Caterham Roadsport Racer (2006) CAR review

Caterham Roadsport series: the lowdown

Fancy being a racing driver? By signing up to one of Caterham's racing series, you can. And that's exactly what we did. CAR contributor Jonny Smith and I signed up for a season of racing in this hotly contested series. Not only did we want to go racing but we also wanted to see if you really can get into motorsport cheaply, quickly and have a great deal of fun for not a vast amount of money. Total novices should join the Caterham Academy series. The package includes a 120bhp Caterham Seven, the cost of getting your race licence and all entry fees, and technical support at each race. The cost is £16,495 – damn reasonable considering it includes a £15k sports car.

Race on Sunday, commute on Monday

Because our Caterham is road legal - we even race with number plates in place - we've been driving it, rather than trailering it, to every race. We've also been attempting to use it a daily drive. Over the last nine months Smith and I have racked up just over 4000 miles. The Caterham is actually a lot easier to live with than I thought. Yes, wet weather driving is not much fun and creature comforts are limited, but it's such an engaging and enjoyable drive that even a run down the shops on a Sunday morning is an event. The car feels very different on the road – it’s difficult to get enough heat into the Avons to get them really sticky, and warm up the brakes sufficiently to bite like a pitbull. Its 1.6-litre Ford Zetec engine is not balls-out quick, but it is torquey and lugs the Caterham along with ease. The steering is pin-sharp, and with the exhaust warbling and the scenery rushing past, piloting the Caterham down a country road is a fabulous, visceral experience. But it's nothing compared with the on-track rush...