Monday 16th May 2016

Caterham versus ... Caterham: PH Blog

Which is the fiercest supercharged Caterham of them all? Dan and James duke it out!

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So how was your weekend? Ours was pretty darn good, the PH team turning up mob-handed to a gloriously sunny Anglesey for a weekend of spectacular driving, courtesy of our friends at BookATrack.

A load of stories to flow off the back of this but one of them will come from the chance to drive the two sides of the Caterham 620 coin - the slightly unhinged R and the (relatively) civilised S back to back. You're onboard with James in the R with me in the S, attempting to keep the hard-charging, aero-screened, sequential shift mean machine at bay. Before facing up to the inevitable.

Just a taste then but we all hope you managed to enjoy the sun in your pride and joy too. Let us know what you got up to in the thread below!

Dan

Vid here

 

[suffolk009]

I'd be happy with either tbh.

[Dan Trent]

General view on the day from everyone that drove them was that we'd have both too. Oh, hang on, you said either. That would suffice too.

Dan

[AWRacing]

Damn you, I keep trying to talk myself out of buying one and then I see a video that reminds me that I really need one!

[James Drake]

The video doesn't give a sense of how brutal that sequential-gearbox equipped monster is. My left hand, shoulder and the back of my neck are all a bit sore today...

I know, I know, tough job etc etc...

[LB14]

Keep thinking I'll get back into Caterham ownership with a 360R, but then wonder if it's worth saving longer for a 620R......

A sunny track day at Anglesey with a 620R ....... can weekends get any better?

[Dan Trent]

That's the funny thing about Caterhams. Whichever one you're in you think 'this is fine, how could you possibly want for any more?' And then you drive the next one up and think, 'actually, THAT is perfect, how could you ever want for more?' Repeat to fade/£50K+ bill for a sequential shift 620R when you had told yourself a bare bones 160 would have been perfectly adequate....

Dan

[Sam All]

Dan Trent said:

That's the funny thing about Caterhams. Whichever one you're in you think 'this is fine, how could you possibly want for any more?' And then you drive the next one up and think, 'actually, THAT is perfect, how could you ever want for more?' Repeat to fade/£50K+ bill for a sequential shift 620R when you had told yourself a bare bones 160 would have been perfectly adequate....

Dan

Sounds familiar I'd be tempted to for something in the middle.

Any idea of the breakdown of the different versions?

[LB14]

Sam All said:

Sounds familiar I'd be tempted to for something in the middle.

Any idea of the breakdown of the different versions?

Have a quick look on the Caterham website. In a nutshell they range from a 160 (great fun) to a 620 (bonkers fun) with lots of layers of fun in between.

On the right day, on the right road (or track) nothing, for me, comes close. Dan isn't helping to keep my budget down

[Esceptico]

Sam All said:

Sounds familiar I'd be tempted to for something in the middle.

Any idea of the breakdown of the different versions?

If you want to know about Caterhams and get some advice try the Facebook group.

[Sam All]

Esceptico said:

If you want to know about Caterhams and get some advice try the Facebook group.

The Bank says " do not go there".

[framerateuk]

Sam All said:

Sounds familiar I'd be tempted to for something in the middle.

Any idea of the breakdown of the different versions?

The Caterham website gives enough details to be honest.

The numbers are all BHP per tonne, so are easy enough to compare. Of course, there are so many options available and so many opinions on what is best that no 2 7s end up alike.

My Roadsport 140 (equivalent of the Seven 270 by today's numbering) is fast enough to have a lot of fun. The only time I'd ever ask for more power is on a long straight on a track. Every time I think about more power, I just go for a drive in the thing and end up coming home deciding it's fine as it is!

EDIT:
The only thing I would say, is you probably need less power than you think. 140/160 bhp is bloody fast in a 7 compared to most normal cars!

Edited by framerateuk on Monday 16th May 16:16

[EnglishTony]

Sequential gearbox? Yes please.

[RMac]

Lovely car - a very tame lap - next time you are on a Bookatrack day with something like that, stick a camera on and ask Jonny to do the driving for the video.

[suffolk009]

Dan Trent said:

That's the funny thing about Caterhams. Whichever one you're in you think 'this is fine, how could you possibly want for any more?' And then you drive the next one up and think, 'actually, THAT is perfect, how could you ever want for more?' Repeat to fade/£50K+ bill for a sequential shift 620R when you had told yourself a bare bones 160 would have been perfectly adequate....

Dan

I know what you mean.

I started with an X-flow live-axle which I thought was all the fun in the world. Then I had a 1600 K-superlight which was a little bit more fun. Then I had a K R500 (the purple one - where are you now?), that was just mad crazy fun.

Whilst I'd still love to have any of them in my life. My head says R500 all the time - the heart reminds me that the one I had most fun in, did the most in, have the happiest memories of is the little ex-grad X-flow.

Sometimes, with age or maybe experience comes the wisdom to say, "yeah, that's enough".

[scubadude]

Dan Trent said:

That's the funny thing about Caterhams. Whichever one you're in you think 'this is fine, how could you possibly want for any more?' And then you drive the next one up and think, 'actually, THAT is perfect, how could you ever want for more?' Repeat to fade/£50K+ bill for a sequential shift 620R when you had told yourself a bare bones 160 would have been perfectly adequate....

Dan

This is oft quoted, equally often people say "you need XYZ Bhp and that's perfect"

If you even occasionally use it on track I think you might be right.... however- On the road your enjoyment is legally limited, depending on how moral you are.

In mine I cannot use full throttle for more than 4-5seconds anywhere on-road in the UK, most places its more like 2-3 seconds. I can only do 1 or maybe 2 full throttle upshifts if I want to keep my license. Not to mention it will corner at the NSL in places you need to slowdown to 1/2 the speed in a regular car.

You can enjoy the handling, noise, experience etc almost everywhere- the argument for the 160 and its low power siblings on hard rubber is pretty strong IMO.


Its pretty much the same debate as owning/utilizing a 1000cc+ sports bike, you can obliterate everything you meet in 1/2 second.

[Pdelamare]

I'd have brought my supercharged Caterham along if you wanted to compare them all, though with nearly twice the HP it may have skewed reference point slightly. S3 Levantes rule.

[Gorbyrev]

Great vid and much respect for giving it some! I suppose there is a flow and balance to the lower powered (all comparative, I know) Sevens and an insane brutality to the higher powered ones. This is going to sound a bit hippyish but one of my favourite things about a Seven is you are out in the elements, enjoying the surroundings without a helmet (if you have a windscreen and an "oh well" attitude to the odd bee or stone chip in the coupon). Would love a go in a 620R but a lot less is still a lot to a mere mortal like me.

[ebola]

Pdelamare said:

I'd have brought my supercharged Caterham along if you wanted to compare them all, though with nearly twice the HP it may have skewed reference point slightly. S3 Levantes rule.

Best "I've got a Levante" post ever.

[g7jhp]

I'd suggest 175/180bhp (HPC/Supersport R/360 R) is perfect for a road going 7.

[Swampy1982]

James Drake said:

The video doesn't give a sense of how brutal that sequential-gearbox equipped monster is. My left hand, shoulder and the back of my neck are all a bit sore today...

I know, I know, tough job etc etc...

Never underestimate how great a job you have you lucky b*****d, if i got to have a blast once a week like you I wouldn't be so hugely jealous

fair play, thanks for the entertaining video, sat in my boring office watching it wondering where i went so wrong in life that i'm not driving cars for a living!