The Lotus 7 S4
Discussion
Smollet said:
Shouldn't that be discussed on the Lotus forum?
As far as I'm aware Caterham never took up the option to make a copy of this model.
As far as I'm aware Caterham never took up the option to make a copy of this model.
As Eric Mc says yes they did
http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/about/herita...
Also why the current 40 year celebration model is to me a bit odd (as its not 40 years of the 7 but of Caterham acquiring the rights for the 7 as Caterham cars history is a lot older)
Smollet said:
As far as I'm aware Caterham never took up the option to make a copy of this model.
Well, they just made real S4s, but not many of them (38 apparently). They were not copies, nor were the Series 3s produced subsequently copies, they were real Series 3s produced from the original drawings, designs and specifications. They just had a different (Lotus designed) badge on the front. Subsequently the car was developed.
Only other people make copies.
Golf Juliet Tang said:
Well, they just made real S4s, but not many of them (38 apparently). They were not copies, nor were the Series 3s produced subsequently copies, they were real Series 3s produced from the original drawings, designs and specifications. They just had a different (Lotus designed) badge on the front.
Subsequently the car was developed.
Only other people make copies.
True. Copies was not the correct term but I think the gist of what I meant was clear. I wonder if Caterham have ever thought about reintroducing the S4?Subsequently the car was developed.
Only other people make copies.
Smollet said:
True. Copies was not the correct term but I think the gist of what I meant was clear. I wonder if Caterham have ever thought about reintroducing the S4?
Reintroduction? Come on, no one likes the S4 unless they own one 
As it happens I am one of them, and mine was actually built at Caterham. Now it is getting rebuilt in my garage...
Caterham's original plan was to manufacture the S4 as that as the current production model of the 7 when they acquired the rights from Lotus. However, they soon found that the cost of building the S4 made it marginal economically.
When they discovered that windscreen supplier did not want to produce windscreen surrounds in small quantities, they decided that perhaps the older S3 design would be a better bet. They had been getting constant enquiries from potential customers for the S3 so the decision was almost made for them. They also discovered that the component suppliers (Arch etc) were still in possession of the S3 chassis jigs so in modern parlance, it was a "no brainer".
The S4 was dropped and the S3 put back into production.
When they discovered that windscreen supplier did not want to produce windscreen surrounds in small quantities, they decided that perhaps the older S3 design would be a better bet. They had been getting constant enquiries from potential customers for the S3 so the decision was almost made for them. They also discovered that the component suppliers (Arch etc) were still in possession of the S3 chassis jigs so in modern parlance, it was a "no brainer".
The S4 was dropped and the S3 put back into production.
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