caterham has its best year since 1996 with over 600 units being sold, and 45% to export.

Caterham has posted record sales figures for 2016, with over 600 Caterham Sevens sold in the last 12 months.

That figure is the highest 12-month sales result for Caterham since 1996. More than half (55%) of cars were sold to UK customers, with 45% exported overseas.

The increase in sales has been supported by further growth in Caterham’s UK dealer network, adding representatives in the Northwest, Southwest and centrally in the Midlands with the launch of a bespoke Caterham dealership, while expansion of the iconic manufacturer’s model range has also had a positive impact.

In 2016, the new Seven 310 and Seven Sprint models were unveiled. The retro-soaked Sprint in particular proved hugely popular, with all 60 examples – representing 10% of the year’s total sales – being sold within one week of the car being launched at the Goodwood Revival in September.

Despite the UK’s decision to leave the EU in June, Caterham’s export sales remained consistently strong, with over 100 Sevens hitting French roads alone and over 60 Sevens unleashed in Japan.

CEO Graham MacDonald said: “Despite the political change last year, as we forecasted, Brexit’s impact on our business has been negligible. Export customers may have benefited in the short-term due to the weaker pound but, when you look at the markets, the UK and other territories have not faltered in 2016.”

Caterham Chief Commercial Officer, David Ridley, said: “This milestone shows exactly what we’ve achieved thanks to our unique partnerships and growing number of dealers.

“Over the last 12 months, we’ve worked hard to expand our UK dealer network, had the 620R immortalised in LEGO and seen the 310 model become an instant favourite. We’re keen to continue this momentum in 2017 as we celebrate 60 years of the Seven.”

Caterham Cars has introduced the ‘S’ Pack and the wider-bodied S5 chassis as options for the fastest road car.

Caterham Cars has introduced the ‘S’ Pack and the wider-bodied S5 chassis as options for the fastest road car it has ever produced.

The Seven 620S is the mildly saner, more road-oriented sibling of the ballistic 620R and features comforts such as a full windscreen, hood and side screens, as well as leather seats.

For the first time, the Seven 620 can also now be specified with the wide-bodied S5 chassis as an option costing £2,500. The S5 is wider and longer than the standard S3 chassis, providing an experience better suited for more generously-proportioned customers, with other benefits including added interior and luggage space and increased range thanks to a larger fuel tank.

The 620S, priced at £44,995 (incl VAT) fully built, joins the 620R at the summit of the Seven range by harnessing the same 310bhp two-litre, supercharged Ford Duratec engine to deliver outrageous performance for those drivers who feel that the iconic Seven just isn’t barnstorming enough.

Delivering a new driving experience, the 620S has been tailored for road drivers, with a five-speed manual gearbox instead of the 620R’s more race-inspired sequential ‘box.

Like all Sevens, the 620S adheres to Caterham’s philosophy of delivering a very special brand of unapologetically raucous fun.

Meanwhile, Caterham’s traditionally minimalistic approach to the engineering of the car is ever-present, with the carbon fibre interior panels and dash and lightweight flywheel of the 620R installed to save kilograms vital to the car’s trouser-worrying performance.

The car features the creature comforts of the ‘S’ pack available throughout the Seven range such as a heater, full windscreen, hood and side screens and leather seats. However, while the ‘S’ pack features road springs and dampers, the uprated brake master cylinder and limited-slip differential are taken from the ‘R’ pack to ensure optimum performance.

The styling continues with the 620R’s 13” wheels replaced by 15” Orcus anthracite alloy wheels fitted with more road-suited ZZS tyres.

Customers looking to venture out in colder conditions can now experience the warming delights of heated seats in a Caterham Seven for the very first time. Heated carbon seats are now available as an option on all models in the range.

The 620R comes with carbon seats as standard; an upgrade to heated carbon seats is available for £395. The 620S comes with leather seats as standard with an upgrade to carbon seats available for £600 or £995 for heated carbon seats.

Caterham Cars CEO, Graham Macdonald, said: “When we launched the 620R, we knew that we were unleashing a beast upon the world. It’s never been one for the faint-hearted and should really come with its own health warning.

“But we are, of course, sensitive also to those customers who want the ridiculous performance stats without having to worry about donning race overalls to access them. The new options mean that customers who want the best of both worlds can have exactly that, whether their aim is to pound around the race tracks of the UK or take a Sunday drive, albeit a deliriously exciting one.”

Orders are now being taken for the Caterham Seven 620 with the ‘S’ pack and the S5 chassis options, with first deliveries expected later this year.

Caterham Seven 620S

Engine	Ford Duratec 1999cc, four cylinder, supercharged
Max Power (bhp/rpm)	310 @ 7,700rpm
Max Torque (Nm/rpm)	219 @ 7,350rpm
Weight	610kg
0-60mph	3.44 seconds
Power-to-weight	508 bhp-per-tonne
Top Speed	145mph

Caterham Seven 620S Specification

Standard equipment

• Caterham tuned 310bhp Ford Duratec 1999cc, four cylinder, supercharged engine.
• 5-speed gearbox
• Limited slip differential
• Aluminum painted body with composite nosecone and cycle wings. Choice of Black, Red, Green, Yellow
• Full windscreen, hood and sidescreens
• Heater
• Black leather seats
• Momo steering wheel
• Carbon-fibre dashboard and interior panels
• Four-point harness seat belts
• Uprated brake master cylinder
• Lightweight flywheel
• Dry sump oil system
• Rear-exit exhaust system
• Vinyl Boot cover
• Carbon Vinyl Tunnel top

Suspension

Front: Unequal length aero-profile double wishbones, anti-roll bar, coil springs over Caterham Bilstein road dampers, ‘wide track’ front suspension geometry

Rear: Dedion semi-independent suspension with radius arms and A-frame linkage; progressive coil springs over Caterham Bilstein road dampers; adjustable anti-roll bar

Brakes

Twin circuit split front/rear with low level warning system. Discs front (vented) and rear.

Steering

Rack and pinion, 1.93 turns lock to lock

Wheels and Tyres

Tyres Avon ZZS 195/50R15

Caterham ‘Orcus’ 6 spoke aluminium wheels 6.5”x15”