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Lotus Seven
The Lotus Seven is a sports car produced by the British manufacturer Lotus Cars (initially called Lotus Engineering) between 1957 and 1973. The Seven is an open-wheel car with two seats and an open top. It was designed by Lotus founder Colin Chapman and has been considered the embodiment of the Lotus philosophy of performance through low weight and simplicity. The original model was highly successful with more than 2,500 cars sold, due to its attraction as a road legal car that could be used for clubman racing.
After Lotus ended production of the Seven in 1973, Caterham bought the rights and today Caterham makes both kits and fully assembled cars based on the original design known as the Caterham 7.
The Lotus Seven design has spawned a host of imitations on the kit car market, generally called Sevens or Sevenesque roadsters.
The Lotus Seven was launched in 1957 to replace the Mark VI as the entry-level Lotus model. The Seven name was left over from a model that Lotus abandoned, which would have been a Riley-engine single-seater that Lotus intended to enter into the Formula Two in 1952 or 1953. However, the car was completed on Chapman's chassis as a sports car by its backers and christened the Clairmonte Special.
Externally similar to Chapman's earlier Lotus Mark VI, but with a different tubular frame similar to the Lotus Eleven, the Seven was powered by a 36 bhp (27 kW; 36 PS) Ford Sidevalve 1,172 cc straight-four engine. In addition to the Ford unit, both BMC series A and Coventry Climax FWA engines were available for fitment. Under the Purchase Tax system of the time cars supplied as a kit did not attract the tax surcharge that would apply if sold in assembled form. Tax rules specified assembly instructions could not be included. This situation remained until 1973 and a large proportion of Sevens sold in the United Kingdom were delivered in kit form as a result.
The Seven Series 1 was used both on the road and for club racing (750 motor club in the UK).
The Lotus Seven S2 followed in June 1960 and was supplemented by the Lotus Super Seven S2 from 1961. These were slightly more road-oriented than the Series 1, and received a somewhat simpler chassis. The Series 1's aluminium nosecone was changed to a fibreglass unit. Cycle fenders were originally standard, with clamshell units standard fitment on the 1500, Super Seven, and America or available as an option.
While the 1172 cc Sidevalve unit remained available until 1962, the series 2 typically used Ford Kent engines of 1,340 or 1,499 cc from the Ford Consul Classic. These were also available with Cosworth modifications; the Cosworth 1,340 cc "Super Seven" delivered 85 bhp (63 kW; 86 PS) and the later "Super Seven 1500" 105 bhp (78 kW; 106 PS). Some Series 2 Sevens built during 1968 (oftentimes referred to as "Series 2+1⁄2") were fitted with the later crossflow Kent engine of 1,599 cc.
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Lotus Seven
The Lotus Seven is a sports car produced by the British manufacturer Lotus Cars (initially called Lotus Engineering) between 1957 and 1973. The Seven is an open-wheel car with two seats and an open top. It was designed by Lotus founder Colin Chapman and has been considered the embodiment of the Lotus philosophy of performance through low weight and simplicity. The original model was highly successful with more than 2,500 cars sold, due to its attraction as a road legal car that could be used for clubman racing.
After Lotus ended production of the Seven in 1973, Caterham bought the rights and today Caterham makes both kits and fully assembled cars based on the original design known as the Caterham 7.
The Lotus Seven design has spawned a host of imitations on the kit car market, generally called Sevens or Sevenesque roadsters.
The Lotus Seven was launched in 1957 to replace the Mark VI as the entry-level Lotus model. The Seven name was left over from a model that Lotus abandoned, which would have been a Riley-engine single-seater that Lotus intended to enter into the Formula Two in 1952 or 1953. However, the car was completed on Chapman's chassis as a sports car by its backers and christened the Clairmonte Special.
Externally similar to Chapman's earlier Lotus Mark VI, but with a different tubular frame similar to the Lotus Eleven, the Seven was powered by a 36 bhp (27 kW; 36 PS) Ford Sidevalve 1,172 cc straight-four engine. In addition to the Ford unit, both BMC series A and Coventry Climax FWA engines were available for fitment. Under the Purchase Tax system of the time cars supplied as a kit did not attract the tax surcharge that would apply if sold in assembled form. Tax rules specified assembly instructions could not be included. This situation remained until 1973 and a large proportion of Sevens sold in the United Kingdom were delivered in kit form as a result.
The Seven Series 1 was used both on the road and for club racing (750 motor club in the UK).
The Lotus Seven S2 followed in June 1960 and was supplemented by the Lotus Super Seven S2 from 1961. These were slightly more road-oriented than the Series 1, and received a somewhat simpler chassis. The Series 1's aluminium nosecone was changed to a fibreglass unit. Cycle fenders were originally standard, with clamshell units standard fitment on the 1500, Super Seven, and America or available as an option.
While the 1172 cc Sidevalve unit remained available until 1962, the series 2 typically used Ford Kent engines of 1,340 or 1,499 cc from the Ford Consul Classic. These were also available with Cosworth modifications; the Cosworth 1,340 cc "Super Seven" delivered 85 bhp (63 kW; 86 PS) and the later "Super Seven 1500" 105 bhp (78 kW; 106 PS). Some Series 2 Sevens built during 1968 (oftentimes referred to as "Series 2+1⁄2") were fitted with the later crossflow Kent engine of 1,599 cc.