Caterham Cars is a British manufacturer of specialist lightweight sports cars that was established in 1959 in Caterham, England. The company's headquarters are now located in Dartford, England. The company's current model, the Caterham 7 (or Seven), was originally launched in 1973, and is a direct evolution of the Lotus Seven designed by Colin Chapman.
Caterham Cars began its life as a manufacturer of Lotus Seven kits, which were sold to enthusiasts who wanted to build their own sports cars. In 1973, the company began producing fully assembled cars, and the Caterham 7 has remained the company's flagship model ever since.
In the 1990s, the company released the Caterham 21, a two-seater soft top alternative to the MGF and Lotus Elise. However, the 21 was not as successful as its predecessors, and production was discontinued in 1999.
In 2010, Caterham Cars began a joint project with Lola to develop the SP/300.R, a track-only car that was designed for customer testing. The SP/300.R was scheduled for release in 2013, but its production was delayed due to the acquisition of the company by Tony Fernandes, the owner of Team Lotus.
Fernandes acquired Caterham Cars in 2011 and rebranded the company as Caterham F1 Team. However, in 2014, Fernandes sold the Formula One team to a consortium of Swiss and Middle Eastern investors, and the Caterham Cars brand was separated from the racing team.
In 2021, it was announced that Caterham Cars had been acquired outright by VT Holdings, a Japanese importer for the Caterham Seven since 2009. VT Holdings also imports Lotus cars and Royal Enfield motorcycles into Japan. With this acquisition, the future of the Caterham brand looks secure, and the company is expected to continue producing its iconic lightweight sports cars for many years to come.
