Former F1 brand Caterham pays tribute to the Nürburgring

If you asked a group of car enthusiasts to name an iconic circuit, it’s likely the Nürburgring will be a common pick, and the same could be said for the Caterham Seven and sports cars.

Now, to celebrate a century of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Caterham has released a limited edition version of the Seven, said to be “shaped by the Green Hell itself”.

Based on the Seven 420, the Seven Nürburgring Edition is limited to 100 examples – one for every year the Nürburgring has been open – and is different from standard versions of the roofless sports car with its specific dampers.

Made by Bilstein, Caterham says the dampers were "engineered specifically around the demands of the Nürburgring”, while not compromising the on-road driving ability of the Seven.

Additional changes include a Nürburgring-specific livery including the track’s logo, a red track day roll bar, a specific grille and also carbon aero ‘whiskers’ on the nosecone.

Inside the small cabin its leather seats feature Nürburgring embroidery and red stitching, while the carbon treatment extends to the interior panels. Because it’s a limited-run model, each comes with an individually numbered plaque.

Powering the vehicle is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ford ‘Duratec’ engine, producing 157kW and 203Nm, driving the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission.

Weighing approximately 560kg, Caterham claims this version of the Seven can accelerate from 0-60mph (97km/h) in just 3.8 seconds, thanks to its 280kW/tonne power-to-weight ratio.

In its home market of the UK, prices start from £48,995 (A$92,750), making it one of the mid-range offerings in Caterham’s lineup.