Lotus

The Lotus Seven was launched in 1957 to replace the Mark VI as the entry-level model. It was designed by Lotus founder Colin Chapman and has been considered the embodiment of the Lotus philosophy of performance through low weight and simplicity. Externally similar to the earlier Mark VI, but with a different tubular frame, the Seven was powered by a 1,172cc four-cylinder Ford engine. It was used both on the road and for club racing. After Lotus ended production of the Seven, Caterham bought the rights and today Caterham makes both kits and fully assembled cars based on the original design known as the Caterham 7.

The Seven Series 3 was released in 1968 and featured a lot of improvements, including better brakes, a new exhaust system, wider wheels and a new convertible top. It stayed in production for only two years, since the slightly more conventional sized Series 4 entered production in 1970.