I'VE CHECKED AND DOUBLE-CHECKED. EVEN though I know it to be true, it's still scarcely believable that the Lotus Seven was designed in 1957. Sixty-five years ago. Even the relative upstart Caterham has had the rights to the design since 1973. Half a century ago. And yet it never even occurs to me that the Seven is 'old' or vintage in any way. Drive a modern Caterham and you're struck by its tiny footprint, the simplicity, the sheer excitement and involvement, but never does it feel outdated. This is not an experience to liken to, say, a classically built new Morgan. It's just a scalpel-sharp, fully immersive driving experience. Unique certainly, but to me it always seems fresh and new. If anything, the Seven gets more relevant and more enlightening by the day.
So, a new line of Caterhams that look backwards rather than surging into the future with a quarter-turn of opposite lock, carbon fibre cycle wings and, preferably, flames erupting from the exhaust just doesn't align with my own relationship with the Seven. In my mind, that relationship isn't rooted in any time period. The Seven just exists to blow apart puffed-up sports- and supercars and celebrate the essential elements of what makes driving so bloody special. Maybe I'm the wrong person to send to drive the relaunched 'Heritage' range, consisting of the Super Seven 600 and Super Seven 2000? Well, maybe. But a sunny(ish) day with two Caterhams to play with is never to be refused!
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2022-Ausgabe von Evo UK.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2022-Ausgabe von Evo UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
TYRE 2024 TEST
Want to fit the very best tyres to your performance car? The annual evo Tyre Test identifies the cream of the current crop
HONDA ACCORD TYPE R
A liberal sprinkling of Honda Type R fairy dust on the late-'90s Accord produced an unlikely evo icon and a genuine performance bargain
TOY STORY
Where best to store some of Toyota’s most prized and valuable racing superstars? Under the wind tunnel at its Cologne HO, of course...
POWER PLAY
It develops 819bhp. It has no turbochargers, no hybrid assistance. Ferrari describes it as the most complete GT it's ever made. And it’s so proud of its mighty V12 engine it’s named the whole car after it. This is the 12 Cilindri
THE FIRST SAMURAIS
Japan has been responsible for many of our favourite driver's cars of recent decades, but their ancestors are often much less well known. We take a look at where the big manufacturers began their performance car journeys
DEFINITELY. NO MAYBE
Three Japanese performance icons - Lexus LFA, Subaru Impreza 22B and Nissan GT-R. Over three days on some of our favourite roads we explore what makes each uniquely thrilling, but also the car culture that unites them
1V3.0
F1, P1... and now W1. The next chapter in McLaren's Ultimate Series is the British firm's challenger to the forthcoming new Ferrari hypercar and a £2million, 1257bhp, hybrid-powered, technical tour de force
Thornley Kelham European RS
One man’s dream to build the perfect Porsche 911 has resulted inthis aaticMously restored and enhanced classic. We delve into the details and take it for a drive
Bentley Continental GT Speed
The new Continental GT is the most powerful Bentley ever, and the beginning of anew plug-in hybrid era for Crewe. But is it still a benchmark grand tourer?
