New entry-level Caterham Seven to cost under £17k

The new entry-level, sub-£17k Caterham Seven

A new entry-level Caterham Seven, which Caterham says will take the Seven ‘back to basics’ will cost under £17,000 when it launches later in 2013.

If there’s one thing you know about the Caterham Seven – Caterham’s recreation of Colin Chapman’s iconic Lotus Seven – it’s that it’s not b exactly laden with fripperies and heavy technology.

So when Caterham tell us that they’re soon going to launch a new, entry-level, Seven that takes the Seven “…back to its simple design roots” we do wonder how much simpler the Seven can be than it already is.

But Caterham say the new Seven will be probably the most fuel efficient car they produce with a new EU-6 compliant engine providing accessible fun for ‘under £17k’.

Caterham boss, Graham Macdonald, said

As we celebrate our 40^th anniversary at Caterham, it feels good to be taking the brand right back to where it started. Colin Chapman designed the original Seven to be entirely ‘fit-for-purpose’ – a racing car for the road with the driving experience at its heart.

With that in mind, the new entry-level Seven will be uncomplicated, easy to run and, most important of all, an intuitive and exciting drive.

At £17k the new Seven will under cut Caterhams’ cheapest Seven Roadsport at £23k, so Caterham are going to have to find £6k of savings – including the cost of the new engine – to deliver the new Seven on price.

Let’s hope the new entry-level Caterham Seven at least has seats.