RE: Caterham Seven 620S: Review

[Mario149]

ESOG said:

So I just checked out the link you posted bringing me to the Caterham website and all I can say is I WANT I WANT I WANT!!

DAMN DAMN DAMN!!!!!! SERIOUSLY, DAMN!!! I wish so bad I had the funds right now to buy one, get it sent to my home in the U.S. and spend every day and weekend building my own car!! God, that would be so friggen awesome!! I wish Lotus did this with the 340R/2-11/3-11.

So between the 280, 360, and 480, I would choose the 360. Not knowing the intricacies about either of them other than the quick performance read I looked over I would choose the 360. I think the 360 has the better looks of the 280 and 480, what do you guys think? (or do they all look the same and I just being deceived by the different angle of the photos of each model? LOl) The rear on all of them isnt the most pretty however are they?

The SP300.R is gorgeous and must go like lightning! The Aero 7, hmmmmm, I dont know what to think. No doubt it will/does embody the companies philosophy and innovation, but it is quite the funky looking vehicle isnt it!?! Also odd that is has the same HP and torque as the 480 yet substantially slower on the 0-60 time. And dare I say it, but it almost reminds me of some weird one-off never seen the light of day artists sketch of some hopeless futuristic concept of a TVR!

Don't think the 360 looks different to the 420 or 270 in any meaningful way if you spec them the same which is a bonus.

In terms of performance, I've got a 620R but had a 5sp 360R SV for 24 hours the other week. FWIW, it's a much better car for the public road than a 620R and I enjoyed it immensely If you're very light, get the S3 chassis and rarely have a passenger a 280 for you is prob fine for road use. If you're big, fancy the SV and go out with a passenger, you 360 is prob better.

Interestingly for me:
360: 560kg (car) + 110kg (driver, me!) = 269 bhp/tonne
420: 560kg (car) + 110kg (driver, me again) + 25kg (SV chassis) + 60kg (passenger, other half) = 278 bhp/tonne

Almost no difference in P/W ratios (i.e. rough performance) for me if I specced a 360 for me only to drive, or specced a 420 that would be comfy with more space for me and my other half to tour in, but the 420 spec would be about £5.5k more!

[stewy49]

Am I the only person in the world who still prefers the look/shape of the olde worlde clam/flared wings? I know all the arguments about drag etc: but when I have a nostalgia moment and look at photos of my sevens in days gone by I can't help but think how good they look.

[V8RX7]

stewy49 said:

Am I the only person in the world who still prefers the look/shape of the olde worlde clam/flared wings?

Yes.

They look hideous and are less functional.

[coppice]

stewy49 said:

Am I the only person in the world who still prefers the look/shape of the olde worlde clam/flared wings? I know all the arguments about drag etc: but when I have a nostalgia moment and look at photos of my sevens in days gone by I can't help but think how good they look.

No- I love 'em too. My first Seven had them and I prefer them- aesthetically and functionally- you get far less spray and crap thrown up . Drag- who cares, it's a Seven. Some will say that you get huge lift at speed from clams- can't say I ever noticed on mine including on track at up to 120mph-ish. I have seen plenty of Sevens win races with clams too..