Much like the exterior, there isn't a great deal to the Caterham Seven's cabin. From the factory, the dash is simple and has a speedo, rev counter, fuel, oil temperature and water temperature gauges. There are also a few switches scattered across the width of the dash, but the main choice for buyers is between a padded leather dash or carbon fibre panel, which comes down to personal choice and the car you're looking at. Cars from 1996 have the handbrake on the centre tunnel rather than tucked under the dash and also have Caterham-branded instruments and improved seat comfort.
Superlights make natural track day toys
Which leaves the seats as the only other real decision for owners or buyers. The basic, standard padded seats have headrests and can be slid back and forth to suit different drivers. They are comfortable and have inertia reel seatbelts as standard, though many cars will have been upgraded with racing harnesses for trackday use. Look for scuff marks and wear where the driver has stood on the seat to get in and out, and also look for bent windscreens where a careless driver or passenger has used it to lever their way in or out. Various glassfibre and carbon fibre seats are available for the Seven, with the ones from Tillet very popular for their comfort and strength.
In 2001, Caterham made the Motolita steering wheel standard on Classic and Roadsport models, while some owners have added removable steering wheels to make entry and exit easier. For more cockpit space, the SV is 110mm wider and 80mm longer, as well as offering more space in the footwell. A lowered floor was also a factory option to give more space in the cockpit for people and feet, but it's time consuming to fit to a car that doesn't have it already, so best to find one for sale that does.
PHer's view:
"Lowered floors are a good option unless you're really short (sub 5'6"). One of the joys of these cars is that you can easily upgrade stuff you don't like relatively cheaply. So be open-minded about options on a used car and price them properly in your head."
Andy Murphy