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2020 Caterham Super Seven 1600 Review

When Alpine released the A110, the critics struggled to contain their adoration for the little French sports cars. They pined on about how it was so simple, light and different from the alternatives on the market. Recently, I spent some time in an even skinnier sport car – the Caterham Super Seven 1600.

This is not the first time I’ve driven a Caterham, I was thrown in at the deepest of deep ends last year when I was tossed the keys to one of the most violent and fastest accelerating cars on the planet, the 620R. Having somewhat broken me with its savage sequential gearbox and eye watering speed, I moved down the ladder to a 310R with a traditional 5 speed that was the closest thing to a road legal go kart I have ever experienced.

Zaid H – Caterham 1600

This time the power is being diluted once more with the Super Seven 1600 which is a very different proposition to the 310 and 620R models with a gorgeous wooden steering wheel, leather interior and just 135bhp. It looks like something Stuart Little would drive with its little gold wheels and cartoonish flared front fenders. It immediately looks more retro, road focused and comfort oriented than the rest of the Caterham model range.

Out on the road my visually generated impressions were confirmed. The touch points feel homely, almost like furniture, the steering wheel wouldn’t look out of place on a mantle piece in a quaint cottage and the chrome ball used to shift gears is a far cry from the intimidating black lever I had to slam home in the 620R.

The stats covey a leisurely feel too: there’s only 135bhp on tap, the max speed is a modest 196km/h (122mph) and there’s a 1.6-litre Ford Sigma engine up front. But this is a Caterham meaning the stats are irrelevant in reality as the entire package weighs in at a cute 540 kilograms. 250bhp per tonne means the 1600 will sprint to 97km/h (60mph) in just 5 seconds. It’s when you reach into the upper echelons of the rev range that things start to really come together.

The twin 40s throttle bodies and air filters, which punch their way through the body work, make this a special car. The engine relishes revs, and treat you to a symphony of induction and exhaust parp like no other. It rasps away into a loud and addictive crescendo. The redline is at 7k and you will stay flat until you reach it, the sound builds builds in volume and depth, you engage the clutch and pull for another gear to do it all over again. The beauty of the modest power figures is that you’re grinning from ear-to-ear with the wind in your hair feeling like you’re doing well over the speed limit, but in reality you are travelling at half the speed you feel you’re bumbling along at. Huge power figures are impressive to imagine but in reality are unusable.

Zaid H – Caterham 1600

This is genuinely useable power, the accompanying sense of fun and joy are off the charts. Find a twisty country road and you’ll be having the time of your driving life. In a car with more than 400bhp you’ll be paying roulette with your driving license before you’re half way through third gear. The lightness means everything feels more alive. Yes, it does not feel as planted as other Caterhams with a touch more suppleness to the damping a more lean courtesy of a softer (non adjustable) suspension setup. Like its bigger brothers there is not a driver aid in sight. No power steering, traction control or ABS put you on high alert, it soon becomes apparent that the 1600 is playful yet secure and the fear fades away, you can push on the limit with confidence.

What’s the catch? Well, it’s not cheap at £40,000 with a couple of options and I view the Super Seven 1600 as a toy. It’s not practical or very comfortable in comparison to a hot hatch or most conventional automobiles in the same price bracket. If you can swallow the price and understand that this is a car for fun, then go out and buy one. I challenge anyone to drive the 1600 on a twisty road on a sunny afternoon and to not laugh out loud.

August 5, 2020 / Comments Off

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Special Report: Purity and Driving Pleasure In The Caterham 310R

A few weeks ago Caterham invited me to spend a few days with a Caterham 620R – these were some of the most thrilling and scary motoring days I have ever lived. The 620R can only be compared to well lubricated roller-skate that has been strapped onto a hulking great firework that would be the centre piece of any new years display. To say the power to weight ratio of the 620R (508bhp/ton) will test even the most skilled driver, is an understatement – applying throttle mid corner is something you have to be very brave to do. Caterham called me again a few days ago, this time to try a 310R (281bhp/ton) to see if less power and a conventional manual gearbox, not a savage race car derived sequential, would make the driving experience less intimidating and more usable.

Most Caterhams looks fairly similar, it is the details and badges that set the various models apart from one another – the stark anomaly being the 620R I had. There was no windscreen or roof, the interior was sparse and dominated by carbon fibre and switches that had no function. The 310R I am collecting is, in comparison, tame. There is a roof, windows and an interior with dials that you would find in any conventional car. It still looks like a go kart, just one that looks a lot more accommodating and welcoming.

Zaid H – Caterham 310R

Would these characteristics continue through into the driving experience? In short, yes. Unsurprisingly, having half (152bhp) of the 310bhp the 620R packs, makes a profound difference. The 1.6 litre Ford engine is more than powerful enough to fire the 540kg car down the road. 0-60mph is completed in a respectable 4.9 seconds, but that is not what this car is built to do, nor where it is at its best.

In the corners the 310R is an utter joy to pilot. The gearshift is so beautifully weighted, a pleasure to use and the power is so usable that you can use all of it most of the time. It just grips and goes and you’ll thread apexes together with unparalleled satisfaction being able to see the wheels running exactly where you imagined they would. The tiny steering wheel and the weight transfer make the 310R feel like a real life, street legal go kart. You’ll try and pin the throttle and steer the car in through corners carrying more and more speed. There is a rhythm that comes courtesy of having a modest power figure and a gorgeously light body that is just not available in modern day cars. It is spectacular and addictive. This is a car that feels alive being driven hard, it pushes you to test the levels of grip. It even makes a great noise – let the revs fall to 2,500 and the exhaust pops and rubles as if someone emptied a packet of popcorn seeds into it.

Zaid H – Caterham 310R

With the roof stowed in the back and the wind running through the cabin, the 310R is at one with the elements. You’ll occasionally lose yourself in the thrill of the road, it feels like you’re well into triple digit speeds and then you look down and notice you are going half as fast as you thought you were. You do not need to be flying along at illegal, dangerous speeds to make the most of it, and that is reassuring and refreshing. It is guilt free, uncorrupted glee and, as a result, it is the most fun I’ve had in a car in a long time. Caterham have banged home a point I am a strong advocate of – power isn’t everything. It is also incredible value for the experience it delivers at £27,900, but it feels and looks extraordinary. It catches attention and starts conversations with pedestrians and fellow motorists alike.

This is a car for the drivers, people like me that enjoy back to basics purity. With no ABS, traction control or power-steering, you know and feel like you are in control. This is a car we need to celebrate – there are very few cars that can be compared.

GTSPIRIT NEWSLETTER

July 31, 2019 / Comments Off

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The Caterham Seven 458 CSR Is Now Available Outside of the UK

The Ultimate Caterham Seven

The Caterham Seven 485 CSR is the sharp end of the stick for the sports car company. It takes the 485 and turns it into an even more of an impressive sports car. The best news? It’s available outside of the UK, meaning all of Europe can enjoy this special Caterham for a mere $61,441 or €54,995. That’s not chump change, but when you consider the performance of such a car, it’s an absolute bargain.

The Caterham Seven 485 CSR can do a 0-62 mph sprint in just 3.9 seconds. It has a top speed of 140 mph. This kind of performance comes from the combination of the Ford Duratec 2.0-liter engine that produces 234 hp and 152 lb-ft. How does a car with so little power go so fast? Lightweighting. The 485 CSR weighs just 1,279 pounds. That gives it roughly the same power-to-weight ratio as a Lamborghini Huracan, according to Motor1.

The vehicle gets inbound front suspension, double-wishbone rear suspension, and 15-inch alloys with Avon ZZS tires. Additionally, there are some aerodynamics goodies, a Momo steering wheel, carbon fiber dash, limited-slip differential, and adjustable seats clad in leather. There are some options including more carbon fiber trim, LED lights, and Alcantara on the dash.

While all of this is wonderful, the big news is that Caterham will bring the car to markets outside the UK. The CEO Graham Macdonald said this of the business choice: “We’ve had to trim our EU range because of the WLTP regulations, but I’m delighted that we can still offer our continental European customers something that really reflects what Caterham has always been about – the thrill of driving.” He also called the car the “ultimate Caterham Seven.” We agree with him.

July 25, 2019 / Comments Off

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