Caterham Super Seven 2000 review: heritage-spec Seven tested

That’s a rather fetching shade of brown…

Isn’t it just. Caterham describes this colour as Bourbon, and it’s a no-cost option that – along with three other classic colours – is exclusively available on the kit-car-builders’ new heritage range. Well, we say no-cost, but if you want the 14-inch wheels painted in the same shade as they are here then that’ll set you back an extra £700. More on finances later though, because this is anything but an affordable Caterham.

The new heritage range consists of the Super Seven 600 and the Super Seven 2000, with both getting twee looks courtesy of flared front arches, rear-mounted spare wheels, chrome exterior details and Moto-Lita steering wheels. You do get modern touches too though, such as LED rear lights and, well… LED headlights (but only if you tick the right option box). This is a Caterham after all.

So which of the two is this one?

This is the 2000, which means it uses a 2.0-litre Ford Duratec engine and shares most of its underpinnings with the standard Seven 360. To recap, that also means a five-speed manual gearbox and Caterham’s de-Dion chassis which comes in standard on larger variants.

We’re sure there’s some joke about all Caterhams being heritage cars somewhere in here, and off-the-shelf the Super Seven 2000 does follow a fairly basic recipe – complete with a live axle rear end. However, performance-oriented options include a limited-slip diff, a rear anti-roll bar, a sport suspension pack with adjustable dampers and front ventilated brake discs with quad piston calipers. 

Is it quick?

Well, the four-cylinder Ford engine makes 180bhp in this specification, which makes for a 0-62mph time of 4.8 seconds and a healthy top speed of 130mph. Not bad for something that’s roughly the size and weight of your left shoe.

It feels quick on the move too, with the naturally-aspirated engine keen to rev to get the most of its power. Although with plenty of torque available and big speeds easy to achieve, you might not be rowing through the snappy gearbox as often as you’d like. Yes, as you can probably tell, we’ve recently fallen for the teeny 660cc Suzuki-engined 170. Oh, and that’s the iteration that the Super Seven 600 is based on. Worth remembering if you really want the retro-tastic look.

But what else do I need to know about the 2000?

It’s hard to be disappointed with any Caterham driving experience, but the vintage-looking 2000 is a little softly sprung without the £800 sport suspension setup, and it doesn’t quite have the bite of our favourite, more aggressive Sevens. Large mid-corner bumps can really unsettle it too.

Don’t get us wrong, it still amplifies your senses and it's a massive palate cleanser to drive something with this much (unassisted) steering feel and (unassisted) brake pedal feel, but if you’re more used to track-ready Caterhams then this might feel a little tame in comparison.

On the flip side of that though, a longer journey is made much more pleasant by the way the Super Seven deals with the worst of UK roads at sensible speeds. The clutch is also well-weighted for an extended period behind the wheel, and with the larger chassis you've got loads of shoulder and headroom once the roof is on. 

What’s the interior like?

More retro goodness in here. In the 2000 you get vintage Smiths dials and soft leather seats, as well as a leather-wrapped Moto-Lita steering wheel. An even larger wooden-rimmed wheel is a £300 option too, but please don’t do that to yourself.

There are endless customisation options for the Super Seven, including different carpet colours, leather dashboard colours and seat colours, although you do get the sense that perhaps a little more effort could have gone into creating some bespoke switchgear to replace the Seven’s usual plastic weatherproof array. 

Come on then, how much will it all cost me?

Here’s the thing. The 2000 costs a fairly massive £39,990 if you decide to build it yourself without ticking a single option box. When it was unveiled a month or so ago, that meant it was a huge £8,000 more than the equivalent 360. Ouch. Unfortunately Caterham has now brought 360 prices up so that gap is only £4,000. Still, that’s a hefty chunk of change for some old-school looks.

It’s likely you’ll want a few of the performance upgrades too. The uprated brakes provide better pedal feel and stopping power for £800, the adjustable suspension is another £800 and the rear anti-roll bar is £220. The limited-slip diff is £1,250. Oh, and it’s worth noting that the large chassis is an extra £2,750, with a lowered floor £600 more on top of that.

So, to summarise?

There’s no doubt that Caterham has nailed the retro look with this Super Seven 2000. Drive one on the regular and older gents will ask what year it’s from, while young kids grab their parents to look at the funny old car.

Potter about with the occasional burst of acceleration and you’ll be mightily happy with your purchase too: it is a rapid and brilliantly-bassy sounding thing after all, but if you’re wanting an out-and-out driver’s Seven then you’re clearly better off spending the extra £4,000 on go-faster bits for a 360. Plus, it’s hardly like the standard Seven is a vision of futuristic car design…