View Photos of the 2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
Caterham
Lotus’s impending transition to EVs means that it no longer builds minimalist sports cars like the original Seven, the production rights for which were sold to Caterham in the 1970s. But that car has continued to evolve and thrive under its second parent’s stewardship, with the latest version being the 420 Cup.
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The Caterham Seven 420 Cup is the latest version of a long-running sports-car dynasty that can directly be traced back to the introduction of the Lotus Seven in 1957.
The 420 Cup uses a 2.0-liter Ford Duratec four-cylinder that makes 210 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque—and which needs to work against a curb weight of only about 1300 pounds.
Alongside the regular-chassis 420 Cup, Caterham sells a slightly bigger SV version. This uses the same powertrain and suspension, but is 4.3 inches wider, 9.9 inches longer, and 55 pounds heavier.
The 420 Cup, featuring a six-speed sequential transmission and adjustable Bilstein dampers, is designed for track use, though it is street legal in Europe.
The sequential transmission can be upshifted under full power yet still requires use of a clutch on downshifts and to get the car rolling.
Track-biased Avon ZZR tires come standard on the 420 Cup, with even stickier ZZR Extremes being an option.
The 420 Cup has no electronic safeguards, doing without traction control or ABS. This shouldn’t be a problem on a dry racetrack, although we did lock the front wheels a couple of times as our confidence—and pace—increased.
Out of a total annual production of about 650 cars, the company says it still sells around 30 cars a year in the U.S.
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
2022 Caterham Seven 420 Cup
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