This Crazy Caterham Showed Me What It Means To Be In Complete Control Of A Car

The first thing that catches my attention - after clambering over the high sill in the most dignified way I can manage - is the steering wheel. It’s tiny. Then there’s the indicator switch, which looks like something I used for a project in GCSE Electronics a decade or so ago. In fact, the whole dashboard looks like a throwback from a bygone era, and even though that 1.6-litre engine is now a Ford Sigma unit rather than the ancient Rover K-Series, the fat exhaust just to my right makes it sound gnarly and old-school. This Caterham 7 270 S is a long way from the cars I’m used to driving.

‘Within a few minutes I realise I need to hold the gear shifter a little differently - as I’ve accidentally punched the dashboard about five times already.’

That theme continues as I navigate away from my location and launch down the road with abandon. The engine howls its way up to 7000rpm, with the last few thousand RPM bringing with it a nice little kick up the backside. The optional six-speed gearbox requires real effort when stirring through the cogs, and within a few minutes I realise I need to hold the shifter a little differently - as I’ve punched the dashboard about five times already.

It feels properly quick, and that’s because it is - 0-62mph takes five seconds, even though the 1.6-litre N/A engine has just 135bhp. It’s all down to weight; the 270 S tips the scales at just 540kg (the ‘270’ in the name refers to the power-to-weight ratio), and when I reach a particularly twisty section of road, I’m grateful for this low figure, and for the dinky steering wheel.

The unassisted steering is incredibly direct, and offers feedback from the road like no other modern car can. The chassis is beautifully balanced, which is good as there are no electronic aids to step in if something goes wrong; it’s all on me, as it should be. And as much as I try to do the whole road-tester thing, I can’t help but be a child and grin at the wheels turning and bobbing up and down in my field of vision. The whole experience is basic. Raw. Paired back. And these days, totally alien.

Most cars I drive are about three times the weight. They have heavy crash structures, thick sound insulation, electronic driver aids and are crammed full of safety gear and creature comforts designed to make life easier. Oh sure, I like having a lot of this stuff - I’d much rather have a crash in the Skoda Octavia vRS, that’s for sure. But the £22,995 Caterham is a reminder that when it comes to pure driving thrills, the simpler the better.

In a time when we’re starting to feel more disconnected than ever from the task of driving, cars like the Caterham 7 - plus motors from the likes of Morgan and Zenos - are very special creatures to spend time with. If you ever get the chance to drive one, then do! You’ll love it.