CATERHAM has lifted the wraps on what the company describes as ‘quite simply the best track day car it has ever built’.
It is the new Seven 420 CUP, a road-going, track-focused model inspired by the Sussex-based company’s top-tier Seven UK Championship Racecar.
The Seven is an evolution of the Series 3 Lotus Seven designed by Colin Chapman and the 420 CUP features a 2.0-litre Duratec engine producing 210bhp and 203nm of torque, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 375bhp-per-tonne and a 0-60mph sprint time of just 3.6 seconds.
That would enable drivers to register supercar-beating lap times on the UK’s premier racing circuits – it equates to one minute 45 seconds at Oulton Park in Cheshire for instance.
This performance is possible thanks to the SADEV six-speed sequential gearbox with flat-shift, fully-adjustable dampers and optional Avon ZZR Extreme track tyres.
Available for the first time on any road-going Caterham, the Seven 420 CUP also possesses fully-adjustable Bilstein dampers.
Tuned specifically for the Seven 420 CUP, the dampers can be placed in any one of their ten stiffness settings without the use of any tools and in just a couple of minutes, giving the Seven 420 CUP true ‘arrive and drive’ track day flexibility.
The Seven 420 CUP treads new ground for Caterham visually too, with exterior updates including a race-style nose cone, a centralised petrol filler and new LED rear lights, while an optional Race Roll Cage adds a metal boot cover and racing wing mirrors for a full competition-spec look.
A unique livery featuring translucent satin decals and custom track-day graphics will also be supplied with every car.
Inside, the Seven 420 CUP benefits from optional carbon-fibre seats with model-exclusive embroidery, a 620-style dashboard finished in satin carbon and new Seven 420 CUP racing dials, while Alcantara trim features on the transmission tunnel and headrests.
The interior also benefits from red highlights on the seat pads, dials and tunnel-top.
Sitting between the road-going Seven 420R and the purpose-built Caterham Seven Championship UK Racecar in the line-up, the Seven 420 CUP possesses a top speed of 136mph and will be available with a choice of standard and large chassis sizes.
The car is open for order now, costing from £54,990, with production commencing in early 2023 and will only available as factory built and not as a kit form.
Speaking of the addition of the Seven 420 CUP to Caterham’s range, CEO Graham Macdonald said: “The Seven 420 CUP is, quite simply, the best track day car we’ve ever made.
“By taking everything we’ve learned in the development of our top-tier Seven UK Championship Racecar and engineering in a level of adaptability and approachability that belies the Seven 420 CUP’s incredible performance, we believe we’ve created a car that drivers of all levels can enjoy driving to, around and from any circuit while still experiencing the exhilaration and engagement that Caterhams are renowned for.”
