Caterham Seven R300 - 30.1.09, Surrey New engine, same wired-in driving experience

摘要

WE'VE SEEN a Caterham Seven R300 before, but that was the old version with the 1.8-litre K-series Rover engine. This new Superlight R300 now uses the effortlessly torquey - and no doubt far more dependable - 2.0-litre Ford Duratec motor also found in the 263bhp R500 and the 210bhp R400. In the R300, the 2.0-litre Ford motor is detuned to produce 175bhp, so the R300's acceleration isn't quite as savage as in the R500. The R500 hits 60mph in a frankly terrifying 2.9sec, but the R300's 0-60mph time of 4.5sec is still more than brisk enough - especially in a car where a windscreen is an optional extra. But while the R300 doesn't get the extreme performance of its bigger brother (or the R500's optional sequential gearbox), it still gets the same beefed-up front suspension and sticky, track-oriented Avon CR500 tyres.