The Caterham Seven 170 Is a 970-Pound Kei Car
The Caterham Seven champions simplicity in a way no other car on sale could hope to match, and the new Seven 170 is the simplest one yet. The successor to the beloved and successful U.K.-only Seven 160, the 170 is the smallest, lightest Caterham yet. And with power coming from a 660-cc turbocharged three-cylinder Suzuki engine, the 170 is the first Seven to meet Japan's Kei Car regulations.
Caterham was recently bought by one of its Japanese distributors, VT Holdings, so it's now making a car targeted at both the Japanese and U.K. markets. It's slightly narrower than a regular Caterham, and it weighs around 970 pounds depending on configuration. So even though the Suzuki triple makes just 84 hp and 86 lb-ft of torque, it has a power to weight ratio of 170 hp to English tonne, hence the name. Zero to 62 mph takes just 6.9 seconds, which is remarkable for a car with less than 100 horsepower.
The Seven 170 doesn't feature the Sixties styling—steel wheels, cycle fenders—of the old 160, but unlike its predecessor, the 170 is available in both S and R specifications. The 170S is designed for the road, with softer suspension, less grippy tires, and a weather protection kit including a full windshield and plastic side windows; the 170R has a stiffer suspension for added track performance, carbon-fiber bucket seats, four-point harnesses, and a limited-slip differential. Both cars come as standard with a five-speed gearbox.
Unfortunately, though unsurprisingly, the Seven 170 won't be available for U.S. customers. In the U.K. the base price is £22,990, which is just under $32,000 at today's exchange rates.
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