Can you eat 19 donuts in 60 seconds? If you answered “yes,” then I don’t know what to tell you. But, if you answered “no,” then consider yourself as having sound mind and body. The folks over at Caterham probably can’t achieve the same feat, but they won’t need to because they did something better and didn’t have to eat any donuts in the process. Instead of devouring a tasty treat, Caterham set a record by unleashing the Seven 620R on a record-breaking donut run, completing 19 tire-squealing turns in a matter of 60 seconds.

With no less than six-time Olympic gold medalist Sir Chris Hoy behind the wheel of the Caterham Seven 620R, Caterham was able to complete 19 consecutive donuts of the automotive kind during a 60-second run at the Donington Park in the UK. The record attempt was performed as part of the Seven sports car’s 60th anniversary. In fact, the attempt itself was the latest in a string of celebrations that the company has hosted to celebrate the anniversary, a feat in itself considering how far along the Seven sports car has come since it broke into the auto scene all the way back in 1957. For its part, the Seven 620R was the perfect vehicle-of-choice to set the new record. Not only does it pack an impressive, 2.0-liter Ford engine that produces 310 horsepower, but it also comes equipped with a limited slip differential and a set of ultra-high performance Avon ZZS tires, essentially turning it into the perfect car for something as specific as a donut challenge. Having Sir Chris Hoy, whose exploits in cycling propelled him to knighthood, added some shine to the record-setting achievement, despite the Olympian not being as used to driving on four wheels as he regularly does on two. “During the attempt I just kept going, putting everything I’d learned into practice,” Hoy said. “You lose sense of time when you’re in a spin, so I was shocked when I was told I’d completed 19 in 60 seconds – it was more than I expected.”

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Caterham’s 60th anniversary celebration for the Seven at a glance

It’s hard to believe that with all the advancements in the auto industry, a car as timeless as the Seven sports car is still going strong today. It’s had a fascinating history that dates all the way back to 1957 when the model was owned by Lotus. For its part, Caterham only entered the picture when it bought the rights to the car in 1973. Since then, the Sevens have become one of the longest-running British-production cars in history, and it’s only fitting that the 60th anniversary of the Seven sports car is being celebrated with a lot of pomp and attention today. It’s a well-deserved distinction for a car that really hasn’t changed in design and flavor over the years.

The record-setting donut run is a fitting way to finish off the year-long anniversary festivities, joining the release of two special edition models earlier this year as the high-points of Caterham’s celebrations.

One of these two models is the Caterham Seven Sprint, a retro model that harkens back to the spirit of some of the first Seven sports cars to hit the scene. It was unveiled at the Goodwood Revival back in July with a simple yet unique design to go with a Suzuki-sourced engine that produced 80 horsepower. It may lack in power relative to today’s standards, but the Seven Sprint still proved to be popular enough for all 60 models to sell out in record time. Considering that the price for one of the Sprints added up to £27,995 ($36,000), it’s a testament to the model’s ageless popularity that people still tripped over themselves to secure a piece of the SE model that ended up accounting for 10 percent of Caterham’s annual sales.

Note: photo of the Caterham Seven Sprint

The other special edition Caterham Seven that was released earlier this year was the Caterham Seven Super Sprint. Like the Seven Sprint, the Seven Super Sprint made its debut at the Goodwood Revival in September. Priced at £29,995 (a little over $40,000), The Seven Super Sprint also followed a similar theme, getting decked in all sorts of 1960s-inspired livery to go with a Le Mans style mesh grille and as many as six different exterior paint finishes. More important than its looks is the fact that the Super Sprint model also featured a 95-horsepower, three-cylinder engine that was mated to a five-speed manual transmission, which in turn sent all that power to the rear wheels. It also came with a limited-slip differential, which made it easier for owners to perform the same donuts that Sir Chris Hoy just did on his way to setting a world record. As expected, it didn’t take long for all 60 available units of the Seven Super Sprint to sell out, doing so in just seven hours. Yup. Seven hours.

Note: photo of the Caterham Seven Super Sprint

References

Caterham Seven

Read our full review on the 2017 Caterham Seven 620 R.

Read more Caterham news.