Caterham Cars up production

Even when  the economy is in the toilet – and car makers worldwide are cutting production – there is still a shining light that bucks the trend. Caterham Cars – inheritors of the Lotus Seven mantel – has announced that they are increasing production to cope with demand.

Now admittedly, Caterham increasing production is not going to turn the economy around – they make fewer cars in a year than VW make in an hour. But they are obviously doing something right.

And actually, they are doing more than one thing right. They recently managed to homologate their cars for Europe – which has opened up new markets for the ‘Car-in-a-Shed’ makers from Dartford – and they had the presence of mind to cut back production last year after it became clear the economy was on the way down. Perhaps some of the big car makers should take Caterham boss Ansar Ali on as a consultant? The man can obviously read the economy, which is more than you can say for a lot of the overpaid talking heads at the top of car makers – particularly in the US.

But also in Caterham’s favour is the desire, even by the wealthy, to cut their expenses. And when you can buy a new Caterham – even the Roadsport SV 150 – for less than £25k, and have more wind-in-the-hair fun than you can have in cars costing five times as much, it’s no wonder Caterham has buyers queueing up for a weekend toy.

So if you want a huge fun, weekend toy you can take your pick from Caterham’s range – The Caterham Classic, Caterham Roadsport, Roadsport SV125, Roadsport 150 or the aforementioned Roadsport SV150. And prices start from just £15,995. Which is not much more than a full carbon pack will cost you on a Ferrari F430!

But you’ll have to join the queue.