The Caterham Academy is quite possibly the best way for a complete ameture to get into the world of Motorsport. The cars are perfectly designed to be friendly and confidence inspiring, without the speeds getting too high. They are also all fully road registered cars, which means that the owners can play with them on the open roads, as well as on track.
The revvy 1.6L K-Series engine, with it’s high lift cams and lightweight flywheel, produces an energetic and engaging drive which is hard to replicate from any of Caterham’s current range. The anti-cavitation system ensures no lack of oil supply whatever the occasion, and the short ratio 5 speed gearbox provides the perfect accompaniment to the peaky little K-Series, keeping it in its ideal rev range and providing frantic acceleration. It then of course boasts the limited slip differential which offers excellent traction out of corners on circuits and is of course a must for doughnut practice!
Now here is a really great specification of Caterham. This Roadsport SV contains the later 160bhp iteration of the VVC engine used in the Superlight R300, and with it are a combination of options which could make this one of the very best all-round Sevens…
The 310S SV is (or was) perhaps Caterham’s best mid-range model, offering outstanding performance, with superb comfort and drivability.
The 310 model offers the perfect balance of power and grip for maximum fun and usability. A notable upgrade from the 270, the 310 provides more power throughout the rev range, which is also extended over the 270 model. This provides that extra punch when picking your way through traffic and gives the 310 a racier feel with its higher rev limit.
The 420 represents Caterhams most powerful naturally aspirated model providing an enormous 210bhp and an ample supply of low-down torque. Paired up with the S-Pack, the 420 really becomes Caterham most capable road-oriented model.
This Seven is particularly interesting. It started life as one of Caterham’s Academy cars, though due to the poor fortune of it’s original owner, it was never used…
The Classic was a car which really lives up to it’s name. A Seven with all of the astonishing handling characteristics and driving pleasure the marque is known for, with a true element of vintage motoring. The 1600 Kent (Ford) X-flow engine which resides under the bonnet carries with it the essence of character. Fuelled by a pair of Webber 40 carburettors, it sounds like a classic car, has the sharpest of all throttle responses, and smells like every classic car does.
This very special Seven is 1 of the 25 Monaco limited edition models produced, and looks absolutely tremendous with its polished aluminium body. These Monaco editions were available in a veriety of mechanical specifications between 2010/2011, and came in either polished aluminium or full Gravity Black paint, complete with the official Monaco decal pack, custom interior and boot cover.
The 420R is widely regarded as Caterham’s best overall model from their current range. Its naturally-aspirated 2.0L Duratec engine provides awesome power, sharp throttle response and excellent drivability to go with Caterham’s superb Seven chassis.
The 1.6 VCT-i Sigma engine superseded the original Sigma in 2014. Offering variable cam timing these later engines produced a little extra torque and power, as well as a small additional improvement on fuel consumption. This meant that the entry level engine increased from 125bhp to 135bhp, and the uprated version of this engine increased from 140bhp to 152bhp. This soon led to the model names being changed from Roadsport and Supersport, to 270 and 310. Unfortunately, this incredibly reliable and diverse engine has now gone out of production and as such is no longer a part of the Caterham range.
This larger (SV) chassis has covered just 300 miles since it was built and registered in 2018, making it pretty much brand new. Painted in Lamborghini Arancio Argos Orange, it looks spectacular, and goes even better!