If you soften the suspension just a touch and put the doors on to reduce the wind buffeting, it's a perfectly comfortable daily driver, but you lose none of the lovely connection with the road and the mechanicals that every Seven gives you. It's not like an Atom, which is 100% impractical track-day silliness - it has a decent trunk, weather-proofing good enough for year-round Seattle, and it's comfortable on normal roads. I've had one for ten years now, put 40k miles on it, and it's easily as everyday-usable as something like a Miata.
I was wondering about that topic just a couple of days ago. I'm gonna pick up my brand new Miata next friday and it's gonna be my daily driver for the next four years. I was wondering how well a Caterham could handle as a daily because a basic Caterham 360 costs about as much as my Miata...
If using on the road regularly, get one of the less powerful versions. Just 10-20 hp in these makes a big difference and after about 150hp they can be a real handful in the wet.
ok, so I see why my FRS wasn't exactly riveting later that day, ha ha! great video. love seeing you guys barely contain yourselves with something fresh and bonkers.
my ten cents worth (i drive a team lotus edition 7 sprint from '96): shoes are counter productive. the best way to drive a classic-bodied seven is bare foot. then you have a wonderful analog feel to the footwork and plenty of room to move. on longer straights and gentle curves where i'm not working the gears too much, i can easily slide my left foot past the clutch pedal and fully extend my leg, in a split second i can be back on the clutch if need be. it's as close to "relax" as you can get in one of these glorious little beasts. master yoda says: "too short for boring cars life is!"
This is really crazy, I remember "drinving" those caterham in Racing games and thinking " my god! this is completely nut, how does somebody can drive this in real life? you must be crazy " lol Great review. Those are so small, other crazy car like Ariel Atom of elise look big and more grown up compared to it lol. I also wish I didn't live so far and had the mean to joined you on that track day. Tracking my FIT would have been a really funny experience.
Great Video, awesome cars. there is also the SV chassis available for the people that need more room. the 420 or 360 models are also easy powerful enough. The only thing that bugs me about Caterham is the way the side mirrors mount to the side doors, but when the side doors are off they don't locate or very stable. there should be an option for a quick fit side mirror that clips on securely and functional.
Add carbon aero, ecu upgrade and cooling upgrade 350bhp and a paddle shift sequential with Avon ZZR tyres and a flat floor setup. Give it some beans around a good track and there you go!
Cat 7's are great wee car's, you can buy them as Kits and build them to your own specifications or just buy the mental 620R what more fun can you won't from a stripped out car.
That tape was trying to keep the rear view mirror steady during track driving. It was attached just fine, but wouldn't stay adjusted without help from the tape. Even then it wasn't very usable.
I'd bet it was the windshield vibrating so taping it to the windshield doesn't do much good. Hard to stabilize a light windshield part like that. Less Mass = More Vibration. Great video by the way.
CHOPERUS23 not as standard but you can add one as an option, they only difference that can't be changed on the S/R packs on the 620 is the R only comes with a sequential shifter, you can't add the 5 speed manual.
Sounds like it needs some rubber bushings and different suspension... I want one, but I want one, that doesn't beat me to death, because I'd drive it, A LOT!
You can get comfortable leather seats you don't have to have carbon fibre and the s packages probably be better if you're going to be using on the road it is still very good for track better than any other commercial car. Yyou don't need to press the clutch on a sequential gearbox just bang bang all the way just keep your foot planted. They do a manual 6 or 5 speed box as well what is very tight shifting
Similar to the setup on a motorcycle, in that one motion causes upshifts, and the opposite causes downshifts. In this car, all upshifts require an aggressive pull back, all downshifts a shove forward - there aren't any gates, just a back and forth motion. Hope that clarifies. Thanks for watching.
It means that the gears are selected in sequence. ie. 1-2-3-4-5-6. You can't skip gears, as in a typical H pattern transmission. You usually pull the shifter to shift up, and push the shifter to downshift.
caterham's website claims 310 bhp, and 572 kg...which gives 542 bhp/tonne (not 568 as they figure). when you add a driver, it drops to 474 bhp/tonne. the new Porsche GT2 RS, with 700 bhp has 463 bhp/tonne with driver. ok. it sounds like fun :)
Chris Stavro , it's not just power to weight, the car only weighs 572 kg, so there's less to stop and corner, and that's where the speed comes from, the Porsche will be twice as heavy.
I'm not sure I've ever heard someone complain so much about a car they supposedly like. Time to get back in the Prius. Track cars are clearly not your thing.
Give me a Lotus 3 eleven any time! This Caterham 620R is two raw and too primitive for my likes. This a beast very sensible, that don't recognize the owner... it will bite you if you turn your back on it. LOL Is like having a very hot women, that is very sensible... LOL
l arbracame What a silly comment. They have been building cars for decades, and whist of course there will be occasional problems, as with any manufacturer, they are pretty reliable. Now, if you're talking about home built kits, that is a different matter. That is dependent on the individual, their attention to detail and how meticulous they are. I'd have another C7 in a heartbeat.
l arbracame What a silly comment. They have been building cars for decades, and whist of course there will be occasional problems, as with any manufacturer, they are pretty reliable. Now, if you're talking about home built kits, that is a different matter. That is dependent on the individual, their attention to detail and how meticulous they are. I'd have another C7 in a heartbeat.
If you soften the suspension just a touch and put the doors on to reduce the wind buffeting, it's a perfectly comfortable daily driver, but you lose none of the lovely connection with the road and the mechanicals that every Seven gives you. It's not like an Atom, which is 100% impractical track-day silliness - it has a decent trunk, weather-proofing good enough for year-round Seattle, and it's comfortable on normal roads. I've had one for ten years now, put 40k miles on it, and it's easily as everyday-usable as something like a Miata.
Tom Forsyth that's why the 620s exists. Not being rude
I was wondering about that topic just a couple of days ago.
I'm gonna pick up my brand new Miata next friday and it's gonna be my daily driver for the next four years.
I was wondering how well a Caterham could handle as a daily because a basic Caterham 360 costs about as much as my Miata...
If using on the road regularly, get one of the less powerful versions. Just 10-20 hp in these makes a big difference and after about 150hp they can be a real handful in the wet.
Ideally you want a H box not a sequential for Road you'll be ok if you're moving but in traffic can be awkward
You sir are a proper Caterham man, I tip my cap to you
Here in the UK there are a few maniacs who daily Caterhams (and the other versions of the seven).
ok, so I see why my FRS wasn't exactly riveting later that day, ha ha!
great video. love seeing you guys barely contain yourselves with something fresh and bonkers.
I always thought caterhams sounded meh but listening to it flyby in this video it sounds amazing.
I must have one.
Awesome car, you can soften it up and pull over a vinyl roof if you need to get somewhere too.
my ten cents worth (i drive a team lotus edition 7 sprint from '96): shoes are counter productive. the best way to drive a classic-bodied seven is bare foot. then you have a wonderful analog feel to the footwork and plenty of room to move. on longer straights and gentle curves where i'm not working the gears too much, i can easily slide my left foot past the clutch pedal and fully extend my leg, in a split second i can be back on the clutch if need be. it's as close to "relax" as you can get in one of these glorious little beasts. master yoda says: "too short for boring cars life is!"
or if you are 1.70cm strong...thats my car it was build for me..but uruk hai stole it from me
This is really crazy, I remember "drinving" those caterham in Racing games and thinking " my god! this is completely nut, how does somebody can drive this in real life? you must be crazy " lol Great review. Those are so small, other crazy car like Ariel Atom of elise look big and more grown up compared to it lol.
I also wish I didn't live so far and had the mean to joined you on that track day. Tracking my FIT would have been a really funny experience.
Sorry to have missed this day at Autobahn. I hope you can come back. Great review.
"I am not a number, I am a free man! "
“What do you want?”
“Information”
“You won’t get it!”
“By hook or by crook, we will!”
Hilarious! I couldn't believe my eye when I saw you had bagged one of my top buck list cars. Great catch!
Always been a dream kit car for me if I wanted to get into track driving until then I'll live in reality with a C5 z06 affordable to me
Great Video, awesome cars. there is also the SV chassis available for the people that need more room. the 420 or 360 models are also easy powerful enough.
The only thing that bugs me about Caterham is the way the side mirrors mount to the side doors, but when the side doors are off they don't locate or very stable. there should be an option for a quick fit side mirror that clips on securely and functional.
Love to have a Caterham in my garage
Add carbon aero, ecu upgrade and cooling upgrade 350bhp and a paddle shift sequential with Avon ZZR tyres and a flat floor setup.
Give it some beans around a good track and there you go!
I think Colin Chapman would approve.
Incredible machine I know... 👌
Best car ever
Yes, now we need an Ariel Atom video and then an Atom vs Caterham comparison video!
Watching this reminds me of seeing the Lotus S2 Lotus Seven at the beginning of The Prisoner.
How fun?! What’s with the green painter’s tape?
Cat 7's are great wee car's, you can buy them as Kits and build them to your own specifications or just buy the mental 620R what more fun can you won't from a stripped out car.
What was up with the green tape, holding the rear view mirror on?
That tape was trying to keep the rear view mirror steady during track driving. It was attached just fine, but wouldn't stay adjusted without help from the tape. Even then it wasn't very usable.
I'd bet it was the windshield vibrating so taping it to the windshield doesn't do much good. Hard to stabilize a light windshield part like that.
Less Mass = More Vibration.
Great video by the way.
The actual 620r doesn't have a windshield! I don't think this is a genuine one.
CHOPERUS23 not as standard but you can add one as an option, they only difference that can't be changed on the S/R packs on the 620 is the R only comes with a sequential shifter, you can't add the 5 speed manual.
You can spec any Caterham with windscreen and weather gear when you order it or you can have them retrofitted.
Sounds like it needs some rubber bushings and different suspension... I want one, but I want one, that doesn't beat me to death, because I'd drive it, A LOT!
Just order one of the non R versions. This isn't one of the softer Caterhams. You can pretty much pick and mix when you order a Caterham 7.
Ah no way! I missed you guys here!!!
You can get comfortable leather seats you don't have to have carbon fibre and the s packages probably be better if you're going to be using on the road it is still very good for track better than any other commercial car. Yyou don't need to press the clutch on a sequential gearbox just bang bang all the way just keep your foot planted. They do a manual 6 or 5 speed box as well what is very tight shifting
What does "sequential gearbox" mean?
Similar to the setup on a motorcycle, in that one motion causes upshifts, and the opposite causes downshifts. In this car, all upshifts require an aggressive pull back, all downshifts a shove forward - there aren't any gates, just a back and forth motion. Hope that clarifies. Thanks for watching.
You guys rule!
+Clvmind that's gotta be one of the lamest comments I've ever seen.. not even like remotely funny
It means that the gears are selected in sequence. ie. 1-2-3-4-5-6. You can't skip gears, as in a typical H pattern transmission. You usually pull the shifter to shift up, and push the shifter to downshift.
caterham's website claims 310 bhp, and 572 kg...which gives 542 bhp/tonne (not 568 as they figure). when you add a driver, it drops to 474 bhp/tonne. the new Porsche GT2 RS, with 700 bhp has 463 bhp/tonne with driver. ok. it sounds like fun :)
Chris Stavro , it's not just power to weight, the car only weighs 572 kg, so there's less to stop and corner, and that's where the speed comes from, the Porsche will be twice as heavy.
Temperamental car, very sensitive not easy to drive fast.
I prefer a Lotus.
test drove a ariel atom 3.5r or the v8 version!
*drive
Where can I get one?
Just a daily driver in the sunny England ;)
I think I prefere the s just because of the added width
looks like fun
when does the m3 review come out
Luke Ward the M3 video is called Icon and is this year's feature film. It will be out sometime around the first week of December.
I'm not sure I've ever heard someone complain so much about a car they supposedly like. Time to get back in the Prius. Track cars are clearly not your thing.
Can u do one for Acura nsx
I live 15 miles from Caterham :-)
BaddaBigBoom But they’re built in Dartford.
If you are a driver. These are pure drivers cars. Get in one if you can.
What color is this car?
British racing green!
Wow, you have a unique ability to review such an exciting topic in the most boring of ways...
Give me a Lotus 3 eleven any time!
This Caterham 620R is two raw and too primitive for my likes.
This a beast very sensible, that don't recognize the owner... it will bite you if you turn your back on it. LOL
Is like having a very hot women, that is very sensible... LOL
I bought a Caterham because Lotus were too civilised. Horses for courses ;-)
JFYI, no clutch needed to shift up, duh!
look at the speedometer problem ! what a shame, Caterham is unable to make reliable cars !
l arbracame What a silly comment. They have been building cars for decades, and whist of course there will be occasional problems, as with any manufacturer, they are pretty reliable. Now, if you're talking about home built kits, that is a different matter. That is dependent on the individual, their attention to detail and how meticulous they are. I'd have another C7 in a heartbeat.
l arbracame What a silly comment. They have been building cars for decades, and whist of course there will be occasional problems, as with any manufacturer, they are pretty reliable. Now, if you're talking about home built kits, that is a different matter. That is dependent on the individual, their attention to detail and how meticulous they are. I'd have another C7 in a heartbeat.
６２０R‼︎
And didn't get the back out once ! Crap review!
Is this guy really wearing a helmet
you guys cannot drive this car
Shame they can't drive them properly, there drivers cars these people reviewing aren't proper drivers
5 speed would be better
i bet that car is going to be in jay lenos garbage
garage*
Fuentes Not knocking you buddy, but that was the most honest yet hilarious typo I have seen in a while. And I completely agree with you.