Caterham Seven 310R
Our newest arrival may cost north of £40k, but with summer and the trackday season upon us, it should prove worth every penny
IF THERE’S ONE CAR THAT COMES closest to distilling the very essence of ‘ the thrill of driving’, then it’s a Caterham Seven. In all its forms the diminutive and featherweight machine delivers an almost unrivalled connection between driver, car and the road – it exists only to be driven, nothing more. So not surprisingly there’s always a tangible sense of childish excitement in the office when the news comes through that a Caterham is joining our Fast Fleet. And this time is no exception because the 310R arguably represents the sweet spot in the firm’s ever-expanding line-up. Given that it sits third from bottom in terms of power output, that statement’s probably raised a few eyebrows, but let me explain.
As with everything surrounding the Seven it comes down to mass, or lack of it. The 1.6-litre Ford-sourced four-cylinder Sigma engine lacks the outright firepower of the larger 2-litre Duratecs (as fitted to our previous Seven long-termer, a 420R, which unfortunately left us after some bearing material blocked the oil filter, restricting oil flow and resulting in the engine’s lubricant making a break for freedom), but it is much lighter – and that has a positive knock-on effect for the handling and agility. Not that the 310R’s motor is short of puff, mind. Based on the slightly flat and breathless 270 unit, it packs a revised set of camshafts and a reprogrammed ECU to deliver 152bhp and, more importantly, a much-needed extra dollop of mid-range torque. And as the 310 weighs just 540kg dry, it can crack 60mph from a standstill in just 4.9sec, which let’s face it, is fast enough. It also means this car has an almost perfectly balanced grunt-to-grip ratio.
Eagle-eyed readers will recognise our black and yellow peril from the cover of issue 239, where it starred alongside a Ferrari 488 GTB. It’s not a box-fresh example, then, arriving with a couple of thousand miles under its wheels. Nor is it one we specified ourselves, but frankly it’s so close to what we’d have asked for that it makes no difference. For starters, it has the narrower S3 chassis, which means the cabin is tight, but you get that traditional snug feel. It’s also got the hugely desirable R pack, which adds, among other things, firmer springs and dampers, a limited-slip differential, a lighter flywheel, composite race seats and an uprated brake master cylinder.
On top of this little lot our car gets the smaller 13-inch Apollo alloys (a no cost option), the six-speed gearbox (£2495), carbonfibre front and rear wings (£1050), a battery master switch (£185) and a quick-release steering wheel (£150). And because we intend to use our car as much as possible, we’ve also added LED headlamps (£800), plus the full
‘It can crack 60mph in just 4.9sec, which let’s face it, is fast enough’
windscreen, hood and side screens (£1250), as well as the handy half-hood (£195).
Add in a few other options, plus the factory build package, and the total outlay comes to – are you sitting down? – £40,965. Now, that’s not what you’d call cheap, but these sorts of cars aren’t bought with common sense in mind; these are purchases straight from the heart. On top of that, the depreciation on a Caterham is glacial compared with that of mainstream motors – a Seven will shed less of its value over a lifetime than most premium SUVS in the first few seconds of ownership.
But enough of this rational financial talk, because summer is finally here, evo’s track evening season is in full swing and we’ve got the perfect car to enjoy both.