For This is one hardcore Caterham, and it's been stripped down so you can extract as much as possible from the 175bhp engine. It also comes with a number of race-honed features, designed to help you go faster. This leaves you with an incredibly responsive and nimble Seven, that's scintillating to drive.

Against Forget creature comforts - this is one basic Seven. There's no windscreen, carpets, or weather protection, and a heater will cost extra. The firmer suspension can make the car fidgety over poor road surfaces.

Caterham Seven Superlight/R Open

What Car? says

0 out of 5 stars

For many, the R300 is the perfect blend of performance and drivability, but make no mistake, this is a track car with an attitude to match. From the composite racing seats to the carbonfibre dasboard and race harnesses, there is little compromise. As a result, it's not best suited to the road, and isn't the easiest to live with. Having said that, it's tremendous fun, and stunning to drive.

What Car? readers say

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Key facts

0–60mph
4.5 secs
Top speed
140 mph
Average mpg
Tank range
miles
See all running costs

Size

View the whole Caterham Seven Superlight/R Open range

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The full Caterham Seven Superlight/R review


Buyer's notes

Target Price team says:

The entry-level cars are a little too basic, so it's better to look at the mid-range models. You can select from a wide range of options to personalise your car, but don't go mad, or you'll end up spending a fortune.

The fire-breathing high performance models are road legal, but are ideally suited to smooth race tracks - so aren't at their best on some of the UK's poor-quality roads.

A garage for storage is essential, as a Caterham exposed to the elements will look tatty quickly. You can elect to build the car yourself, however this will take time and you'll need the facilities, tools and skill to do the job properly.

Seven Superlight/R rivals

Seven Superlight/R used rivals