British sports car maker Caterham has launched its first-ever brand film, showcasing an anti-technology stance while its legendary Seven model burns rubber.
With the automotive industry moving towards a fully autonomous future, new models are beginning to have more and more driver aids, something Caterham is trying to stay away from so as to not muddy Colin Chapman’s original ethos.
The 45-second clip shows a Seven 620R, which packs 310 horsepower and can hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 2.79 seconds, doing doughnuts.
“The car industry is going through a dramatic change and much of this is being driven by the speed and development of technology,” stated Caterham CEO, Graham Macdonald. “Naturally, we are in no way against the drive towards safer cars and motoring, as well as the efforts of the industry to minimize accidents on the road.”
Still, Caterham’s boss goes on to say that “manufacturers seem intent on stuffing as much new tech into their cars as they can, steadily depleting the amount of input the driver needs to have. To us, that’s almost sacrilege because the less input the driver has, the less they can enjoy the pure thrill of driving.
“That’s what has made our cars as popular today as they have been for 45 years and, while others might follow the tech trend, we’re taking a stand on behalf of the real drivers out there.”