2012 Caterham Seven

Highlights

• Lovely example of a Caterham Seven Classic
• 1.4-litre K-Series engine
• KMAPS ECU upgrade
• Lightweight flywheel
• Great condition and low running costs

Overview

Less, they say, is more – and if you’re a fan of the Caterham Seven then that’s a theory you’ll almost certainly subscribe to.

It’s certainly what inspired Lotus founder Colin Chapman, upon whose original vision the back-to-basics roadster is based. His mantra – simplify, then add lightness – typifies the Caterham’s pedigree.

It’s a brand with a rich heritage, too, along with its own place in the record books. With a continuous production run of 51 years, it’s one of the most long-serving, enduring cars of all-time and, depending on your level of pedantry, has the longest unchanged production run of any single body-type of car. VW Beetle fans may kick up a fuss here, but the differences between first and last are much greater than the Seven, plus the Caterham is still in production, and has been since 1973.

This one is a later model and is a Seven Classic, which means it’s the entry-level car and not one of the insanely quick ones that were sold alongside it, but in real terms that’s no bad thing.

It uses the Rover-derived K-Series engine in 1.4-litre form, meaning 103bhp – which may sound modest, but when you consider that the Caterham is a car that you pretty much wear rather than sit inside, the power-to-weight ratio is still suitably bonkers at around 190bhp per tonne. Yep, it’s still blooming quick – 0-60 takes a smidge over six seconds, and will vary depending on the weight of the driver just as it would in a go-kart, but then it pretty much is one.

The tractability and even torque delivery of the 16-valve engine mean it’s far less of a handful than some of the crazy bike-engined Caterhams, meaning it’s a lot more usable on a day-to-day basis, too. Usability is relative, of course, and it’s still very much a fair-weather car, but at least it’s less likely to have you spinning into the bushes at the first sign of drizzle.

Indeed, the vendor hasn’t been shy to use the Caterham at all – he’s put over 4,500 miles on the clock over the past year based on the MOT history, which is a fair amount of use for a Seven.

The car has been looked after by a well-respected Seven specialist in Kent, and comes with an ultra-light flywheel and a KMAPS Pop & Bang ECU upgrade, which allows extra fuel into the exhaust system to make playful noises – there’s no real performance benefit, but the soundtrack is terrific.

History and documentation

• UK V5C
• MOT to September 2025, no advisories
• Genuine low mileage
• Invoices for KMAPs remap, flywheel upgrade and recent maintenance including a replacement starter motor

Interior

• Black vinyl seats with embossed Caterham logo
• Three-point Luke racing harnesses
• Stainless steel gearknob
• Three-spoke Mota-Lita sports steering wheel with ‘7’ boss
• Fully carpeted and all coverings in very smart condition
• Genuine Caterham rubber mats
• Immobiliser
• Digital odometer
• Easy-to-acquire Mini-derived rocker switches

Exterior

• Two-tone black and silver paintwork in good order
• 50th anniversary Caterham badges
• Mesh sports grille with ‘7’ logo
• Some minor imperfections to paintwork in line with age and use but no major issues
• Supalite alloys wheels in largely good order, with some small areas of alloy corrosion
• Recent (August 2024-dated) Avon ZT-7 tyres all round, in excellent order with minimal wear
• All external suspension components in good condition
• Underbody and body frame appears sound

Mechanical

• 1.4-litre 16v 4-cyl naturally aspirated Rover K-Series engine
• 103bhp
• Five-speed manual
• 0-60mph in 6.0 secs +/-
• Recent new starter motor
• Ultra-light flywheel
• KMAPS Pop & Bang remap
• Reported by the vendor to be in fine mechanical order with no known faults

Summary

You don’t buy a Caterham for its practicality, but if you want one that’s at least a semi-viable proposition to use as a daily or regular driver then this one has a lot in its favour. It’s plenty quick enough for most, while the 1.4-litre K-Series engine also means it’s probably one of the most frugal and economical ways you can go this quickly.

But you’re not buying it for the fuel economy, are you? No. What you’re buying it for is the raw, sense-stirring, pure driving thrills that have been the mainstay of the Seven for all of its life, both as a Caterham and as a Lotus before that – and in its simplest form, the Seven is as close to Colin Chapman’s original vision as you’re going to get. For someone who loves driving, nothing else comes close.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Kent..