Caterham Seven 160: affordable fun

The stripped-back Caterham Seven 160 makes thrilling driving totally affordable, says expert car reviewer Andrew Frankel

Caterham Seven 160

This model from £16,995

Who says you can’t have fun on a restricted budget – even if you have to build it yourself? The new Caterham Seven 160 may have a tiny 660cc engine pushing out a modest 80bhp, but in a machine weighing less than half as much as a normal car, there’s more fun to be had here than in most cars costing twice as much and with three times the power. Its responses are so immediate and accurate that soon you’ll feel as if you’re not driving the car so much as wearing it, guiding it into and out of each corner with little more than the power of thought.

Just remember that not only are Caterhams unlike normal cars in the way they drive, but also the way they are equipped. If you want a roof, doors or even paint you’ll need to pay extra. But with strong residual values and surprising fuel consumption, the 160 is not only affordable to buy, it should prove affordable to own too.