The trials and tribulations of the Super Seven
04/26/2012
People interested in cars, especially if they have an affinity for English vehicles, usually automatically think of a Lotus when the "Super Seven" is mentioned.
However, it is not at all clear to whom this term actually belonged.
Austin also called a version of the Mini Super Seven (see first picture). And Lotus only used the term "Super Seven" for a small number of its open-top sports cars, most of them were simply called "Seven".
The "Super" was introduced in the Lotus Seven Series 1 when the Climax engine was installed and the increase in performance was to be documented accordingly. The "Super Seven" was retained for the more powerful Series 2 and 3 versions, but was then abandoned for the Series 4 Seven.
Austin, on the other hand, only called the Mini "Seven" for a few years and the Austin Super Seven soon disappeared again.
To add to the confusion, Triumph also built a "Super 7" between 1927 and 1934, but that's another story ...
