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Caterham reveals 620S – the Seven for softies

Road-tuned sports car trades track for road – but it’s still as powerful as ever

John Calne,Pistonheads
Sunday 17 January 2016 17:42 GMT
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A simple manual gearbox. Road (not track) tyres. Heated seats, for heaven’s sake.

Behold the Caterham Seven for softies.

Called the 620S, this little number is basically a 620R with the wick turned down. Only a bit, though. You still get the loony-tune 310bhp engine, and if you ask (not nicely, just ask) it’ll erupt from standstill to 60mph in 3.4 seconds.

At £44,995, it costs £5000 less than the 620R. You lose that vehicle’s sequential box and Avon ZZR rubber and get things like road-spec suspension, a heater, a soft top and even (gasp) a full windscreen.

You do retain the 620R’s uprated brakes and limited-slip rear diff, however. This may be a car that makes concessions to comfort, but when it comes to staying on the road some things are sacred.

Its spec also includes leather seats, which is quite a thing. If you want them to be heated, however, you have to upgrade to the full carbon option which is something else the 620R has as standard.

On a more practical level, the 620S uses Caterham’s wider chassis to give you more space for things like a passenger, luggage and a usefully sized fuel tank.

It makes this the most credible Caterham there is for daily-driver duties. Though if you take a look outside as the wind blows and the rain turns to sleet, you might be forgiven for concluding that that’s not saying much.

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