport on TV guide: Christmas 2022 and New Year listings
Speed Read Enjoy a feast of sporting action with football, darts, rugby union, racing, NFL and NBA
By Mike Starling Published
-
House of the Dragon: what to expect from the Game of Thrones prequel
Speed Read Ten-part series, set 200 years before GoT, will show the incestuous decline of Targaryen
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
One in 20 young Americans identify as trans or non-binary
Speed Read New research suggests that 44% of US adults know someone who is transgender
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Turner Prize 2022: a ‘vintage’ shortlist?
Speed Read All four artists look towards ‘growth, revival and reinvention’ in their work
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Six exciting new vehicles to look out for in 2022
The Week Recommends Featuring the Alfa Romeo Tonale, Volkswagen ID Buzz and BMW Concept CE 02
By The Week Staff Published
-
What’s on TV this Christmas? The best holiday television
Speed Read From films and documentaries to musicals for all the family
By The Week Staff Published
-
Coco vision: up close to Chanel opticals
Speed Read Parisian luxury house adds opticals to digital offering
By The Week Staff Published