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Advice

Is the Caterham Seven 160 Exciting Enough?

by The Driving Dude March 1, 2022
written by The Driving Dude March 1, 2022

For anyone who loves cars for the driving experience, a Caterham is a must have in your car dream garage. But with borderline no practicality making them a second car at best, and with prices starting just shy of £20,000 (arguably more if you want something that packs a reasonable punch), it is understandable why, for many, owning one will only ever be a dream.

However with “the perfect synergy of fun driving and affordability for the new or experienced Seven owner”, Caterham believe their new Seven 160 is the cure to every car-garage fantasist’s headache.

Under £15,000

Coming in at just under £15,000, they may not be too far off the mark on the affordability front – especially when these start coming through second hand (if you dare buy a home-built sports car from a man in a shed, that is). But everything else isn’t looking too promising.

Tech Specs

The Seven 160 is powered by a tiny 3-cylinder engine out of a Suzuki Jimny and produces a measly 80bhp. Weighing in at just 490kg does mean that it can do 0-60 in less than 7 seconds, though. But that is in the standard model. If you want anything other than a steering wheel on your dash, you’re going to be paying more, adding weight, and losing valuable seconds.

It’s alright though; you can have just as much fun in a Caterham without mind-numbing speed, right? Well, yes. But unfortunately, not in this one. To keep it under £15k and the half-ton mark, the Seven 160 has rid of the semi-independent and fully-independent rear axles seen on other Seven models, and has gone to the dark ages with a live rear axle. Meaning a car aimed at the new, inexperienced Caterham owner is going to be a handful to drive.

Raw Driving Experience

OK, so Caterham has always been about the raw driving experience that, you could say, doesn’t need rocket-like power and fancy mechanics – it should be about the driver being at one with the road and feeling every dip, crevice, and cat’s-eye through their fingertips. But by the time you’ve added a few necessary optional extras, you’ve spent almost £20k on the Seven 160 and have a car that, realistically, most modern-day hot hatches can easily keep-up with.

Verdict

In all honesty, I’d probably keep my second car fund and save for a few more years until I can get at least the Roadsport 140. As the 10-car fantasist type, I have a daily commuter that’s already fun enough to enjoy any weekend A-road assault more than I would in the Seven 160. And it has a roof.

CaterhamSeven 160
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The Driving Dude

The Driving Dude is a seasoned automotive expert who has been behind the wheel for over a decade. He has a passion for all things car-related and a wealth of knowledge about the latest models and their specifications. As the go-to source for anyone looking for the most accurate and up-to-date information on vehicle dimensions, The Driving Dude is dedicated to bringing his readers the best in automotive news and analysis. With a keen eye for detail and a no-nonsense approach to his writing, The Driving Dude is the ultimate authority on all things automotive. Whether you're a car enthusiast or just someone in the market for a new vehicle, be sure to check out his latest posts for all the latest and greatest in the world of cars.

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