Sad news today out of England that Graham Nearn, the man most responsible for keeping the Lotus 7 flame burning bright has passed away. Nearn, who was 76, started out as a “dealer” for the immortal 7 back when they first hit the market in the late 1950s, and later, went on to save the brand, and continue producing them under the Caterham name.
So what’s all this that I hear that there’s some sort of crisis in the automotive world. That sales are down, factories are closing and whole brands are disappearing off the face of the Earth. If that is happening, it ain’t happening to Caterham, makers of one of the best sportscars available anywhere for any price.
Amidst all of the gnashing of teeth and rending of garments about the current world economic situation, Caterham, of all people, is selling more cars now then they were this time last year. And no, it’s not because car buyers suddenly got an infusion of taste.
