2022 Caterham 310S

Highlights

• 150 hp in a car weighing only 540 kg
• Registered in January 2022
• Fully serviced from new
• Only 7k miles recorded
• Windscreen fitted as standard

Overview

There’s no question that you buy a Caterham with your heart rather than your head. You buy one because you just want to experience fast motoring at its simplest, and with a direct connection between driver and car, steering wheel and road. But when the first owner of this 310 purchased their brand new Caterham they were faced with an agonising dilemma: to buy the R or the S spec. 

In the end the head prevailed over the heart, and they went for the road-biased S, with its three-point seatbelts rather than racing harnesses, leather seats, and even luxuries such as carpet, a windscreen and fabric hood as standard. 

And this 310S is still almost as-new, having only covered a shade over 7,000 miles since it was assembled in 2022. Everything still looks clean and shiny, and there are the right number of servicing invoices accompanying the car to show that it has been properly cared for.

So if you’re looking for a good-as-new lightweight sportscar which will put the biggest smile on your face, then this Caterham 310S will be the perfect addition to your garage. And this is just about the only car in the world that can get away with being finished in purple with a go-faster stripe. It’s a Caterham. It’s bonkers. That’s the whole point.

History and Documentation

• First registered 1st January 2022
• Only 7,286 miles 
• This car is not yet old enough to require an MOT 
• It will require an MOT after three years, by 1st January 2025
• Full service history
• 1,000-mile service completed in May 2022, at 1,527 miles
• Serviced again by Caterham Silverstone in March 2023, at 3,897 miles, including changing the engine oil and filter
• There is an invoice for servicing by Caterham Silverstone in February 2024, although this does not appear to have been stamped into the service record
• Caterham Seven Owner’s Handbook

Interior

• The interior of this Seven is pretty much pristine, reflecting the car’s very low mileage 
• The upholstery is exceedingly good, with hardly any indication that it has been used 
• Leather-trimmed Momo steering wheel
• One of the only signs of any use that we could see is a forensically small amount of wear on the clutch and brake pedal rubbers
• Sidescreens provide good weather protection and remain clear, with no evidence of clouding or damage  
• Fabric roof is in similarly good condition 
• Three-point, inertia-reel seatbelts
• Heated windscreen 
• The vendor tells us that all everything in the car’s cabin functions without issue
• There is a heater fitted as standard 

Exterior

• Classic ‘Seven’ shape and styling
• Caterhams suit loud colours; they can even get away with having purple paintwork 
• A paint protection film was fitted from new, so there are very few blemishes to be found 
• The body panels all look very straight 
• Stand-alone headlamps, exposed suspension gubbins, polished external exhaust, these are all Caterham signatures 
• Go-faster stripe runs the length of the car 
• 15-inch alloy wheels in excellent condition 
• The vendor reports that the Avon tyres still have plenty of tread 
• Badge on the bonnet proudly declares that the car was ‘made in Great Britain’ 
• Sprung bonnet clips hold down the single-piece removable engine cover 
• Highly polished trim pieces protect the leading edges of the rear wings 
• Externally mounted battery kill switch

Mechanical

• 1,598 cc Ford Sigma four-cylinder engine 
• Produces 150 hp
• With the car weighing only 540 kg, that’s an impressive horsepower per tonne ratio
• 62 mph can be reached in just 4.9 seconds 
• The servicing carried out by Caterham Silverstone in March 2024 included changing the engine oil, filter, spark plugs, and brake and clutch fluid
• At the same time the speed sensor on the driveshaft was repositioned 
• The vendor reports excellent handling, acceleration and braking, as you would expect from such a lightweight car
• No mechanical issues reported
• An almost spotless engine bay thanks to the car’s low mileage
• Everything is neatly packaged under the low bonnet, with no frills or unnecessary extras 

Summary

In all, this Caterham looks like a fantastic example of the evergreen British brand. It’s exactly what you want from a no-nonsense sportscar, offering pretty much the most visceral experience you can hope for. You’ll really be able to sense that you’re hammering along just inches from the tarmac, the suspension gluing you to it like flypaper. 

And you’ve got the added bonus of the car’s almost unused state. Only 7,000 miles in two years means you can continue to drive this Seven exactly as Caterham intended. Whether you fancy flinging yourself around your local track, or you’re just looking for something to brighten your Sunday afternoon trips to the pub, this 310S ticks plenty of boxes. 

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Warwick, Warwickshire.