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Review the new Caterham Seven 360S 2022


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Quite a few people would expect a Caterham Seven to deliver big thrills, but in this S spec, it’s also a car that doesn’t take itself too seriously on the road. If you don’t need the practicality of a hot hatchback or coupe, the 360 ​​S could be the perfect solution – and doesn’t even cost money to buy or run on earth.

Think of a Caterhamand most likely the first thing that comes to mind is tracking date toy. There’s no roof, probably no windshield, and the tires are so light you’d think twice about heading for a puddle.

The trade-off for a lack of refinement or practicality is incredible performance, a chassis that delivers on feel and adjustability, and a level of excitement that’s hard to find on four wheels at any price point.

But what if you took it lightly; it will make a Caterham Seven Easy to drive on the road – or even live with?

This is the 360S, and of all the models the British brand makes, this is possibly the closest thing to the everyday driver in its one-minute thrill range.

The S is one of two packages available, along with the R, which adds more carbon fiber trim, composite racing seats and four-point harnesses. With the car you see in these pictures, the first clue to the greater bias towards usability you get with the S starts with the color scheme – we think the color combination Aston Martin Apple Tree Green paint and beautiful Muirhead ‘Biscuit Tan’ leather interior in a classic, sophisticated way.

Take a closer look, though, and you’ll see that the driver and passenger are secured to those seats not with motorsport-specific seat belts, but with regular seat belts. The seats themselves aren’t hard shells with minimal padding but more conventional items with enough padding to get you off your longer rides.

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Then there are the tires, not some semi-sticky variety, but a set of Avon ZT5s that have a fair amount of space on them.

The 360 ​​is the second model in the Seven range. The numbers, which roughly translate to power-to-weight ratios in bhp per ton, start with 170, then 360, 420 (and track-focused 420 Cups) and 620.

With a curb weight of 565kg, that means the model you see here has 180hp and comes with a 2.0-liter engine sourced from Ford. That maximum hits 7,300 rpm, while 194Nm of torque hits 6,100 rpm. It is sent to the road through a five-speed manual transmission.

For a road car, those numbers certainly translate into a sweet spot. Performance is barely lacking – at 4.8 seconds the 0-62mph time is a tenth of a second compared to Volkswagen Golf CHEAP – but it’s perfectly usable.

However, that’s how it delivers performance that’s the best part. The 2.0-liter unit sounds angry under heavy throttle, and the exhaust comes out a little closer to your right ear, so you can hear every minute detail in the tunes it plays. It also likes to come back; Throttle response is immediate, and with very little mass to shift, the 360 ​​leaps forward with a level of enthusiasm completely alien to most other performance cars.

That feeling extends to the S corners, too. Even on road tires and a more compliant suspension setup, the way the Seven turns into a corner feels like a special race day. The steering is superb, with instant feedback even half a degree from the front, and it transmits all the feedback you could want from the road. It instantly creates heat, even top sports cars like Porsche Caymanfeel numb and lethargic.

That doing so while providing a fairly compliant ride is all the more impressive. Its compact size and small wheels mean that larger bumps can cause it to swerve somewhat, but accelerate some and it soaks up rough surfaces very well – even on the Sport Suspension package. optional sport. As a road driver, it’s amazing.

However, there are compromises that you may need to live with. Take the rearview mirror; is essentially a meaningless item, because it vibrates so hard that your vision behind you is completely blurred. From 50 meters away, the humming will mean you’ll struggle to figure out many details; That is Mini close behind me, or is it a Porsche Cayenne a little further? It is very difficult to say.

With a driving position close to the ground, the Seven also feels very small in everyday traffic. Superminis look like SUVs. SUVs look like houses. The roof is also quite difficult to install and remove, and you won’t be able to carry a lot of luggage. The gearbox is excellent, but the clutch requires a delicate touch. It’s something you’ll soon get used to.

In the grand scheme of performance car pricing, The Caterham Seven 360S doesn’t even seem that expensive. The car starts at around £32,000, although that’s the price for one that arrives at your door in kit form – have Caterham assemble it for you and on top of that will be another £2,595. You can even make a financial deal; £3,000 pre-booking and 36-month term with £17,595 bubble payout up to £470 per month. Low weight also means low fuel bills – if you’re not driving it at full throttle on the track, it’s even quite frugal.

Model:

Caterham Seven 360S SV

Price: £34,585
Engine: 2.0 gasoline 4cyl
Power / Torque: 180bhp / 194Nm
Transmission process:

Five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive

0-62mph: 4.8 seconds
Max speed: 130 mph
On sale: The current

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