Hot Wheels

By The Editors
August 27, 2014 9:00 am

The go-kart is the Proustian madeleine cake of memory.

Clamber in, and you’re instantly transported back to those halcyon days of batting cages and mini-golf, family vacations, maybe even Whirlyball.

Think of this as the go-kart for adults.

Introducing the Seven 480 from Caterham Cars, an open-top, open-wheel sportscar by way of Britain, just now available in the States.

This is a grown man’s toy.

By way of appreciation, a brief history on the open-wheel:

Lotus Seven debuts in ‘57. Reaches cult-classic status in ‘67. Caterham buys the rights to the model in ‘72. Refines. Adjusts. Proceeds to dominate club racing all over the world. 

Case in point: watch the 620R model rip.

And before you ask, yes, this beauty is street legal.

Why you care: lightweight, practically a go-kart. Sports a 2.0-liter Ford engine. Does 0-62 in 3.4 seconds.

Or put it this way: The 2014 Porsche GT3 does 0-60 in 3.3 seconds. Starts at $130K. The Seven 480’s base price is considerably lower.

The math does itself.

So call up Turn 7 Motorsports. They’re an authorized dealer. Or you can order the kit and build it yourself.

It’s never too late for a thrill ride.

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