From January 2012, British car manufacturer Caterham will begin exports of all of its current models to China including the Caterham Seven.
The Chinese importer Courtenay Trading International (CTI) has begun a partnership with Caterham. It hopes to appoint six retailers in key provinces of China over the next year and is targeting initial sales of between 30 and 50 Sevens in its first year of operation.
All of Caterham’s current EU5-compliant cars will be sold – Roadsport 120, Superlight 120, Roadsport 175, Superlight R300, CSR 175 and of course the Sevens. Caterham has long been present in other Asian countries, for the longest period of time in Japan. However, this is the first appearance the manufacturer will be making in China.
Caterham Cars’ international business manager, David Ridley, said: “We are engaged in one of the most exciting new chapters in the Caterham Cars story and our entry into the Chinese market is another tangible sign of how Caterham is striving to become a truly global brand.”
Because China is such a fast-growing market, the relationship with CTI could prove to be highly beneficial when the company comes to launch its new prototypes. One of the prototypes was revealed in January this year – a sports prototype called the Caterham-Lola SP/300.R.
Alongside its new partnership and as a sponsor of the Team Lotus Formula One team, Caterham’s global motorsport outreach will mirror that of Formula One, which continues to break new ground in emerging Asian markets – Singapore and Korea being the most recent additions to the Formula One calendar.
George Archer
