With the Caterham and other lightweight sports cars on the circuit

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A lightweight sports car may not be a motorcycle, but it’s hard to get closer to a motorcycle on four wheels than in a lightweight sports car. The focus is on absolute driving purism. Electric assistants are not used for weight reasons. The Seven 620 R, for example, has a weight of 545 kg and an output of 310 hp ex works. It can reach 100 km/h in under 3 seconds. If you want to save even more weight for racing purposes, you can do without unimportant details such as the passenger seat or reverse gear.

The journey begins

Every first Friday of the month, from May to October, the Seven-IG Stammtisch takes place at the traffic training area in Kirchheim Teck. The dates are announced on the Seven-IG website. The regulars’ get-together involves driving on a tight circuit in lightweight sports cars. The driving time is limited to 2 hours, participation costs €40 and helmets are compulsory. All lightweight sports cars (under 1000 kg) may take part. Larger cars are difficult to maneuver properly on the narrow course. However, there is no race, it’s all about having fun, talking petrol and testing the limits of the vehicle on a closed track.

I was on my way home from my Alpine tour when my buddy Micha drew my attention to the regulars’ table in Kirchheim Teck. Micha drives a Caterham himself and asks if I would like to join him. I look at my watch, I get home around half past three, the regulars’ get-together starts at half past five – that’s perfect.

When I arrive at the traffic training area, I can already hear the screeching of tires and the roar of engines. A short time later, I see the first vehicles fly past me. I meet Micha and we set off together. Luckily, I’ve already ridden in Micha’s Caterham a few times and I don’t need much of an introduction. Even riding in the Caterham is not entirely self-explanatory. It starts with getting in and out of the car, which is not that easy. All the parts are lightweight and you can’t support yourself everywhere.

Micha and his motorsport enthusiast daughter Steffi successfully compete in the CCK Cup, a slalom race for lightweight vehicles. You notice this immediately when you drive along. The line fits and with four wheels you can take corners at a completely different speed than you would on a motorcycle. Not only once do I think to myself: “This is going to be very tight”, but the Caterham gobbles up the bend with ease. Later, I go for a spin with Steffi. It was really interesting to experience how different the same car feels with different drivers. The Caterham’s lack of electronic aids is particularly noticeable. The drift or braking feels completely different with a different driver.

The regulars’ table is a nice get-together. We know each other in the scene. Afterwards, we meet up in the pizzeria at the traffic training area for a chat or two. I’ll definitely be stopping by again! If you’d like to find out more about lightweight sports cars, Micha has some recommended reading for you. The book “Leichtbausportwagen – bezahlbarer Fahrspaß unter 1.000 Kg (Caterham, Lotus, X-Bow, Morgan, Elise, Exige, Seven, Mazda MX-5, Ariel Atom)” by Stefan Heth.

Photos: F. Bögershausen