Graham Nearn with Colin Chapman
PistonHeads has regretfully learned that Graham Nearn, founder of Caterham Cars, passed away on Saturday.
Nearn launched Caterham Cars in 1959 as a Lotus 7 dealership, but transformed it into a full manufacturer in its own right after buying the rights to the design from Colin Chapman when Lotus discontinued the model in 1973.
52 years later that same perennial design remains essentially unchanged, and the Seven persists as one of the great British sports car icons.
PH sends its condolences to the family, friends and former-employees that Graham leaves behind.