Caterham 7 R400 Superlight

When I reviewed the CSR 260 some time ago, in the UK, my girlfriend sulked - from the moment it arrived on the driveway; to the second it was collected.

Her biggest peeve was the long haul to my sister's birthday party, up the motorway. It wasn't that she was fussed about our over-night bags being packed around her legs; or our over-coats piled high on her lap, so she couldn't see out of the window.

It had nothing to do with her hair being a mess from the wind either. It was in fact the hissing, popping and backfiring from the 2.3-litre Duratech Cosworth engine (every time I did anything, once the ignition was turned on) that turned my Jacqui off.

So, it was with great glee I received news from Caterham; that the latest R400 was nearly as quick, and quieter! Yes it is still the Ford Mondeo motor ruling the roost up front, yet instead of 2.3-litres, it now only has 2litres. It has revised cams, some better flow, and a Caterham's-own ECU.

It may not have the hysteria of the CSR260, but for me the R400 still stands in the silly sector in terms of acceleration. And it doesn't crack open your eardrums, fill your head with vicious noises when you start going faster, or blip for a down change. So rest assured, it is very girlfriend-friendly.

This helps your game plan, for justification that a crazy Caterham is worth around $57,000 of your hard-earned joint savings, as you try to convince the person at the other end of those financial purse strings. The second bullet-point worth raising: it's cheaper than the Rover K-series R400-model it replaces.

With 212bhp and 152lb ft of torque, it is also lighter. This has been achieved by opting for a new metric chassis, which increases rigidity by 12 per cent, while reducing the track slightly - forcing a slightly narrower cockpit. The seats are therefore a tad on the snug side, sitting a lot lower than in the CSR.

Whether or not it had anything to do with Caterham citing the new Bilstein-assisted chassis as well-balanced, before I had any seat time; the R400 does allow you to play nearer the limit, without the need to pass by the funeral director to pick your favourite song and flower arrangement.

Unlike my lady, I found myself missing the raucous soundtrack of the CSR. The engine note on idle is very different, sounding a little too tame for my taste, but up and beyond 3000rpm both voice and virility verge on you; to remind you that you are campaigning yet another supercar slayer from Surrey.

Whether the vocal dexterity of the R400 is your thing or not, the torque from nothing to 7800rpm is blistering, with an incredible midrange feel - summed up as a riot-a-rev. I'm still a sucker for the CSR260, but for a little less you can have something very close indeed.

Specifications:
Engine In-line 4-cyl, 1595cc, 16v
Max power 210bhp @ 7600rpm
Max torque 150lb ft @ 6300rpm
Top speed 225kph (claimed)
0-100kph 3.8sec (claimed)
Basic price c$57,000

Pros: Power-to-weight: 420bhp-per-tonne
Cons: When I find one, I'll let you know