Two new Caterhams heading to the US

The Seven 360 and Seven 480 will be making an appearance at Monterey Car Week before heading to US showrooms later this month. But if you're interested in picking one up, you'll need a set of wrenches.

Both cars are powered by a 2-liter Ford Duratec engine which in the Seven 480 offers 237bhp, a 0-100kph (62mph) time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 140mph (225kph). And all for $52,900.

The $44,900 Seven 360 meanwhile produces 180bhp but still offers a top speed of 130mph (210kph) and a 0-100kph (62mph) of 4.9 seconds.

However, regardless of which model you go for, it will be sold as a 'rolling chassis' that you'll need to complete yourself -- but don't worry, all of the parts are included.

The Caterham brand might be over 40 years old and the cars it builds or offers as kits for completion can trace their roots back even further still -- to the Lotus Seven of the 1950s -- but its stripped-down drop-top racers have only been on sale officially in the US for a matter of months.

Since January US drivers more interested in power-to-weight ratios, neutral handling through corners and individuality, rather than simply V8 muscle, have been able to buy a small selection of Caterhams from US distributor Superformance.

The new models, launched this week, will bring the range up to four, including the $72,900 Seven 620R, the fastest car the company has ever built, capable of a supercar-humiliating 0-60mph time of 2.79 seconds.

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