Urian Culture 04.22.2020 04:Apr AM EDT

Why Buy the New Build-it-Yourself 70's Themed $41,500 Caterham Super Seven 1600? Toyota Camry and Mazda MX-5 Miata Comparison

Toyota Camry, Mazda MX-5 Miata, or the New $41,000 70's Themed Caterham Super Seven 1600? Build-it--Yourself Kit, 135 Horsepower, and More! Photo : Screenshot From Caterham Cars Official YouTube Channel

If you have not come across the Caterham yet, you'll find that every single model in the Caterham arsenal range traces its roots way back to the Lotus Seven which was first introduced in 1957, but some actually take the retro treatment even a step further than others. None have so far embraced the heritage more than the brand new Super Seven 1600!

The company has also explained that it has designed the Super Seven 1600 in order to evoke the proper glamour, color, and even the joy of motoring back in the 1970s without all of the drawbacks of that earlier era's technology.

The car definitely looks like it was actually manufactured 50 years ago, and on top of that, the car even sounds like from the era itself! One big difference is that you won't have to change the ignition points of your vehicle on the side of the road.

The question that exists now is if you would rather buy this car over the Toyota Camry?

The powerful Super Seven 1600

The power of this vehicle is said to come from a Ford-built 1.6-liter four-cylinder that is tuned to deliver 135 horsepower along with 122 pound-feet of torque! The car is also fitted with a sweet pair of Jenvey-sourced throttle bodies that actually look just like a pair of those Weber 40 carburetors.

The sad part is that 135 horsepower still does not sound like much fun especially when you can buy a Toyota Camry with a massive 300 horsepower under the hood! Also, remember to keep in mind that the Super Seven 1600 actually tips the scale at about 1,245 pounds. To add comparison, the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata weighs a massive 2,341 pounds.

The Caterham also quotes a brisk 5-second sprint all the way from 0 up to 60 mph along with a 122 mph top speed. This massive five-speed manual transmission actually channels the engine's power all the way to the rear wheels; this is definitely to be expected of the Seven.

The company behind the machine

The company has already installed flared front fenders reminiscent of those ones that are fitted to cars it previously made during the 1970s along with 14-inch alloy wheels, a new wood-rimmed steering wheel, and even a leather upholstery. There have also been several period-correct paint colors for you to choose from, and buyers can also select a wide or even a narrow body called the SV and the S3, respectively.

Caterham's new Super Seven 1600 is currently on sale in England for a price of £33,495, which is a sum that converts to about $41,500 USD, and the company even gives their customers the option to receive the ready built or even the built-it-yourself package!

Caterham has already told Autoblog that they plan to make the Super Seven 1600 available in the United States where it will then be offered either as a kit or a rolling chasses. The final price information for the US market has not yet been confirmed.