Caterham Super 7 Roadsport | Spotted

It’s been a long time now since the 1.6-litre engine was dropped from the Caterham range; the news was first reported back in 2021. It was no less sad for being inevitable (Ford had stopped making the Sigma engine, so the supply had to run dry) because it was such a great fit for a Seven. Light enough, powerful enough, cheap enough, the small four-cylinder really made for some great Sevens. The 310 variant in particular, which lifted power beyond 150hp, was fantastic. 

Rumours have persisted since ‘21 of what might replace the Sigma, including a detuned 2.0-litre Duratec and Mazda’s range of Skyactiv engines. As yet, however, nothing has been confirmed, meaning on Caterham’s website there’s currently a gaping hole between the three-cylinder Sevens and the quite senior 2.0-litre machines – almost 100hp, in fact – where the 1.6 used to live. Hopefully something like the old Ford engine can return soon. The 1.5 from a Mazda MX-5 would surely be a great fit…

As ever with Caterham, though, if the Seven you want isn’t available new then it’s pretty much guaranteed that the right example will be available used. At this moment, with summer threatening to arrive there are almost 200 Sevens for sale on PH. From tame to terrifying, there’s a Caterham out there for all tastes. Plenty, funnily enough, are in that power bracket where there isn’t currently a new Seven currently available, with a 1.6-litre engine and anywhere between 120hp and about 160hp. Various Roadsports, Supersports, 270s and the like have proved popular over the years because they’re fast enough to be fun without the intimidation factor that arrives once up beyond about 180hp. Let’s hope the recently opened, much larger Caterham factory can fit some new models in soon. 

This old one, complete with a 120hp 1.6-litre K Series, looks like a little gem. The engine will be part of that, of course, the revvy little Rover unit doing sterling work (no pun intended) in Sevens before the modern Ford era. Here power goes through a five-speed manual, and it’s covered just 23,000 miles with four owners since 1997. A proper high days and holidays sports car. 

The Seven looks fantastic on it, too, particularly with the classic Lotus colour scheme and a set of Minilites. There’s seemingly not a blemish anywhere, which is some achievement for a car so exposed to the elements. This one’s completely unmodified, too, in exactly the same state as it left the factory more than 25 years ago. 

The perfect reminder of the joys of a modestly powered Seven, then. A modestly priced one, too, at £17,995. It’s possible to pay less for a Caterham, though not very much so. Such is the market for these cars, too, that a Seven like this will probably be worth about the same money for a good while yet. Which is certainly one thing that won’t happen with a new model – if one ever arrives…

Engine: 1,588cc four-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 120@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 107@3,000rpm
MPG: 38 (at 75mph)
CO2: N/A
Year registered: 1997
Recorded mileage: 23,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £17,995