‘Phalt Line

The Caterham Seven: Four wheels, all muscle

By The Editors
August 27, 2014 9:00 am

In terms of 6.0 quakes, walking away in one piece is a good thing. Driving away: even better.

Look, then, to Sonoma Raceway. Dangerously near the epicenter of this weekend’s hullabaloo — and completely unscathed.

That’s a new lease on life that demands celebration, and we can think of no better way than chewing up that lucky asphalt with a brand new Caterham Seven, now shipping.

Available in two new flavors and descended from noble Lotus blood, the Seven is a thunderous testament to speed with classic racecar looks and a distinct absence of windscreens.

Thing’s all engine, but it does have a passenger seat for sharing the white-knuckled love.

The 480 is your standard 140 MPH rocket on wheels, and the 620R adds a supercharger to that formula for another 70 HP.

So, beast mode.

Downside: you won’t find these lovelies in a showroom. Caterham crate-ships them in kit form.

Upside: Rich Kamp of Sonoma’s Kampeña Motors not only sells them, but he’s got the shop and the tools, and he knows his way around a build.

Leaving you to focus on color scheme.

Let the next big one be the rumble of your engine.

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