The perfect Caterham Seven?

The company claims that the 310 has the perfect balance of power and handling characteristics. It was born of an engineering development made by Caterham’s motorsport programme. Essentially, the existing Sigma engine needed an upgrade to allow Caterham racing drivers to move from the Tracksport to the Supersport category. The upgrade involved high-performance camshafts and revised mapping, which generated an extra 20bhp in the rev range – a noticeable difference given the significant power-to-weight ratio of the cars. 

The new model, therefore, is essentially an upgraded 270, and costs £24,995 full built. The engine develops 152bhp; existing Seven 270 owners can get their engines upgraded similarly for £1,495. When 270 owners got their aftermarket upgrades, they noticed alongside the power hike an “exceptional driver experience offered by the new set-up”, and thus the 310 was born, in the same manner as the Rover-powered Superlight R300 came into being.

“It is entirely fitting that the Seven 310, which we feel perfectly synchronises power and handling, has come out of the motorsport engineering process”, said Lambert. “This car will be loved by Caterham enthusiasts  but will also convert fans in general who understand that creating a genuinely fun driving experience is not about simply adding more and more power; that, often, less is more.”

First deliveries of the new Seven 310 are expected early next year. What a great Christmas present.