Skip advert
Advertisement

The new Caterham Seven CSR Twenty is an £80k road-ready Seven

Caterham’s ‘most premium Seven ever built’ costs Lotus Emira money, and celebrates 20 years of the CSR chassis

Caterham is marching towards a new era of electric sports cars with its Project V, but that doesn’t mean the trusty Seven has been sidelined. On the contrary, Caterham has built what is promised to be ‘the most premium’ Seven yet to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the wider-bodied CSR version. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

Called the CSR Twenty, the new model will be limited to just 20 units, coming with a 2-litre Ford Duratec engine and Caterham’s most compliant chassis setup. The price? £79,995, which isn’t far south of a Lotus Emira

That’s a huge amount for a Seven, but the Twenty does feature choice options and bespoke touches, as well as higher finishing standards than any previous Seven. At its heart is a 210bhp four-cylinder that revs up to 7600rpm, borrowed from the 420. Driving through a five-speed manual gearbox, it launches the 620kg CSR to 62mph in 3.9sec and onto 136mph flat out, with ventilated front brake discs and quad-piston calipers to shed that speed.

The CSR’s inboard front and fully independent rear suspension uses the most compliant setup Caterham offers, supporting its credentials as a road car. Caterham CEO Bob Laishley says it's built for ‘longer distance road trips’, which certainly can’t be said for all Sevens.

The cabin has been made more habitable, too, thanks to leather and Alcantara upholstery, thicker carpeting and a leather central tunnel. The dash is finished in satin carbonfibre and there are ‘Twenty Edition’ branded dials behind the leather Momo wheel (suede is an option). Each CSR Twenty also gets a plaque between the seats to denote its build number. 

Visually, the special edition gets a 620-style nose and front wings with LED lighting, red brake calipers and a two-tone Union Flag grille. The 15-inch Vulcan wheels are exclusive to the CSR, and come wrapped in Toyo Proxes R888R rubber. 

Customers can choose between Kinetic Grey and Dynamic Silver paint finishes, with bespoke colours, accents and carbon trim available as options. 20 examples will be built at Caterham’s new Dartford factory for the UK market, with a further 20 left hand drive cars destined for the US.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Mazda Iconic SP rotary concept set for production – the return of the RX-7?
Mazda Iconic SP
News

Mazda Iconic SP rotary concept set for production – the return of the RX-7?

Mazda will turn its rotary-equipped Iconic SP concept into a production sports car in the 'not-so-distant future'
8 Nov 2024
Jaguar F-Type (2020 - 2024) facelift review
header
In-depth reviews

Jaguar F-Type (2020 - 2024) facelift review

The updated Jaguar F-Type appeals on style and image, but there’s no escaping its age against razor-sharp rivals
8 Nov 2024
Jaguar F-type (2013 - 2019) review – stunning looks and still able to thrill on the road
Jaguar F-type 400 Sport front three quarters tracking
In-depth reviews

Jaguar F-type (2013 - 2019) review – stunning looks and still able to thrill on the road

Fast and attractive with a real feel-good factor, the F-type is the perfect alternative to German rivals
8 Nov 2024
Used Jaguar F-Type (2013 - 2024) review and buyer’s guide
F Type header
Reviews

Used Jaguar F-Type (2013 - 2024) review and buyer’s guide

Stylish, sporty and still good to drive, the Jaguar F-Type is growing old very gracefully
8 Nov 2024
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Best hybrid cars 2025 – the best of both worlds
Best hybrid cars
Best cars

Best hybrid cars 2025 – the best of both worlds

Fast and furious on the right roads, silent and sensible when you want them to be. From supersaloons to supercars, these are our favourite hybrid perf…
11 Nov 2024
Used Jaguar F-Type (2013 - 2024) review and buyer’s guide
F Type header
Reviews

Used Jaguar F-Type (2013 - 2024) review and buyer’s guide

Stylish, sporty and still good to drive, the Jaguar F-Type is growing old very gracefully
8 Nov 2024
Volkswagen Golf R v Golf GTI Clubsport – car pictures of the week
Volkswagen Golf GTI v Golf R
Features

Volkswagen Golf R v Golf GTI Clubsport – car pictures of the week

In the latest issue of evo, we test the Mk8.5 Golf R against the GTI Clubsport – these are our favourite shots
10 Nov 2024