GRR Garage: Caterham 310 S – burned

It’s entirely my fault I would like to point out, but perhaps this can act as a public service announcement to anyone who is thinking of driving a Caterham – be careful if you’re wearing shorts.

As I jumped back in the car after picking up a bottle of water at the height of the most recent leg of the UK’s hyper-summer 2k18 I neglected to remember that the exhaust – situated right by the driver’s door – was hot… and that I was wearing shorts.

Queue a quick yelp of exasperation and a minute or two rubbing my now afflicted shin and cursing myself for being so silly. Honestly, you would think after several months with it I would have remembered where the hot bits are by now?

As if to counterpoint the piece I've just written today, it began to rain hard again this morning, allowing me to experience one of the Caterham’s long list of small joys when arriving at the work – the little fizz you get when raindrops land on the hot outlet and instantly evaporate. It’s a quite frankly wonderful noise.

Of course the moral here is that I should have paid more attention. That side exhaust is one of the great pleasures of the 310 S, both aesthetically and aurally, and it’s not jumped recently to move into my way. So I had better admit right here that I’m a clot and we can all move on.

Still want to spend all my time driving it by the way.

Find out more about Caterham

MPG this week: 31.4.

Photography by Tom Shaxson.