Category: Roadsters 
Price Range: £15,995 to £42,595
Breathtaking driving experience, one of few cars that's good on both road and race-track, quality, history, design, lightness, performance
The ride's a bit shabby, comfort is poor, cramped cabin
If you're tempted by the pros, the cons won't matter; if you're put off by the cons, the pros won't - we're in the first of those camps
Few issues, really. The Seven is simple and has been thoroughly developed during its history, so that there are now very few reliability issues, except with tuning engines for very high outputs. But then, that's a chance you take when you want 230bhp plus out of a 1.8-litre engine. Chassis are powder-coated and rust-free, while the bodywork is part-aluminium, part glass-reinforced-plastic, or carbonfibre if you're prepared to spend big money. The paintwork may scratch a little easier than on a volume-produced car, as can bare aluminium bodies if you don't tick the 'paint' option. Build quality is pretty good, but it's worth having a thorough pre-delivery-inspection: because Caterhams cars are assembled by hand at the company's Dartford factory, it's inevitable that some items are occasionally overlooked. There's huge technical back-up and support through either the factory's servicing department or, arguably more useful, the Lotus 7 Club.
