Driven: Caterham Seven Supersprint 2017

Enticing limited-run 60th-anniversary Seven’s appeal is not to hardcore drivers

Caterham has put out two limited-edition Sevens this year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first Lotus Seven. This Supersprint is the second one.

When it was unveiled at this year’s Goodwood Revival, its 60-unit production run sold out in six hours, carrying on the Seven Sprint’s earlier success. As with that car, the Supersprint starts off with the entry-level Seven 160, but its Suzuki 660cc three-cylinder turbo petrol engine is boosted from 80bhp to 95bhp. The five-speed gearbox and live axle rear suspension are straight from the Seven 160 and Sprint, but in the Supersprint you get a limited-slip differential plus track-tuned adjustable Bilstein strut suspension.

You also get the kind of looks that will have car club collectors dribbling with envy. The detailing is superb, from the polished chrome exhaust to the old-school ‘Brooklands’ glass aero screens and the timber-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel. There’s a price to pay for period detail, though: the fixed wheel makes shoehorning yourself into the cabin trickier than normal, and given that there’s no SV wide-body option with this model, that wasn’t easy in the first place. The seats and pedal box are all narrow and only the smallest drivers will be able to lay hands on every section of the wheel.

That’s the Caterham way, of course. You either fit or you don’t. It is a fact however that most of the other companies in this line of business produce vehicles with roomier cabins than the 1950s-designed Seven.

Once in, you’ll notice the retro dash and battery master cut-off switch and then the relative quietness of the three-cylinder engine. The gearshift is short but occasionally heavy and not as pleasant to use as you might have expected from Caterham. The wide spacing between third and fourth gears is less than ideal too, but the engine’s flexibility and willingness to rev are useful compensations, and the performance is more than sufficient to provide road and track entertainment on this slim-tyred chassis.

The uprated suspension hasn't added grip, so there’s plenty of fun to be had on the 155-section Avon-shod 14in steel wheels. The Seven clings delicately to the road and the extra body control adds a new level of turn-in response and agility that will bring a giggle to the sternest driver’s face.

Bouncing down B-roads will uncover some of the shortcomings of live-axle suspension, the body hopping along rather than being nailed down to the surface. On quicker bends the driver has to wait a bit longer than normal for the car to settle on its outside rear wheel. It’s just a passing feeling, but it’s enough to dent your confidence going into the next corner.

It’s all a bit moot, of course, because unless you were up at the front of that Goodwood queue you’ve missed your Supersprint buying opportunity. Those who managed to nab one will be able to enjoy their cars almost as much as static exhibits as they will as track or road warriors. This car is beautifully designed and put together, and a joy to behold.

Of course, £30,000 would pay for a well-equipped, faster, better handling and more user-friendly Seven 310 SV, but while it would be a superior car it wouldn't be as special. And ‘special’ is usually worth paying for.

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Caterham Seven Supersprint

Price	£29,995 (but sold out)
Engine	3cyl, 660cc, turbocharged petrol
Power	95bhp at 7000rpm
Torque	81lb ft at 5600rpm
Gearbox	5-spd manual
Kerbweight	490kg
Top speed	100mph
0-60mph	6.9sec
Rivals	Morgan 3 Wheeler, Ariel Atom