KAR 120C has been
elevated practically to the level of a series character by fans of this show (thus the 'person' writeup :-P). It is seen in the introduction to the show,
aired with most episodes, when Number Six
resigns his position - he is shown driving it to
the Ministry, and then driving home, where it is left parked in front of his house. In the episode
Many Happy Returns, Number Six escapes
the village and returns to his home in London, where KAR 120C has remained with his house; we find that he built and maintained the car himself. This is quite plausible, as the car is a
Lotus Super Seven, which was only available
in kit form.
It is seen again in Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling, when (again) Number Six returns to London. Finally, it is seen at the close of the series.
The Lotus Super Seven remains to this day one of the best handling autos in existence. Although Lotus no longer makes them, their design and license was sold to two firms - Caterham and one other - and kits are still available through those makers. The design of the car hasn't changed much at all; it still requires a Ford engine (Cosworth?) for a powerplant, and still only seats one, or MAYBE two if they're extremely friendly and narrow.
The car is an extremely stripped-down open-wheel roadster. It has the engine mounted in the rear, giving it excellent traction on the back wheels for acceleration and cornering without breaking grip. In addition, it weighs surprisingly little; this, coupled with the small body and drag, make for an astonishingly quick beast.
The current Caterham Super Seven is a reminder for those who love sportscars of an era now almost gone. The Prisoner demonstrated extreme good taste by having one, while still being 'cool' - McGoohan's character driving a Super Seven is a prime reason for Roger Moore's James Bond driving a Lotus Esprit in the 1980s and beyond.
On Season 12 of Top Gear, the boys get hold of the latest Caterham Seven - the R500 - and pit it against the multi-million-dollar Bugatti Veyron around the Top Gear test track. It does, in fact, win - understandable when you realize it has more horsepower per ton of weight than the Veyron! Not bad for a 35,000 quid car!