1992 Caterham 7 HPC

1980 Lotus Super Seven HPC Description

This is a genuine 1992 Caterham 7 HPC (High Performance Course) with the 2.0 liter Vauxhall motor and is not for the faint of heart. . Caterham's official line was ' it takes skill and responsibility to drive safely and well and a fast car needs a special kind of skill that can only be fully developed with training. Caterham cars does not wish to release the car to anyone who does not have the skill or experience to drive safely.' For about $500 Caterham would give you a 2 day high performance driving course to prepare you for handling 175hp in a car that weighs about half as much as your average Miata. Earlier HPC cars had the Ford BDR engine but in 1990 Caterham switched to the Vauxhall unit which had more power and torque, some people refer to them as the "red top" motors. In addition to the bigger engine Caterham fitted the HPC cars with more powerful 4 piston brake calipers and upgraded suspension. All HPC cames came fitted with the Ford 5 speed manual gearboxes and limited slip differential and the 16" wheels with wider 205 series tires which give amazing levels of grip, a lot of people consider these cars to be the best all round 7, tons of grip, bags of torque and fast enough to keep anybody happy! Caterham claimed a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 126 (they are not very aerodynamic over 100), I can tell you it is very rapid, scaring your passenger is as easy as pushing your right foot down! Finished in beautiful British racing green with the orange nose band this car really looks fantastic and the optional competition exhaust makes it sound as good as it looks. The car does have full weather equipment(side screens, top, heater, heated windshield), Momo steering wheel, external battery shut off, track spec roll bar and adjustable leather seats so it is very comfortable and rides surprisingly well. The Caterham 7s have always been one of the purest drivers cars ever built, the acceleration, braking and cornering ability are unlike pretty much anything else you have ever driven, Colin Chapman's philosophy was to add lightness and Caterham continues this tradition to this day. It is rare to find a Caterham for sale in the US let alone one so special and whether you are looking for a car to take to the track or just tear up the back roads in this Caterham will not disappoint, every drive feels special. Ebay doesn't recognize the VIN number which is why it is listed as a 1980 but it is a 1992 vehicle. I do have the car listed locally and reserve the right to end the auction at any time, thanks for looking!