Registration: C6 PNR
Chassis: SDKRDPR10415D6091
Odometer: 14,393
Transmission: Manual
MOT: June 2027

• Acquired by screen legend Patrick McGoohan as a gift for his friend and co-creator of The Prisoner (1967) David Tomblin OBE
• Provenance includes a copy letter from McGoohan to Graham Nearn on file
• Car #41 of 47 Prisoner Editions built, displaying a mere 14,393 miles
• Caterham Certificate of Provenance and Certificate of Newness on file

#41 was built at the Caterham factory in February 1994 and left with the Ford 1700 Super Sprint with Twin Weber 40 DCOE carbs offering a reported 135bhp mated to a Ford Sierra V6 5-speed transmission. All 47 Prisoner Editions were finished in Spruce Green (aka BMW Amazon Green) with a Yellow nose and stripe. The original Prisoner specification included red seats, red Wilton carpets, red dashboard and interior panels, 15” Prisoner alloy wheels, white piping on the boot cover, a Prisoner plaque and steering wheel Penny Farthing (The Prisoner) motif with the ’#41’ embossed. Options on this example included the competition exhaust and a heater. There is a Certificate of Provenance from Caterham Cars on file. The Prisoner model was introduced at the Motor Show in Birmingham in October 1990. Patrick McGoohan flew in from California to launch the car and to receive the keys to edition #6, his character in the TV series being ‘Number 6’, of course.

The example offered here, a 1994 Caterham 7 Super Sprint Prisoner Edition and #41 of 47 built, ’L265EPM’ was first registered 11th March 1994 and since February 2025 has been registered as ‘C6 PNR’ (‘No.6’ Prisoner). A significant example due to its first ownership with provenance on file that #41 was acquired by the screen star Patrick McGoohan as a gift to David Tomblin OBE, his co-creator of the legendary ‘The Prisoner’ TV series. Tomblin was more than just the co-creator, producer, a writer and director of The Prisoner, he was one of the greatest figures of British film and TV production, widely regarded as the finest first assistant director in the world and trusted by Spielberg, Lucas, Attenborough and Kubrick.

David Tomblin OBE (1931-2023) was a British film and television director, producer and first assistant director whose career spanned some of the biggest productions in screen history. Born opposite Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, in addition to his work on The Prisoner he directed episodes of shows like Space: 1999 (1975), even serving as first assistant director to Stanley Kubrick. His film credits include Superman (1978), A Bridge Too Far (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), all three original Indiana Jones films, Gandhi (1982), Out of Africa (1985), Cry Freedom (1987), Chaplin (1992) and Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999). He was widely regarded as the most accomplished of all assistant directors. In addition, he had worked on Braveheart (1995) - a job which re-united him with Patrick McGoohan at the time he owned Prisoner edition #41. Tomblin was 64 years old at the time and is understood to have put 996 miles on the Seven in his ownership.

A letter dated 22^nd February 1994 from Mr McGoohan to his friend Graham Nearn, the founder of Caterham Cars states:

“Dear Graham,
As per our conversation today, further to my original payment of 10,000 Pounds, I send you a cheque for 6,841.72 Pounds. This amount reflects deduction of royalties (2000 Pounds), against the total cost of David Tomblin's car (excluding delivery charges to be advised). Re your other letter, you have my firm assurance that if I have a say in it, the '7" will indeed be included as an essential in any sequel to THE PRISONER. I apologize for the tardy response but I was tied up with a play in Seattle.
Warm regards and fair winds to the lady pilot!
All the best
Patrick McGoohan”

In addition, a 3rd March 1994 Caterham Cars invoice to Patrick McGoohan (a copy on file) shows the cost of £18,909.29 to Mr McGoohan of Bollinger Drive, Pacific Palisades, California.

Displaying a credible 14,393 miles, and with five previous owners, following David Tomblin OBE’s ownership, #41 passed to Mr D Walton via Caterham Car Sales, selling it on Tomblin’s behalf. The copy invoice on file shows a date of 17th August 1995 and with the mileage recorded at 996. Subsequently passing to a third owner, only recorded as ‘London and West End Productions’ before passing to the third owner in Powys. It is understood, the Caterham was kept and used in France for a number of years, before being repatriated in September 2011. The Leicester-based fifth owner from 21^st October 2011 to 14^th February 2025 (some 13 years and 3 months), sold #41 to the vendor in February 2025, an avid film buff and car enthusiast.

Invoices on file from Caterham Silverstone dated February 2025 show an oil change at 13,950 miles, in November 2021 for the same plus plugs at 13,941 miles plus a V-belt, coolant and a rocker cover gasket, an oil housing O-ring HT leads, a coil, a battery, coolant hoses, brake fluid, Avon tyres at a cost of some £1,600. There are further invoices on file from Caterham, Dartford, Kent, for various parts an MOT and service items that suggest the Caterham ‘race seats with harnesses’ were supplied and fitted c.2013 and the original seats returned to the (fifth) owner at the time, although not with the Seven in 2026. Tuning specialist Ian Tyrell tuned #41 in August 2026 and commented “it sounds absolutely lovely!”.

Offered with a Caterham Certificate of Provenance on file, the Prisoner Edition plaque on the dashboard, Caterham 7 Owner’s Manual, and the doors and weather gear. Also on file is a copy of the Certificate of Newness from Caterham Cars Ltd dated 9^th March 1994, an order sheet dated 9^th February 1994 stating the specification and build number 2,531 and a copy of the separate Caterham Cars invoice dated 11th March 1994, showing the options ordered (competition exhaust and heater) and a delivery charge totaling £449.78. To be found in the very interesting history and wealth of documents, is a period order form and customer order pack with period literature.

Those in the market for the legendary Chapman design in the form of the Caterham 7, must surely appreciate the Lotus evoking colour-scheme and specification, however, in addition, we also have here, an example with a very rich connection to popular culture that made its silhouette famous. Links to British film history, stalwarts of film production in the blockbuster era, The Prisoner and its co-creators Patrick McGoohan and David Tomlin are surely a fabulous reason to have this particular Caterham 7 in any collection, never mind as a talking point in The Village, or wherever the road takes you!