Caterham brings together series of historic Seven cars to celebrate 60th anniversary
British sports car maker united some of the most important models in its history
Caterham has celebrated the 60th birthday of its iconic Seven by bringing together some of the most important examples of the classic two-seater.
Seven iconic Sevens were brought to the Longcross test track in Surrey, with each one hailing from a different part of the car’s history.
The original Lotus Seven Series 1 headed up the vehicles on display. Fitted with a Ford 100E engine, it could hit a top speed of 78mph. Though slower than the modern Seven cars, it was this vehicle, launched by Colin Chapman in 1957, that sparked interest in the Caterham.
A TV star was also in attendance in the form of a replica Seven ‘Prisoner Edition’ VVC, the original of which starred in the cult 1960s series ‘The Prisoner’.
These classics were joined by the Superlight R500, which gained fame by setting one of the quickest laps of all time on the Top Gear test track.
Caterham Cars CEO Graham Macdonald said: “What a great line-up – an apt number of Sevens, all of which have made their mark in Caterham’s history. It’s great to see how the Series 1 has been developed over the years – you don’t get a better accolade than becoming a Top Gear track icon.
“Over the 60 years of the Seven, we’ve never lost Colin Chapman’s engineering essence – a lightweight, high-powered machine that is fit for purpose. Every Seven provides a raw, pure, fun driving experience like no other vehicle. Long may it continue for the next 60 years.”
