This is the new Caterham Super Seven 1600, a car that Caterham reckons will take buyers back to the glory of the 1970s, but “minus the drawbacks” – those drawbacks being the iffy 1970s technology, according to the company.
The Super Seven 1600, which costs from £33,500 if you want it to come in a big box so you can build it yourself, is powered by a 1.6-litre Ford engine with 135bhp attached to a five-speed gearbox and driving the rear wheels.
That’s not a great deal of power, but the Super Seven 1600 is so light that its power-to-weight ratio is 250bhp-per-tonne, which is on par with a Bentley Continental GT and gives the Caterham a 0-60mph sprint of five seconds flat.
Designed to meld the spirit of the original 1973 Caterham 7 (itself based on the 50s-era Lotus 7 model) with modern tech, the Super Seven 1600 features a host of design flourishes that hark back to the ‘70s, including flared wings, 14-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and a spare wheel carrier reminiscent of the old Seven touring models. It comes with a standard chassis or can be optioned with the wider, more comfortable ‘SV’ chassis. The interior features a wooden steering wheel rim, as per the ‘70s norm.
The Super Seven 1600’s marquee mechanical feature is the inclusion of DCEO throttle body injection, a hallmark of rally cars in the 1970s and responsible for the engine’s distinctively throaty sound.
Caterham CEO Graham Macdonald said: “We’re excited to introduce the most powerful Super Seven ever built, a reimagining of a true modern icon, delivering exactly what the original was designed to offer – a focus on driving feel and race-inspired upgrades but with some touches of luxury to the finishes.”
Keyword: New Caterham Super Seven 1600 harnesses the 1970s...but less grim