Lotus Seven
(1957 - 1973)
Car articles about Lotus Seven by year
The Lotus Seven was launched in 1957 and continued to be built in many stages throughout its life. Today, Caterham still produces the sports car known as the Super Seven, which can still demonstrate its advantages of light weight combined with sufficient power at club races, on Alpine passes and country roads. This report tells the story of a 1957 Series 1 model and shows it in current and historical pictures and original sales brochures.
The Lotus Super Seven was a car that probably only the English could invent. In principle, the design was based on a formula car, except that two seats and some weather protection were provided. Lightweight and equipped with the handling characteristics of a racing car, the small sports car was particularly suitable "for racing in club races and ruffling his girlfriend's hair". John Aley tested the lightweight British car with a Ford engine and 85 hp in 1985. This report reproduces the original text including the development history and supplements it with archive photos and four (!) original brochures.
Did Colin Chapman build the Lotus Super Seven simply for the sheer joy of it? In any case, the rough-legged fun roadster looked somewhat out of place next to the relatively distinguished Elite and Elan production cars. However, far from being suitable for everyday use, the roadster weighing less than 500 kg showed unexpected talents ... even in city traffic, if the driver was able to adapt to the dimensions of the car. This historical test report is dedicated to the 100 hp Super Seven with Cosworth engine.
The English sports car manufacturer produced not quite 3000 Lotus Seven and Super Seven cars between 1957 and 1973. They were aimed at sports drivers who needed a vehicle suitable for everyday use during the week and for club racing at the weekend. The simply built Seven, which could be assembled by reasonably talented DIY enthusiasts in their own garage, offered just that. The fact that it continues to be built in various versions to this day proves how right Colin Chapman was with this concept. This driving report describes the history of the Lotus Seven and shows it in current and historical photos, as well as in the sales literature of the time.
Current market prices for Lotus Seven
Roadster, 39 PS, 1772 cm3
Roadster, 75 PS, 1498 cm3
Roadster, 82 PS, 1599 cm3
Roadster, 84 PS, 1599 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Lotus Seven
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotus Seven S4 (Twin-Cam) 1971 Sold Iconic Auctioneers Practical Classic Car and Restoration Show Versteigerung (March 22, 2025) |
Seven S4 (Twin-Cam) | 1971 | Sold | Iconic Auctioneers Practical Classic Car and Restoration Show Versteigerung (March 22, 2025) | |
| Lotus Super Seven 'Series 3' Spec Twin Cam Race Car 1969 Not Sold Iconic Auctioneers Race Retro (February 21, 2026) |
Super Seven 'Series 3' Spec Twin Cam Race Car | 1969 | Not Sold | Iconic Auctioneers Race Retro (February 21, 2026) | |
| Lotus Seven S4 1971 Sold Charterhouse Shepton Mallet Sale (November 6, 2016) |
Seven S4 | 1971 | Sold | Charterhouse Shepton Mallet Sale (November 6, 2016) | |
| Lotus Seven S4 1971 Sold Anglia Car Auctions Kings Lynn Auction (November 7, 2015) |
Seven S4 | 1971 | Sold | Anglia Car Auctions Kings Lynn Auction (November 7, 2015) | |
| Lotus Seven S3 1969 Sold Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Toffen (April 23, 2016) |
Seven S3 | 1969 | Sold | Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Toffen (April 23, 2016) | |
| Lotus Seven modified 1961 Not Sold Coys Birmingham Sale (January 12, 2013) |
Seven modified | 1961 | Not Sold | Coys Birmingham Sale (January 12, 2013) | |
| Lotus Seven S3 1968 Sold Berlinetta Oxfordshire (May 7, 2016) |
Seven S3 | 1968 | Sold | Berlinetta Oxfordshire (May 7, 2016) | |
| Lotus Seven S2 Ford 1964 Sold Brightwells Herefordshire Sale (July 17, 2013) |
Seven S2 Ford | 1964 | Sold | Brightwells Herefordshire Sale (July 17, 2013) | |
| Lotus Seven S2 1962 Sold Campen Randers (March 20, 2016) |
Seven S2 | 1962 | Sold | Campen Randers (March 20, 2016) | |
| Lotus Seven S4 1971 Sold Brightwells Classic & Vintage Cars and Motorcycles (May 13, 2015) |
Seven S4 | 1971 | Sold | Brightwells Classic & Vintage Cars and Motorcycles (May 13, 2015) |
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