Caterham 1600K long-term test: An orangeade for the summer

Caterham • Essays4 months ago14 Min readAmbroise Brosselin1 comment

Ah the Seven, since I was little I remember the joy of coming across one of these strange 4-wheeled machines during gatherings of old cars or competitions in Dijon-Prenois or Montlhéry. The photos of my father's in the 1970s probably had something to do with it, a Lotus S2 that was a bit tired and tinkered with but perfectly adapted to the hill climbs and other slaloms that occupied his free time. So imagine that when the opportunity to enjoy a Caterham for a few months this summer presented itself, the response was immediately positive, especially since the beauty comes in a pretty Ballistic Orange dress 😉

A timeless look

There is no need to present a Seven, Caterham or Lotus, the lines have remained almost unchanged since the presentation of this one in 1957 by Colin Chapman. The ultimate expression of its "Light is Right" credo, this little 2-seater roadster offers only the essentials for seeking (and finding it!) pleasure on the asphalt. It is therefore 4 wheels at the 4 corners, a long bonnet which houses a mass-produced engine – generally 4 cylinders like the Lotus Twin-Cam, alternations between Ford and Rover throughout its life or more recently a Suzuki 3-cylinder turbo (read here) – two seats which nestle under a half-arch then a semblance of a trunk which covers the tank and supports the spare wheel placed at the end of these 3m45. This standard version (as opposed to the recent wider SVs) is 1m58 wide and the top of the windshield is just at the height of a basketball player's knees, i.e. 1m09...yes, it's small!

And to understand how the machine can display just over 500 kg on the scale, all you have to do is remove the cover (a simple sheet of aluminum weighing a few hundred grams) to discover the frail tubular frame. Covered with an aluminum panel, the nose and the wings being made of fiber, we quickly guess that the heaviest element in the boat is likely to be between the seat and the steering wheel! Interior equipment level we ignored everything superfluous: tachometer, speedometer, water temperature, oil pressure and fuel gauge, do you see anything else necessary? Yes, the control of the headlights, indicators, heated windscreen for fogging, wiper, hair dryer (sorry heating) and warning, all with pretty Austin Mini rockers and the dashboard is complete. As for the doors, the hood or the sound insulation, we will go back, but the fact remains that once the camping gear has been deployed, the Caterham is rather waterproof: the water that has entered stays there! So after a heavy downpour, it's good to open everything and let it dry 🙂

How do we get in there?!

That's the question that every virgin of the 7 asks himself when approaching her! First recommendation: above all, do not lean on the windshield. For the rest, we fit in quite well, the legs being perfectly elongated, the buttocks resting on the floor and the arm well outside the car when the doors are not in place. Another surprising thing is the height at which you are: easy, just stretch your arm outside to put your hand flat on the ground! Come on we pull the 4 strands of the harness, click clac we buckle the whole thing to realize that the ignition key has remained in the back pocket of the jeans! Ouch, ouch, no other solution than to unhook, lift a little from the too welcoming seat, extract the keys and redo the manipulation in the opposite direction. Now imagine the same hood in place?! Do you see the height of the door? And yes, your whole body must fit in, needless to say, it's immediately less pleasant as a contortion exercise.

External circuit breaker on ON, the ignition with the key slipped somewhere under the dashboard blindly, ziiiiiit the fuel pump starts up for a few seconds and you can press the red button which starts the starter. Brrrr the 1.6 Rover snorts in a suggestive and rather present sound. It must be said that the exhaust line is not very long, it opens just under the ears of the passenger after the exhaust gases have quickly crossed this large resonator that some call silencers. Besides, beware of the calves when getting out of the car, the muffler may be protected by a grid, everything heats up well and the skin of the calves is not so thick against hot metal. But what a pleasure to hear this exhaust purring or even during a little gasp when downshifting to be able to enjoy the filter suction noise in the right ear and the exhaust noise in the left. We live with the car, noises, smells and drafts are part of the Caterham experience.

Hit the road Seven!

The gear lever knob falls right to hand, the incredibly short travel and good locking is pleasant. The first is engaged, it's time to take off gently. First observation, the Seven, weighing in at 500kg, handles very well, even at low speed or in a tight environment. The steering is a bit rough, no doubt due to this very small karting steering wheel but pleasant to the touch thanks to the upturned skin. Then as soon as the pace picks up a little, the Rover 1.6 K-series expresses itself and breathes without restraint. Torqueous and determined, it leaves wherever the needle of the rev counter is, a charming playmate who does not hesitate to climb the towers either. The steering is ultra direct, so that when descending from a modern over-assisted, the first straight lines on board the Cat are done by embarking a little to the left or to the right, the slightest movement of the wrist, sometimes triggered by passing over a bump or deformation of the road, deviates the trajectory of the car. But past the first hundred meters, the brain recalibrates and recognizes the unfiltered world of the Caterham.

Speaking of filters, the suspension is a fairly well-calibrated one: the comfort is surprising, firstly thanks to the seats, but also thanks to the rather flexible setting of the shock absorbers. It slumps under braking, leans a little in support, we see the front wheels (well the mudguards) working independently on bumpy roads, but all in very pleasant comfort. A few long afternoons of sporty driving did not disturb my comfort or my desire to leave the next day for the same program. At most a few heeling of the rear axle on virile bitumen fittings are to be noted, but otherwise big good point for the suspension! The only downside, if you want to find one absolutely would be the pedals. Absolutely delicious and perfect when you have narrow Sparco shoes, much less practical when you have more normal and slightly wider shoes. We get trapped once and then we remember it, but there is another detail: the space at the end of the legs is so limited, framed on one side by the box on the other by the chassis, that it does not there is no footrest. A detail certainly, but which during long distances in 5th is quickly noticed. Beware of cramps, unless you put your left foot under the clutch pedal, not ultra reactive when needed.

A banana machine

No, to be honest, the real problem with this Cat is that in addition to being comfortable, it gives bananas!! Even to travel 10 km to go to the market, even to go to work, even to go for a walk aimlessly, even ... whatever the reason for being on board, it distills pleasure. It's quite incredible how pleasant and addictive the sensations provided, even at reasonable speeds. One summer evening after a slightly hot day (yes, I know we haven't had many this year), what a pleasure to drive without the doors, taking full advantage of the environment! The smells of nature passing by (good and bad ones by the way), the pebbles kicked up by the front wheels which hit the rear fenders and end up inside the car and in your pockets or even this surprise storm which takes on arriving in Avoriaz as the temperature drops by at least 15 degrees in 5 minutes. No big deal, we laugh, we wipe the glasses (outside and inside the glasses) and we leave. That's the magic of the Cat, we take simple but real pleasure to ride.

Needless to say, it's the same with other road users, in 4 months on board I've only had positive signs, friendly looks or pleasant remarks. For my favorite, I'm hesitating between this child who has to watch somewhat old DVDs who goes out when he meets me in town "oh Casimir's car", this other little boy who sees the Cat parked at the edge of the closed park of the rally of the Mont Blanc full of Alpines and other sticker-laden rally cars points to the Cat saying "hey dad, that's the race car!" » or this little girl who seemed worried for me asking her mum « why does the gentleman have no doors or roof? ". On the other hand on the road not always easy to be seen. The long muzzle and the harnesses force you to move forward a little at a stop to see if people are coming, for example. Another evidence but which is often confirmed, the Seven is small and the others do not always see it. Even orange and still driving with the headlights on, some high-pitched SUV drivers do not always remember to look at the bottom of the mirrors, be careful and stay on your guard.

On the performance side, even with only 120 horsepower, there is plenty to have fun with. I'm not saying that sometimes to overtake a handful of ponies and more wouldn't have helped me, but between the featherweight and the elements that are unleashed as soon as you pick up a little speed, it doesn't necessarily take a lot more, on open road. Then the aerodynamics of the beast quickly shows its limits: the straight windshield like a shoe box placed on a cigar does not help, the disturbances will also calm your enthusiasm, I have not often exceeded 150 km /h (on German Autobahn of course) with her. In short, it is not on the tachometer in a straight line that she will flatter you, but as soon as the road begins to turn, or better still to knit, Mademoiselle Caterham will be there to serve you her prettiest profile….

7 vs 111: Opinel vs Scalpel

If you've been reading us for some time, you may remember my summer in Elise to understand why my friends are such fans. If not, read the article here. So it's impossible not to repeat the comparison between Cat and Elise... In my eyes, it's like comparing an Opinel, the Cat', to a Scalpel, the Elise. Where the Elise seemed to me to be ultra efficient and precise, not to say demanding (no pun intended with its big sister, the Exige!), the Cat’ is much easier, much more fun and communicative. In any case on the road, because no doubt that on the smooth asphalt of a circuit track the comparison would be completely different. I hope not to offend anyone, but I much prefer the Caterham to the Elise S1 for a ride or even to go to work as I have done several times. In terms of habitability, there is no big difference between the two, the ease of access on board is not far from one to the other, the size of the trunks is quite close and the recapping, although of a different philosophy, remains just as painful for the two lights. In terms of comfort, so clearly no comparison, the Caterham is already well ahead thanks to its seats (is it possible to make it less comfortable than the Elise S1 bucket seats?) but also to its flexible suspension. Finally for the dynamic behavior, it will be very personal but the player side of the Seven pleases me much better than the efficient side of the Elise. I probably haven't got to know the S1 enough to approach its limits and understand them, but the Seven remains more communicative and predictable with my level of driving.

What budget for a Caterham?

If you've been dreaming about it for a long time, that the budget can be released, don't hesitate for a moment. The Caterham coast, whatever the model, is more than stable, not to say constantly rising slightly. So treat yourself, treat yourself to the beauty you like, they are all different, and if unfortunately the love story doesn't take you won't be able to lose money. On the other hand, the entry ticket for a Caterham LHD with proper papers is around 30,000 Euros, a significant budget for a car that cannot be your main car...unless you use public transport or a bicycle all the week. Prices can go much higher for a newer or more powerful car than a basic 1600K like this one. Attention many "almost Caterham" are on sale in France at much more attractive prices, other copies or interpretation of the original more or less successful, and very often imported from England with a sometimes dubious gray card, in short be vigilant and have someone accompany you for this pleasure purchase. By the way, do not hesitate to contact the Sevener association and its forum full of advice or the Club Lotus France institution which welcomes the Caterhams.

And once the rare pearl is in your garage, there's nothing complicated about maintenance since everything is accessible. In good English, beware of electricity, moreover bad tongues say that a new car is to be made reliable and that it is better to buy the same one debugged by a first owner with already a few thousand kilometers. On models equipped with a K-Serie, of course, the cylinder head gasket will haunt your nights, but the remedies are known. Then the consumables are not consumed thanks to the featherweight, so the tires will be dry before being worn out, the discs and pads are very small and cost nothing or almost finally the average fuel consumption peaks for me at 6.7 l / 100 km over 3,000 km of a route with gradients and without the slightest eco-driving. ambient gloom, treat yourself as long as there is (a little gas) left before all the cars go electric!

Photo credit @ Ambroise Brosselin.

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