The Green Hell Turns 100

The Nürburgring turns 100 this year. Known for its punishing 12.9-mile Nordschleife layout, dramatic elevation changes, and unpredictable weather, the famous German circuit has earned a reputation as one of the world’s toughest proving grounds.

Caterham’s tribute comes in the form of the Seven Nürburgring Edition – a lightweight sports car shaped by the legendary circuit itself. The goal: channel the spirit of the Green Hell, keeping the Seven’s pure formula but adding tweaks for both road and track. Only 100 will be built, and they will be serialized for good reason.

Caterham’s history with the Nürburgring runs deep. The brand has tackled endurance races here before, even scoring a class finish at the 24 Hours back in 2002. Fittingly, this special edition will make its first public appearance at the 2026 ADAC 24 Hours Nürburgring.

Nürburgring Details Inside and Out

Visually, the Nürburgring Edition stands apart from the usual Seven 420R. Customers get three paint options, each pulled straight from the circuit’s own palette: Verkehrsrot, Achatgrau, and Basaltgrau. As expected, Nürburgring touches are everywhere – decals, grille details, and even the seat embroidery.

Outside, there’s a red roll bar ready for track days, carbon front wings and aero whiskers, and LED rear lights. Caterham’s Black Pack darkens the windscreen frame and headlamp bowls, while a 620-style nose cone sharpens up the Seven’s classic lines.

Inside, the limited-run Seven has leather seats featuring Nürburgring embroidery and red stitching, while carbon interior panels help maintain the lightweight philosophy. There’s also a suede MOMO steering wheel with quick release, plus sequential shift lights and four-point harnesses.

Despite its track-focused setup, the Seven Nürburgring Edition can be configured with several touring-oriented options. Buyers can upgrade the standard composite aeroscreen to carbon fiber, swap it for a full windscreen with a hood and side screens, or choose interchangeable aeroscreen packages paired with full weather equipment. Large chassis models can also be fitted with side-screen armrests when equipped with the full weather package, giving the lightweight roadster a bit more day-to-day usability without altering its minimalist character.

Ford Power and Limited Availability

Out of the box, the Seven Nürburgring Edition is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter Ford Duratec four-pot mill, good for 210 horsepower. Those numbers are sent to the wheels via a Mazda five-speed manual, though the engine and transmission combo can be changed since the car will be sold as a rolling chassis.

Performance figures are listed at a brisk 0-60 mph sprint of just 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 136 mph. For handling, Caterham slaps a custom set of Bilstein suspension, tuned specifically with the infamous 12.9-mile circuit in mind. The track car rides on a set of 13-inch Apollo alloys.

Depending on where you are, the Nürburgring Edition rides on the Seven 420R platform. UK pricing starts at £48,995, while the US gets a base price of $56,595. Buyers can choose between standard and large chassis, along with a menu of track and weather options.

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