This is the tag line for the Caterham car company who produce cars based on Colin Chapmans Lotus Seven. The car first appeared in 1957 and stayed in production with Lotus until 1973 when they decided to go up market and leave the kit car market behind.
It was a popular car with Lotus producing 2 500 units. Much of its popularity was down to its success in clubman racing, a connection that continues to this very day. You can buy a seasons racing, including a car for just under £60 000 through the Caterham Academy.
I remember the Caterham 7 as a cheap entry into performance motoring. The combination of light weight and small but powerful engines gave you acceleration on par with supercars at a fraction of the price. A colleague of mine joined with two friends and they built three cars for road use.
Today you can still buy Caterhams as kit cars with prices from£29 500, though now the car is supplied complete with new components. But Caterham has moved on from kit car manufacturer to specialised sports car manufacturer. It’s latest product, the Seven CSR twenty is far from cheap. At £79 995 it still brings you incredible performance at a fraction of supercar prices, but for that money you can buy a fast car and you can only use the Caterhams performance on the track.
Caterham has launched its latest limited-edition model, the Seven CSR Twenty, to celebrate 20 years of the CSR chassis. It is the first vehicle for the UK market that has been built in Caterham’s new multi-million-pound factory in Dartford.
This special edition (which will be limited to 20 cars) features Caterham’s most compliant chassis and includes inboard front and fully independent rear suspension. The inboard front suspension provides more direct and composed steering, ensuring an engaging driving experience suitable for devouring road miles. While the independent rear set up creates additional rear end grip, comfort and composure. Combined, these allow CSR Twenty to deliver its performance confidently, regardless of road quality. The ultimate in point-to-point performance.
This, paired to Caterham’s most popular engine, the 210bhp variation of the 2.0 litre Ford Duratec engine used in the Seven 420, is a combination that has never been offered before.
The performance of the four-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine delivers a brake horsepower of 210 (bhp), revs up to 7,600 rpm, 0 – 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 136mph. The model also includes a 5-speed manual transmission, and ventilated front discs with quad-piston calipers.
Its interior features a satin carbon dashboard, CSR Twenty edition dials, a premium leather tunnel top, Alcantara gearstick and handbrake gaiters, plush, black carpets and leather Momo steering wheel. The CSR Twenty seats are designed with premium leather, Alcantara inserts, red stitching and CSR Twenty logos.
The exterior of the car features a Seven 620-style nose cone and front wings, LED front and rear lights, black Mohair boot and weather gear, red brake calipers, a two-tone Union Flag grille and for the first time on any UK model, the exclusive-to-CSR Vulcan 15” alloys.
Caterham will also make an additional 20 units available to the US market.
For more information, please visit the Caterham website.