Caterham Seven 310S
Why latest roadster is sweet spot of the Caterham range
FOLLOWING a range-wide overhaul last year, there’s now yet another variant of Caterham’s venerable Seven sports car. It’s called the Seven 310, and although it looks the same as most Caterhams with its dinky dimensions, its differentiated by what’s underneath the bonnet.
The Seven range can be a bit confusing if you’re not a Caterham aficionado. Here, 310 denotes the power-to-weight ratio, meaning the Ford-sourced 1.6-litre engine produces 152bhp thanks to some upgraded cams and revised engine mapping over the 270 model. As it weighs little over 500kg, the performance is genuinely impressive.
There’s no traction control, but hook the Seven up off the line and it’ll sprint from 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds, while the relatively crude aerodynamics and short gearing limit top speed to 126mph.
That lack of weight means that although the 168Nm torque figure doesn’t sound all that much, the engine pulls hard from low down, so you don’t have to rev it to the red line. Still, if you do, the rush is intoxicating, while the five-speed manual is a joy to use, with a precise mechanical action and a short, positive throw.
But the Seven is about so much more than straight-line speed. Like all Caterhams, the fluid steering is full of feel, and with the punchy engine, you can use the throttle to subtly adjust the car’s line.
Our S pack test car featured Sport dampers rather than the racier versions available on R models. This makes it more compliant on the road, but the low-slung two-seater is still firm. However, body control is great, too, which allows you to make the most of the available grip and carry huge speed through corners.
No matter what guise it comes in, there’s nothing out there that offers the same experience as the refreshingly old-school Seven.
Newcars
£14,735 £14,680/18% 1.2-litre 4cyl/89bhp 107g/km/60.1mpg 10.8 secs/114mph HIGH RATE LOW
NOT only is the Volkswagen Polo our favourite supermini, it’s also a fine choice for business users on a budget. With its mix of refinement, comfort and a classy image, this is a company car that proves you don’t have to downgrade when you downsize.
The 1. 2-litre TSI petrol engine delivers eager performance and is linked to a five-speed box that’s great to use, as it offers slick shifts and makes the most of the engine’s torquey power delivery. Even better is the chassis, which has a fine balance between fun handling and comfort.
But the best thing about the Polo in Match trim is the decent amount of kit you get for less than £15,000. Front and rear parking sensors are included, as is air-con, cruise control and a multimedia touchscreen. And you only have to pay £125 to add VW ’s Car Net App Connect to pair your smartphone to the infotainment system, which is perfect for life on the road.
£14,490 £14,435/16% 1.2-litre 3cyl/82bhp 97g/km/67.3mpg 14.5 secs/111mph HIGH RATE £78 LOW £38
PEUGEOT has a talent for building emissions-busting cars – and therefore great company cars. The 208 was facelifted last year, and got an engine revamp to boost efficiency.
The 82bhp Puretech three-cylinder petrol engine claims 67.3mpg economy. And as it doesn’t carry the three per cent diesel levy, it’s one of the cheapest non-hybrids to tax.
A monthly salary sacrifice of £39 is peanuts for the Active model, but cruise control, air-con and Bluetooth ensure you won’t feel short-changed. The 208 is roomy and practical, too.
£12,595 £12,540/20% 1.5-litre 4cyl/108bhp 115g/km/64.2mpg 11.8 secs/105mph HIGH RATE £84 LOW £42
DACIA upgraded its Duster earlier this year, so if you’re after a cheap compact SUV as a company car, this model proves you can save some cash without having to downsize.
The latest updates are subtle, and Ambience Prime trim brings DAB, Bluetooth, metallic paint and 16-inch alloys. This two-wheel-drive car will benefit business users, but the 4x4 model still comes in at £14,595; it’ll just hike your BIK bills.
Still, the 108bhp 1.5-litre turbodiesel offers strong pace, while emitting 115g/km of CO2 and claiming 64.2mpg.
£14,675 £14,395 £14,620/19% 1.2-litre 3cyl/102bhp 112g/km/58.9mpg 10.1 secs/119mph
THE MINI is a great British success story, and it’s been crowned Best Premium Small Car for three years in a row at our New Car Awards. Business users can get the keys for a minimal outlay if they go for the entry-level One, too.
You don’t get much car for your money, because MINI keeps most of the goodies for its upgrade packs, all of which will push the hatch over the £15,000 barrier. But you can add some practicality by choosing the fivedoor model, which has a P11D price of £14,620.
The five-door is larger than the three-door, so not only do you get improved access, there’s also more rear legroom and the boot is bigger, with a maximum capacity of 941 litres when the back seats are folded down.
What you also get is MINI’S famously nimble handling, while the three-cylinder engine thrives on revs, giving the car real character as you make the most of the power on tap.
£14,340/16% 1.0-litre 3cyl/99bhp 99g/km/65.7mpg 11.2 secs/112mph HIGH RATE £77 LOW £38
OTHER superminis are more refined, solid and efficient, but none is as fun to drive as Ford’s Fiesta. The flagship ST hot hatch is one of the best drivers’ cars in any class, as the model on which it’s based is so entertaining. And you can get a taste of this fun even in a sub-£15k Fiesta in basic trim.
A Zetec with the 99bhp 1.0 Ecoboost three-cylinder petrol engine still thrills on back roads, and lower-rate earners pay only £38 a month in tax. You can even add some colour on a budget with a Zetec Blue or Zetec White special edition.
£18,445 £18,390/7% Electric motor/65kw 0g/km/n/a 8.4 secs/84mph
IF you’re a city-based business user and won’t be venturing far from home, an electric car could be the answer to keep your tax bills low.
The Renault ZOE placed second only to the Tesla Model S in our Driver Power 2016 satisfaction survey, with owners raving about its in-car tech, ease of driving and minuscule running costs. And while the limited battery range means the car won’t suit everyone, it makes a lot of sense for drivers who have somewhere to plug it in and won’t be travelling long distances in one go.
The tax structure for electric and ultra-low-emissions cars changed earlier in 2016, and a seven per cent BIK rate now applies to the former. As the ZOE is one of the cheaper plug-ins on sale, higher-rate taxpayers will face a monthly charge of £43, which is around half what they would pay for a petrol supermini.
£19,895 £19,930/17% 1.0-litre 3cyl/113bhp 104g/km/62.8mpg 9.9 secs/128mph
IN Issue 1,431 we reported that Audi had done just enough with its A3 facelift to get the compact exec hatch to the front of the pack.
Blink and you might miss the exterior revisions, and the SE version doesn’t look as glamorous as pricier models in the range. But the interior’s upmarket design provides a real feelgood factor.
Keep within the £20k budget and only the 1.0 TFSI turbo petrol is available if you choose the more versatile five-door Sportback. But this 113bhp three-cylinder engine punches above its weight, with great mid-range response and a slick six-speed box.
You’re limited for options, too, although you get 16-inch alloys, a pop-up infotainment screen, DAB radio, Bluetooth, xenons and cruise control as standard. Plus, there’s no doubting the corporate car park kudos of that four-ringed badge on the radiator grille.
£19,690/23% 1.5-litre 4cyl/118bhp 119g/km/61.4mpg 12.6 secs/106mph HIGH RATE £151 LOW £76
TO get the most space for your monthly tax charge, you can’t beat a van-based people carrier. These budget-minded models offer acres of room, and if you go for a Ford Tourneo Connect, the dimensions are all that will remind you of its commercial vehicle roots, because the Focus-sourced underpinnings mean it drives far better than rivals.
There are standard and Grand Tourneo bodystyles to pick from, while the 1.5 TDCI diesel blends pulling power with efficiency that won’t hit your tax bills too hard. Emissions of 119g/km are good for such a large car; lower-rate earners will pay £76 a month as a result.
In five-seat mode the Tourneo offers a 1,029-litre boot, and the middle row can be removed to extend this to 2,410 litres. Access is easy, thanks to a wide-opening tailgate and sliding side doors, while Titanium trim has parking sensors, cruise control and privacy glass.
£18,495 £18,310/24% 1.5-litre 4cyl/129bhp 139g/km/47.1mpg 8.3 secs/127mph
IT doesn’t really matter what your Benefit-in-kind budget is, as few models at any price can match the Mazda MX-5 for driving fun. With its compact dimensions and taut roadster shape, it’s guaranteed to stand out in the company car park as well.
You don’t have to go for the potent 2.0-litre model for the biggest thrills, either, because the 1.5-litre version is nearly as much fun, and it will save you a packet on your Benefit-in-kind bills. The agile chassis, direct steering and firm-but-not-uncomfortable ride mean the Mazda is a joy to drive every day, while claimed economy of 47mpg is another benefit of the car’s lightweight construction.
Of course, the MX-5 is a strict two-seater, but compared with stripped-out sports cars it’s pretty practical, and strong reliability means you’ll never need to worry about reaching your destination.
£31,730 £31,675/7% 80kw electric motor/108bhp 0g/km/n/a 11.5 secs/89mph HIGH RATE £74 LOW £37
PROGRESS with electric cars is relentless, and the Nissan Leaf is reaping the benefits of further research into battery storage, because it now comes with a 30kwh pack on board. That means owners have a theoretical range of 124 miles before needing to plug in, which should ease range anxiety.
Of course, the fact you have to plug in at all means the Leaf won’t suit everyone, but if you can, and know you won’t be pressuring the car’s range too much, the tax benefits of Nissan’s compact hatch are plain to see. Monthly bills match the smallest superminis, while the hi-tech cabin and whisper-quiet driving experience mean it feels like few other cars on the road. Those low Leaf bills are a result of the car benefiting from a reduced list price, although the well specced Tekna flagship is in excess of £30,000.
2.0-litre 4cyl/148bhp 9.2 secs/127mph £27,385/21% 109g/km/68.9mpg HIGH RATE £192 LOW £96
THE latest BMW X1 has shed the original’s awkward high-riding estate looks in favour of a pure crossover design, and is all the better for it. The squared-off body means it’s spacious enough to challenge the larger X3 as a practical family wagon, while the X1’s newer platform delivers far greater efficiency with it.
The cleanest model in the range is the sdrive18d. The ‘s’ in the badge denotes that it’s two-wheel drive, and as the X1 uses the same platform as the 2 Series Active Tourer, power goes to the front wheels. This might be heresy for some diehard BMW fans, but the X1 is one of the best handling crossovers on sale, and it manages this without sacrificing comfort.
CO2 emissions of 109g/km are impressive for a 148bhp diesel, and that means monthly tax costs below the £100 mark for lowerrate taxpayers. Standard kit is generous, too, with sat-nav, a power tailgate, climate control and rear parking sensors all included.
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