Caterham's new toy for enjoying long summer days

Sporty, retro-inspired, fun, lightweight, powerful, and in refreshing colors. This is the Seven 310 Encore, the new special edition limited to 25 units just unveiled by Caterham, the British manufacturer of lightweight sports cars named after its hometown in England.

It is the most modern heir to the Caterham Seven, launched in 1973 as an evolution of the Lotus Seven, designed by Colin Chapman, a lightweight, economical sports car that became a successful racing car.

Caterham currently markets a range of models based on the Seven, including the CSR Twenty, the 170, the Super Seven 600 or 2000, the 360, the 420, the 420 Cup, the 620, and two Academy Race packages. Models are available with a wide variety of engines, from a 660cc Suzuki turbocharged engine to a 2.0-liter Ford Duratec supercharged option, with power outputs ranging from 84 to 310 hp.

Mechanics The Seven 310 Encore is equipped with the most powerful version of the Ford Sigma engine, which generates 152 hp and allows it to reach 204 km/h.

Although you might think the Seven 310 Encore also includes the more powerful 310 hp option, it actually has less than half that. This is because this new version doesn't focus so much on power, but rather serves as a tribute to the Ford Sigma engine, which is leaving the Caterham range after more than half a century of collaboration.

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Ford's 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine has been the basis of both road and race Caterham Sevens since its launch in 1973. The Sigma development was first introduced in 2007, becoming one of the most popular and enduring engines of Ford's long-standing partnership.

The Seven 310 Encore is equipped with the most powerful version of the Ford Sigma engine, generating 152 hp and allowing the sports car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds and reaching a top speed of 204 km/h (124 mph). It also uses a classic five-speed manual transmission.

Exclusive alternative Only 25 examples of this variant will be produced, with a starting price of 47,000 euros.

The model features several innovations inspired by the Caterham 310R Championship. These include a lighter flywheel, a sports suspension package with a wider front track, adjustable springs and an adjustable rear anti-roll bar, plus 254 mm ventilated front brake discs with red four-piston calipers and a racing master cylinder.

According to Caterham, the Encore special edition has achieved the fastest lap around the iconic Donington Park circuit, with an impressive time of 1 minute and 18 seconds. This is due in part to its lightness, weighing just 540 kg.

As for the exterior design, its six refreshing shades stand out: Blue Monday, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Green Light, Orange Crush, Back in Black, and White Noise, all inspired by famous pop and rock songs.

Other features include the aerodynamic front end from the Seven 620, a radiator grille from the 420 Cup, carbon fiber front panels, and a black package for the windshield frame, headlights, and exhaust cover.

The chassis features an exclusive metallic finish, and the 13-inch black Apollo alloy wheels are wrapped in Toyo R888R tires.

Inside, it features black leather seats with dark gray stitching, a custom Encore logo, a carbon fiber dash, and race-inspired details like a shift light, a four-point harness, and a removable Momo steering wheel.

The Seven 310 Encore special edition will be truly exclusive, with only 25 units produced, starting at €47,000. In the attached video, you can get an even better look at this fun model with a classic engine.