2023 Caterham Seven 420

If you don't mind being exposed to the elements, there are few better ways to get your track-day thrills than with the Caterham Seven 420. One of Caterham's more powerful models, the 420 makes 210 horsepower from its Ford Duratec four-cylinder engine, and the 420 Cup variant has a 0-60 mph time of only 3.6 seconds. The space frame chassis is available in two sizes, and without being weighed down by modern safety and luxury equipment, the lightweight Seven 420 can be thrown around a track with glee. If you want a track toy and a daily driver in one, you'd be better off with a Mazda MX-5 Miata or even a Porsche 718 Boxster, but the stripped-down Caterham demonstrates what's possible with a singular focus on driving fun.

In May 2022, Caterham introduced the new 420 Cup trim to fill the gap between the 420R and Seven Championship Race Car. The new SADEV six-speed sequential gearbox reduces the 0-60 time from 3.8 to 3.6 seconds, even though it has the same 210-hp engine as the normal 420. Ten-stage, fully adjustable dampers from Bilstein are also added to this variant, as are Avon ZZR tires. All these changes contribute to even better lap times. Production of this variant began in early 2023.

Moving into 2022 unchanged, the Caterham Seven 420 is still available to buyers in the USA as a kit car.

No changes are made to the existing Caterham Seven 420

Caterham hasn't announced any major changes to the 420 for this model year.

The Caterham Seven 420 carries over into 2019 with no changes.

The Caterham Seven 420 has the same Duratec engine as the 360 model we review separately, but it makes more power. The cars are otherwise similar in size and weight.

Visually, the new Caterham Seven 420 convertible doesn't try to be anything it isn't. Even in 2023, it looks remarkably similar to the car that started it all in the late 1950s, that being the Lotus Seven. The driver sits way back behind the long hood, and the Caterham barely has overhangs. There are straightforward rounded headlights and rectangular taillights, while the side-mounted exposed exhaust system that ends just below the seat is somewhat of a symbol for how connected man and machine are in this car. The standard model has 14-inch alloys and Avon ZT5 tires, but these are replaced with 14-inch Black Juno alloys and Avon ZT7 tires with the R Pack. Optional wheels range in size from 13 to 15 inches, and you can also add items like a spare wheel with carrier, carbon or vinyl tonneau covers, vinyl half doors, LED daytime running lights, and a composite wind deflector. The 420 Cup has a carbon vinyl trunk cover, a composite aeroscreen, 420 Cup satin decals, LED rear light clusters, and a mesh grille. On this variant, customers get standard 13-inch black Apollo alloys with Avon ZZR tires. Once again, there are many options like a full windscreen and side screens to replace the aeroscreen, and race/track day/sport roll cages.

Both standard and large body sizes are available, but even the larger Caterham Seven 420 has a small footprint. The dimensions and weight of the Caterham Seven 420 vary based on the body size chosen. It is between 122-131.9 inches in length, 62-66.3 inches in width, and 42.9-43.9 inches in height. The larger model can accommodate drivers up to 6'6" tall, while the smaller one is more suitable for those under 6'2".

At around 1,234 pounds, depending on how it's specified, the Seven 420 is extraordinarily light considering its power.

Caterham provides quite a large variety of colors for the Seven 420, and many are quite vivid and fun, as they should be for a track toy that's anything but somber. Gravity Black, Exocet Red, Vintage Green, and Firecracker Yellow are all no-cost options. If you have around a few thousand dollars to play with (Caterham's prices are all in pounds, even on its American site), you can choose premium colors like Ballistic Orange and Hyper Green. One level up introduces the Exclusive color palette with shades like Acid Green, Detonator Yellow, Riviera Blue, Volcano Red, and Arancio Argos. A special grille with the number 7 on it can be painted in various colors, and there are also several decals and stripes to choose from.

The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in the Caterham Seven 420 produces 210 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. Power goes to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox in the case of the base model, resulting in the Caterham Seven 420's 0-60 mph time being only 3.8 seconds. The top speed is 136 mph. The 420 Cup has the same engine specs, but it comes with a SADEV six-speed sequential transmission that lower the 0-60 sprint to 3.6 seconds.

All configurations of the RWD 420 are a blast to drive, with impressive grip and eager direction changes. The steering responds instantly, and feedback is excellent, allowing you to gradually push the adhesion limits of the car without feeling like it'll bite you, despite the absence of electronic nannies. You can coax the 420 into mild oversteer yet still maintain superb speed through corners, and the sound of the four-pot is quite engaging, too. It's fun to play with the ten-point Bilstein adjustable dampers of the 420 Cup and to experience how the different settings affect the car's behavior. We also recommend the smaller-bodied car if you can deal with the smaller interior, as it feels slightly better in the tightest corners.

The 2.0-liter Ford Duratec engine in the Seven 420 features four cylinders and natural aspiration, so it linearly delivers its power. The modest outputs of 210 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque are all that's needed in such a light car, and by tuning it this way, the engine's reliability in the long term is improved.

There's nothing wrong with the basic five-speed manual in the standard car, but the Cup's six-speed sequential gearbox does add another layer of engagement to the car. A push-pull lever is used instead of paddles, and there is still a clutch pedal for driving at slow speeds, starting, and downshifting. The 420 with the R Pack and the 420 Cup both have a limited-slip differential.

The Seven 420 was never designed for long road trips, so gas mileage is a secondary concern. Official estimates aren't available to the public, but we do know that it has a small 9.5-gallon gas tank.

The Caterham Seven 420's interior is as basic as it gets. There are a pair of analog gauges in front of the steering wheel, a few more dials in the dashboard's center, and not much more. The base model has a heater and black leather seats, and there are a few extras like side screen armrests and lowered floors. Since the car is so small, some gauges and switches are more easily accessible by the passenger since there is so little space to work with. The wonderful thing about it is how mechanical and simple it feels, with nothing to detract from the driving experience.

There is only enough interior space for two occupants in the Caterham, and since there aren't conventional doors, squeezing oneself beneath the available roll bar is hardly a graceful task. Legroom and headroom are decent in both versions of the car, but shoulder room is pretty snug. Standard seating can be replaced by composite race seats with four-point race harnesses, or you can go for carbon seats with padding. Side screen armrests slightly improve comfort, although you'll probably be too busy setting new personal lap times to use them. One of the few comfort features that can be equipped are heated seats, not a bad option considering that many Caterham configurations leave you exposed to the wind.

Black leather seats and full carpeting are standard. With the R Pack, the Seven 420 gains a carbon-fiber dashboard and composite race seats, along with a unique gear knob. A suede Momo steering wheel is optional (a normal Momo steering wheel is standard), as are carbon leather seats, carbon seats with padding, carbon or vinyl half doors, and carbon or vinyl tonneau covers. The 420 Cup has composite padded seats with bespoke Cup embroidery, while its 620-style dashboard has a carbon finish. This sporty version has red Cup dials and a carbon vinyl tunnel top with a red gaiter in Alcantara.

The Caterham Seven 420 has nothing that can be called a trunk, with cargo space limited to the passenger seat if unused or a small storage box at the back. Similarly, dedicated small-item storage in the cabin isn't on this car's agenda.

Features? What features? The Caterham Seven 420 has a pair of seats, a steering wheel, and a lever to change gears. Almost everything else is viewed as superfluous. You get a heater in the base model, while the R adds a shift light and four-point race harnesses. On the even more extreme Cup, the heater and a plumbed-in fire extinguisher are optional. The half doors in carbon and vinyl are worth a mention for making the interior more comfortable, and you can add LED daytime running lights.

A touchscreen has no place in the 2023 Seven 420, nor any model before it. In fact, the Caterham has no infotainment system to speak of, and any sound system would likely be drowned out by the wind noise and absence of sound-deadening materials.

There is no reliability record from JD Power on the Caterham Seven 420. No recalls have been announced by the NHTSA, either. Then again, without complicated electronics and a straightforward engine, there isn't much that can go wrong. If repairs are needed, the Caterham will be one of the easiest cars to work on.

In the UK, the Caterham Seven 420 has a one-year/6,000-mile parts and labor warranty under certain conditions. Considering how the car will be used, we expect a similar warranty for local examples.

A safety review of the Caterham Seven 420 doesn't exist, and we wouldn't be too keen to see what happens if this basic track toy is smashed into a block of cement.

One look at the 2023 Caterham Seven 420 confirms that it's not a safe place to be in an accident. Besides your own reflexes and seat belts - or the more substantial four-point harnesses - there is nothing at all to keep you safe in an accident. The various roll bar designs provide some extra protection if the worst happens, but don't expect airbags and driver assists - you won't find any. This lack of meeting safety regulations is one of the reasons the Caterham is sold as a kit car in the USA.

There's something truly endearing about a car with a singular focus. The Seven 420 is useless as a daily driver, uncomfortable over any significant distance, generally unsafe, and has all the refinement of a lawnmower. And yet, by sacrificing in all these areas, it delivers an absorbing driving experience that's as exciting as supercars costing three times as much. From a humble Ford Duratec engine, the Seven 420 makes the most of its modest 210 hp, and the uncorrupted feedback through the seat and steering makes the driver feel at one with it. It's a track weapon first and everything else after that, and despite the fact that it's changed so little through the years, the way it dances around a track and can be controlled at the limit remains second to none.

In its domestic market, the price of the new Caterham Seven 420 starts at £40,990 for 2023, which works out to just over $50,000 at current rates. The Cup version starts at £54,990 or closer to $68k. By law, the Caterham can't be sold as a completed car in the USA, so it must be imported as a box of parts and assembled here. This is either a logistical nightmare or an exciting project, depending on how you look at it.

The Seven 420 can be configured in multiple ways. Customers can choose between standard and large body/chassis sizes, various wheels and tires, different seat types, and sport or track suspensions. The MSRP of the Caterham Seven 420 will fluctuate depending on how it's configured.

There are two Seven 420 trims and many ways to configure them. We'd go for the standard model with the R Pack since it adds a limited-slip differential and lightweight flywheel, among others, features that further exploit the Seven's incredible track capabilities. The Cup is even more extreme with its sequential transmission, so if you have the budget, it's the most capable of the 420 range.