$100K CSR 20 Is a Caterham Like No Other

If you’re the sort of car person who is always hungry for driving distilled to its purest form of man + car, you know Caterham. The boutique British company produces a slightly modernized version of the Lotus Seven, the first road car that Colin Chapman designed and built. Caterhams are minimalism in car form: They weigh less than 1500 pounds, are perfect with just about 150 hp and a De Dion rear axle, don’t have a heater unless you ask for one, and the only “weather equipment” is a canvas top with “windows” that snap shut. You can even build one yourself.

Limited to a mere 20 units in the U.K. and 20 rolling chassis available for the U.S. (more on that in a moment), the CSR 20 model pairs the 2.0-liter Ford Duratec engine with the CSR chassis and commemorates 20 years since the chassis was first introduced in 2005. (Somewhat confusingly, the CSR 20 appears nearly six months after the CSR Final Edition, which signaled the end of production for this chassis.) It’s the first time Caterham has put this engine in this chassis, and also the first time Caterham has charged over $100,000 for one of its cars.

The price may be hard to swallow for those who adore Caterhams for being simple and generally affordable. However, it’s worth pointing out that even a niche vehicle like this caters to multiple types of customers—some of whom have the cash and the desire to buy a Caterham precisely because it is expensive, exclusive, and possessed of many celebratory embroiderings, plaques, and badges.

If that person is you, you’ve got a lot to look forward to. The 210-horse 2.0-liter Ford engine drives the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox and you’ll rein the beast in with the added power of four-piston front brake calipers—and no electronic nannies in sight. (The two-liter may not be the most powerful engine offered in this chassis, true, but for the vast majority of drivers, 210 hp is more than ample. Trust us—you’re gonna have fun.) CSRs are further distinguished by their independent rear suspension, which is paired with an inboard-mounted coilover setup in front.

Caterham is marketing this as a touring-worthy car. No doubt, the CSR 20 is the first time Caterham has lavished this attention on making the cabin a luxurious place to be. But touring might be a bit of a stretch—despite the lavish-for-a-Seven interior, it’s still a little Caterham. The CSR comes not with a regular seatbelt but with a four-point harness. And, in (good) Caterham tradition, it doesn’t have a top with windows you can roll down; you’re either snapped into the mohair enclosure or out in the breeze.

The most obvious distinguishing marks of the CSR 20 are its exclusivity, materials, and price. Call us boring, but we prefer our Caterham kicks at a cheaper price point. The financial opportunity cost is simply too high—hell, for $100K, you could buy used model for $30K and have $70K leftover for, oh, a brand-new 5 Series or a downpayment on a house.

But this isn’t about us, it’s about you. If you are in the U.S. and interested in buying one of these, we suggest getting in touch with your favorite dealer ASAP. Remember, though, that all stateside purchases of Caterhams are CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits, and engines come in through a separate importation process. That explains why the press release mentions “an additional 20 rolling chassis variants available for the USA.” The steps require a bit of patience, but if you’re lusting after a Caterham, chances are you’re enough of a die-hard to know that already. Let us know how the process goes, would you?

The simple fact that Caterhams exist in 2024 is a marvel, and if you’ve got the cash to celebrate that with a CSR 20—well, our hats are off to you.