Seven maker targets new buyers while continuing to “apply the same philosophy”
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Caterham will showcase its most radical model in decades – a stunning electric two-seat sports car entirely unrelated to the Seven – in a matter of months, Autocar can exclusively reveal.
As first reported by Autocar last year, the Kent-based car maker – now with the backing of Japanese firm VT Holdings – has plans for a totally new model to serve as the spearhead for its transition into the era of electrification.
While it was “just an idea in people’s heads” in September, plans have fast progressed and the new design will be showcased in the coming months as Caterham marks its 50th anniversary.
Leading the design programme is new design chief Anthony Jannarelly, best known for the W Motors Lykan Hypersport and his own Jannarelly Design-1 – a retro-styled, rear-driven sports car with a Nissan V6 and an ultralight, Le Mans-inspired body.
Working in partnership with Italdesign in Turin, the Frenchman is using this project as an opportunity to “please the existing Caterham fans while also trying to reach another type of audience” for the brand.
Creating this “bridge”, as he put it, is a “big responsibility”, but he is “not nervous, because it’s exciting”.
“I would say at the end it’s an exciting moment. My main hope is people will understand the message coming from Caterham,” he said.
This message is that Caterham’s principles can be carried into and successfully embodied by a completely new product, irrespective of its positioning and the nature of its powertrain.
“The principle is always lightness,” Jannarelly told Autocar. “What everybody loves about the Seven is that it’s a simple car that just works, and even if we’re making an EV, we will try to apply the same philosophy. It’s very simple. There will be no fancy features. The main thing is your enjoyment in driving this car.
“We’re trying to make it as light as possible. So the performance which we will [get] out of it will be just great. And the driving pleasure is a consequence of this lightness. The key words are always simplicity, lightness and driving joy.”
The brand’s enthusiast appeal has also had a strong influence on the new car’s conception, said Jannarelly: “What do you get when you get a Caterham? You get something different than from other cars. If you buy a Caterham, you’re someone a bit more daring; you’re not a mainstream person. And that’s something I’d like to put
