Lotus Club Queensland
Dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Lotus experience
Login
Register
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Membership
    • Member Login
  • Events
    • Calendar
  • Motorsport
    • Lakeside DTC Timed Laps
    • LAKESIDE DTC RESULTS
  • Magazine
  • For Sale
    • Merchandise
    • Classifieds
  • Posts
  • Galleries
  • Directory
    • Suppliers & Parts
    • Advertisers
  • Archives
7-sprint-banner

2017 Caterham Seven Sprint

Something Colin Chapman would recognise – and appreciate.

Handling: ★★★★★   Performance: ★★★★☆   Usability: ★★☆☆☆   Feelgood Factor: ★★★★★

By Ben Whitworth – Contributing CAR Magazine UK editor.

In 2017, the venerable Caterham – née Lotus – Seven will turn 60. Always keen to exploit a marketing opportunity, Caterham is marking the anniversary with this, the Seven Sprint. Chiming in with the anniversary, only 60 will be made.

Caterham has successfully recaptured the mood of the Swinging Sixties with the Sprint. The front wings, grey powder-coated chassis, chromed wheelcaps and bubbled rear lamps, wrapped up in a choice of yesteryear hues all sit comfortably together without the slightest whiff of retro cheesiness.

Ditto the cabin. Flip back the cream-trimmed vinyl roof and the delightfully thin Moto-Lita wooden steering wheel, red Muirhead leather dash and seats and chrome braceleted Smiths dials complete with coloured bands, all convincingly transport you back to those good old bad old days.

Does it come with a crank arm for hand starts?

Oh, you’re a card. No, don’t be fooled by the Sprint’s yesteryear camouflage – that heritage styling, chrome-and-leather detailing and bespoke paintwork is underpinned by Caterham’s nifty 160. So, no asthmatic 40bhp 1.2-litre Ford lump under that louvred bonnet, but rather a dinky turbocharged 660cc triple from Suzuki, a five-speed manual gearbox, wishbones up front and a live rear axle.

We’re very familiar with the 160 – we ran one a while back as a long-termer for a year – and dropping down into the Sprint’s plump seat and firing the thrummy three-pot into life brought back a flood of warm memories.

A 660cc engine? Surely it would be quicker to jog?

Suzuki’s K6A may only develop a modest 80bhp at 7000rpm and 79lb ft at 3400rpm but with just 490kg to push around, performance within its 100mph envelope is brisk and perky enough to instantly plaster a grin across your face.

The engine’s eagerness and mid-range zing is complemented by the snickety gearbox – you measure the throw of the chrome-topped gear lever in millimetres – while the wooden rim of the large-diameter wheel overloads your palms with front-wheel chatter.

What’s it like to drive then?

Despite those spacesaver-thin 155/65 R14 Avons, grip and traction levels are excellent. You can slingshot the Sprint through a string of bends at speeds and angles completely at odds with the diminutive deeply-treaded rubber at each corner. Like the 160, the Sprint encourages you to wring it all the time everywhere, and rewards you with an intensely visceral and engaging driving experience.

Despite that live rear axle and firm suspension set-up, the Sprint rides with an impressive compliancy – it’s only over really intrusive and abrupt bumps and lumps that the chassis bucks and moves about. Distilled automotive joy? We wouldn’t disagree.

Verdict

So, the Sprint is a great car to look at, and an even better one to drive – but you pay for the privilege. Even when viewed through the prism of the Sprint’s limited-edition collectability, nigh on £28k is a big chunk of money for a second car/toy/indulgence.

That hasn’t stopped all sixty models being snapped up, though, and there’s a waiting list for cancelled orders. But the news is not all bad if the Sprint features large on your radar – a ready-to-drive Caterham-built 160 is around £8500 cheaper than a Sprint. Using your imagination could save you a lot of money.

Specs

Price when new: £27,995
On sale in the UK: Sold out
Engine: 660cc 16v turbocharged 4-cyl petrol, 80bhp @ 7000rpm, 79lb ft @ 3400rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Performance: 6.5sec 0-62mph, 100mph, 57.6 mpg, 114g/km CO2
Weight / material: 490kg/steel
Dimensions (mm): 3100 length, 1575 width, 1140 height
Where to for Lotus in 2017? 2016 ICC Presentation

Related Posts

duratec-banner

Articles, Homepage, Technical

Duratec Elise – better late than never

marburg-banner

EMRs, Gallery 2022, Homepage, News

Marburg Pub Run – 4 Sept 2022

plus2-banner

Articles, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Technical

Unique +2 Road Trip to Brisbane

Random images

dear-old-austin emr-1 Daryl and his Cat _MG_4992 as Smart Object-1 _MG_4507 as Smart Object-1 Vyvyans-Elan-2 George-Rowes-Lotus11-4 Greg 20-Morning-at-campsite 8-Upstairs-Downstairs Lotii-surrounded-by-Holdens Lotus & devonshire tea IMG_0275 P1020654 IMG_0039 IMG_3779 IMG_3775 IMG_3912 121_2198_IMG IMG_8611 image_247 Peter Cox 1990 Mazda MX5 - 2 Cris-Johansen-Targa-High-Country-by_ Tony-Peter-and-Criss-cars-on-display-at-the-finish-in-Cairns Photo-28-11-20-8-09-45-pm Mike-Moore-with-Cris-Meg-Johansen Gabi-James-Kinghorn-with-Candy-Robert-Costa-and-a-friend-with-a-great-bow-tie IMG_0435-Group-9.3-Winno-pedalling-his-S1-5 Drivers-receive-their-briefing-S-Messenger Oil Slick 20180916_072038 Lotus_Lineup Garage-7 LCQ Team elan-tas 750 TCN 20170226_071358 20160930_085334 George and Derek with Moulton Bicycle 9. Ready to take to the sky Jon and fans IMG_7352 P1020790 IMG_3026 IMG_6329 IMG_8107 IMG_7968 IMG_5167 IMG_5102 image_135 IMG_7363 IMG_7387 HCtW3 main-4 Robyn-and-Chris John-putting-air-into-his-tyres lec_0191 Derek_s_340R_ready_for_action 1426860242_c16c000a1c_m_1 Elan engine bay IMG_0109 Still_hassling_Ferraris lot_007 Elan_Wybe_1 IMG_7484 IMG_7479 IMG_7630 119_1943_IMG IMG_7428 IMG_7409 IMG_5206 IMG_3722 23d Elises_vs_Ferraris 20090822_089 Doing_the_warm_up_lap IMG_7791 11e MG_4268 IMG_3661 JB-21-3 Waiting for the fog to lift 2 IMG_8200 Catch_up_Stop 3-Drew-Dundas image1-1 DSC_0357 Milla-Milla-1 image1-2 Left Right Beer-wine-chat_gw alfa-ready-to-restore main-16 Slicks Off 170722 Program Cover Jason main-28 IMG_9115 Winner Jason McGarry IMAG5961

Recent Articles

  • Morgan Park Sprints R4
  • Kev’s Big Day Out
  • Duratec Elise – better late than never
  • Gold Rush Hill Sprint – 2022
  • Marburg Pub Run – 4 Sept 2022
  • Unique +2 Road Trip to Brisbane
  • Leyburn 2022
  • August 2022 DTC

Latest Gallery Images

20220220_093834 20220220_093818 20220220_093827 20220220_093743 20220220_093812 20220220_093730

Search articles by category

Archived articles

Lotus Club Queensland
© Lotus Club Queensland   |   Site by Black Eye Studios