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Owners of the Caterham Seven celebrated the model\u2019s 50th<\/sup> anniversary in style at the Silverstone Festival.<\/p>\n Members of the Caterham & Lotus Seven Club drove 50 examples of the classic performance car, completing a lap of the iconic circuit.<\/p>\n Richard Nichol, Chairman of Caterham & Lotus Seven Club, described what the car means to him.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been a Caterham owner for nearly 20 years now. I bought the first on my 40th<\/sup> birthday and my second on my 50th<\/sup>, so that gives you an indication of my age.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you are passionate about anything automotive, the Seven remains the standard for roadholding, nothing gets you closer to the road.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong> Drivers told to use Sport Mode sparingly to avoid higher repair bills<\/strong><\/p>\n Originally launched in 1973, the Caterham Seven was based on a Lotus sportscar that was designed the aeronautical engineer Colin Chapman in 1957.<\/p>\n The lightweight sportscar quickly gained praise for its relatively low price and incredible levels of performance for the time.<\/p>\n Using a 1.6 litre Lotus Twin Cam engine, early examples could accelerate from 0 to 60mph as fast as a Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer.<\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n Richard added that, whilst the Caterham Seven is an incredibly small vehicle, it is still useful for his daily life.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cIf I tell you that we\u2019ve been camping for 14 days with ours, me and my wife, and I\u2019m not one to shy away from luxuries.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re more practical than you would think, but I\u2019m not going to lie it\u2019s not the same as a BMW 5 Series Estate.\u201d<\/p>\n However, despite the models old age, the Caterham Seven continues to be manufactured in Dartford and is offered in kit-form for buyers to assemble themselves.<\/p>\n Currently, the Caterham Seven is offered with either a 660cc turbocharged engine produced by Suzuki or a 2.0 litre Ford unit, which can be supercharged.<\/p>\n The company also has plans to build a fully electric version of the Seven, which Caterham claim will be capable of accelerating from 0 to 60mph in just four seconds.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/24\/590x\/secondary\/richard-nichol-4938172.jpg?r=1693589762877\")
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\u2018I\u2019m a motoring expert \u2013 most drivers are unaware of this hidden safety feature'[INSIGHT] <\/strong>
Mistakes with your dog in the car can be fatal and result in huge fines[REPORT] <\/strong>
Most common reason for car crashes is a simple manoeuvre all drivers do[ANALYSIS] <\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/24\/590x\/secondary\/lotus-seven-4938183.jpg?r=1693589762925\")
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