The Caterham Super Seven 1600 is a 1970s inspired drift weapon

Adding retro cues to an already heritage model sounds superfluous but comes with a proven track record. Caterham’s last such car, the limited-edition Super Sprint to mark the firm’s 60^th anniversary, famously sold out in hours after it was revealed to the world at the 2017 Goodwood Revival, just as the ‘60s-themed Sprint had sold out the year before.

The new model takes over from where these heritage specials left off, but comes as a ‘70s themed model and permanent fixture of the Caterham line-up. It is available to order from today priced in component form from £33,495.

The pictures show how well the “new old-school” model looks, but what they can’t show is how the new car sounds. For that you need to watch the video. And it does sound rorty and responsive… exactly how you think it should sound.

Under the bonnet is a Ford 1,600cc four-pot Sigma motor, well known from a million Fiesta and Focuses and no stranger to Caterham models of the past. For the new Super Seven it is naturally aspirated and gets side-exit exhaust along with throttle-body injection to evoke that twin-carb growl when you put your foot down.

Power is 135bhp, backed up by 165Nm of torque, and it is enough in a car weighing not much more than half a tonne for 0-62mph acceleration in 5.0 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 122mph. The power-weight ratio, says Caterham, is a satisfying 250bhp per tonne.

A five-speed manual gearbox is fitted – what else? – along with the “road” suspension pack – so sufficient bumpy-road tolerance in partnership with the point-and-squirt handling. The wheels are 14-inch alloys shod with Avon rubber. Discs all round do the stopping while under two turns between locks ensures the steering is quick enough to catch all the inevitable smile-inducing oversteer.

The Super Sport 1600 does not get a huge retro makeover, but then as a car which dates back to 1973 it already has a head start in that area. But it does get details that really seal the ‘70s deal: period-correct flared front cycle guards, retro-inspired wheel design, boot-mounted spare wheel, plenty of chrome and, inside, a wood-rimmed steering wheel and leather upholstery.

With a choice of seven heritage paint finishes owners may well feel the clock being turned back… but not in one regard. Taller drivers will be able to fit in this version more easily. The Super Sport 1600 is the first of the Super Sevens to be available in longer SV extended chassis form. Prices for the standard chassis start from £33,495, or there’s a finance deal of £326 a month for 48 months. The car is available either in component form or fully built – again, just as it was in the ‘70s.

“Both of our most recent retro-inspired Sevens – the Sprint and Super Sprint – sold out in record time so we know the appeal for these cars is strong,” says Caterham CEO, Graham Macdonald.

“We’re excited to introduce the most powerful Super Seven ever built, a reimagining of a true modern icon, delivering exactly what the original was designed to offer – a mark of distinction and a ticket to driving adventure.”