Caterham R500 Superlight

Picture the scene: the temperature’s hovering around 20°C, the sun's now shining and there's a perfect cooling summer breeze. The roads are dry, the clouds are clearing and it's a good job too, because I wouldn't quite relish the thought of driving this car on anything other than a warm June day.

Okay, so it's not quite as spartan as the Morgan Three Wheeler I was lucky enough to drive a few weeks ago, but it's still pretty compromised. The beauty of a Caterham creation is, like the aforementioned Malvern-based car, its simplicity. There's nothing too complicated, nothing too extravagant. They offer pure, raw and undiluted driving thrills and cars just don't get any better than this. So they do offer similar things, but whereas the Three Wheeler had a modest power output, this one’s got more than three times more…

It's my first experience of a Caterham. I've read about them for years and yearned for a go in one and now the time's come. Many variants are available to buy, but none come as extreme as this one. When the invite popped into my inbox I pictured a lovely entry-level car. Never once did I think it'd be the most fearsome road-going car the marque's ever made, the fabled R500 Superlight.

You're in awe of it when you first clasp eyes on it, and not just because of its bright green paint. It's such a revered car, this one. The little carbon details aren't particularly well finished but they nod to its weight-saving measures and it's such a cool thing. It's so small parked up next to ordinary family hatchbacks and you just know it's going to be an absolute riot to drive even when it's stationary.

Its name immediately stirs up thoughts of brutal speed. Superlight means exactly what it says: it weighs just 506kg. That weight figure's astonishing on its own and would make 80bhp feel fast, but this R500 has 263bhp. Gulp. The 2.0-litre that powers it is a highly-fettled bit of kit. The K-series engine is now long gone and in its place is a Ford Duratec unit - thought to be more robust and better to tune - which gives the featherweight car a power-to-weight ratio of 528bhp per ton, 7bhp more than a Bugatti Veyron...

So it's a formidable thing, then. Added to its already extensive armoury is its gearbox, for it's got a trick sequential one. This car was the first Caterham to feature this as a £2,950 optional extra and it just adds to the whole appeal of a car of this ilk. Let's face it, this is tailored for the wealthy enthusiast at a shade under £40,000 and is never going to be used as a day-to-day commuter, so why not go all out and spec it as the ultimate?

Clamber in - again, a very unsophisticated process - and it almost moulds around you. Everything's in reach given its size and although it does get cramped with two full-sized adults in, it just feels brilliant. The seat's never going to rival a Rolls Royce in the comfort stakes but the driving position's to die for: the tiny, suede-covered Momo steering wheel's just where you'd want it and it honestly feels like you're a centimetre above the tarmac. You're staggeringly low but it just feels fantastic. Before you even start up the R500 your excitement levels are at an all-time high.

Perform that duty by pushing its starter button and your ears pick up the sound of a typically tuned engine note as the noisy side exhaust clatters. The idle's bumpy and it's certainly not happy being cold. It's a raucous noise which signals the R500's intent. Fasten the harness, wiggle in the carbon-backed seat to get a little settled and breathe it in. The bare carbon dash is lovely, if a little shiny when the sun catches it, the view out's as good as any car I've ever driven and it just feels so very right. The louvered bonnet gives a tantalising glimpse at what's making the noise; you feel immediately at home in the R500.

There is trepidation, though. You'd be a fool to mess with a notoriously tail-happy rear-driver with over 260bhp and take it lightly, so you're wary of its capabilities. I don't take much sought-after solace when Richard Barraclough, this car's guardian for today - who's crammed in next to me - reminds me of the Caterham's neck-jarring turn of speed by mentioning its tendency to follow ruts in the road when under hard acceleration...

Thoughts of a gloriously smooth empty track springs dreamily into my mind but unfortunately we won't get to experience the R500 there, although Richard has ventured out onto the track in this particular example.

"It's exactly how you'd expect: fast, furious and completely fun," he said. "The handling balance is lovely and although it can be a handful if you want, it's actually quite forgiving."

We're in a leafy part of Huddersfield in a small village called Almondbury and although we've only covered a handful of miles on the R500's track-biased Toyo R888s, it's already leaving an impression. The steering's beautiful. The weight of it is perfect and every surface change is given to you straight away. There's no vagueness, just immediate response. By far and away it's the best steering I've ever come across and the size of its steering wheel just makes everything better. Your hands dwarf it but the go-kart-like feel adds to the drama.

Next up to shine is the gearbox. Given the fact that we've barely broken 30mph and have only gone to fourth gear it's already showing its worth. The whine and mechanical clatter of the Quaife-developed 'box makes you a little giddy. It adds to the racer feel and you can never tire of the way it shifts. Okay, semi-auto paddles are now retiring traditional manuals in most forms of car but this sequential's a breath of fresh air and is absolutely great. Pull the protruding aluminium lever towards you and it clunks into first. Its clutch is weighty - as you'd expect - but the 2.0-litre is rich in torque so even if your shaking left leg's hesitant on the power, it's actually quite difficult to stall. This is my first time using a sequential gearbox so of course I'm sat there, harnessed up with a wide-eyed child-like grin plastered across my face. This is great to use and although its action is very crude, the short-throw, rifle-like response of it is a magnificent thing to control.

The roads are getting a little narrower, I'm unfamiliar with their direction changes but there's a sign ahead which has a diagonal black line across a white background, no cars are in sight and we're primed in second gear. Richard knows what's coming and I duly bury the throttle. What happens next will stay with me for the rest of my life: a wiggle, a spin of the rear tyres, a momentary loss of traction and then a huge dose of power. The tiny steering wheel wriggles about but I hold it tight and keep committed, way past 8,000rpm until the last red shift light appears. The noise builds and builds and it all happens so quickly - 30mph to three figures is ludicrously fast. Engage another gear by pulling the lever back and again, there's instant momentum. What a car. Even accelerating on a straight road is brutally intense.

You don't even have to worry about the clutch on upshifts. Full-throttle changes can be executed without the need to use your left foot and so you can just concentrate fully on the road ahead and the blurriness of everything that you're passing.

Slow down and you're alive with adrenaline, but a little gobsmacked at what you've just witnessed. Nothing I've ever driven felt as brutal as that full-on second gear power. The brakes, thankfully, are equally up to the job and as there's no ABS on the R500, you never get that grainy, disconcerting pedal feel when you're relying on them to stop you after yet another run through second and third. When the roads get bumpy and rutted, the lack of ABS is worth its weight in gold.

Hugely powerful cars often come with weight and size, but again the little Caterham does not. Even on the tightest, twistiest road it feels narrow, so although that intimidating rush of power's only a brush of the throttle away, its width is never daunting.

Richard directs us up high above Huddersfield, which is sat in the valley-like setting below us. The wind's stronger up here but he's promised his favourite bit of local tarmac and claims nothing could get near the R500 up here. I nod, knowing that his big claim's most definitely true. Think about that: this is a winding country lane, with well-sighted bends and third gear straights. You could have a Bugatti Veyron behind and still the plucky Brit would be gone, with a wiggle of its rear Toyos and a 263bhp hit.

Richard mentions the car's launch control and urges me to try it out. At first I think it's a little geeky, a bit of a gimmick in a car that's built on simple foundations. However, my curiosity is still there so I am quite keen to try it, having witnessed the brutal, no drama acceleration of a Nissan GT-R with its launch mode engaged. It was a £350 option on the R500, Richard tells me. Caterham claim it can deliver a 2.8 second sprint to 60mph...

It's quite straight forward. Depress the clutch, pull back for first gear and hold a small button on the carbon fibre dash. Floor the throttle now and the revs are automatically held at 4,500rpm. It feels wrong to put the engine through this much duress but the revs stay there without protest, urging you to drop the clutch. Do that, and the rears momentarily spin but just as you think you've found out the gimmick, it miraculously digs in and leaps off the line. Glance down and the digital speedo misses out many numbers are rockets past 60 in the blink of an eye. First, second, third. They're all gone and the brutal power just does not seem to diminish even into fourth. 

I'd hate for you to think that it's a one-dimensional car which does nothing but thrill and scare its occupants, though. Although its insane turn of speed is hugely memorable, the R500's party piece is its handling. Now, I'm not going to claim that I balanced its rear on the throttle in a Chris Harris-style slide but there's a lovely way in which it attacks a road. Sure, the rear can be lively if you're heavy footed, but most of the time the R500 can be coaxed into fast progress without you having to react to its wayward back end. In some powerful rear-wheel drive cars you're aware of corners and in some cases, you fear it letting go when you're attacking the turn. While there's always a vast amount of respect for the R500, I found it a great tool to dissect a road and utterly beguiling to drive quickly. That brutal power, the ABS-free brakes, its hugely responsive steering and the massive amounts of grip the R888s generate makes it one of the fastest point-to-point cars that's ever been made. 

Richard points out that his favourite bit of local road's coming up and shouts above the wind. "It's a fast left-hander, do not back off," he implores. That's the thing with the R500: back off mid-corner and that's when you're vulnerable. Stay committed and it stays true, diving in and gripping tenaciously. I pick out the corner in the distance and we're bounding down the straight part, rapidly approaching. A dab of brakes, turn in and you can feel the staggering tyres clawing the tarmac. The steering wheel tugs as it finds a rut but the body stays in check and I'm concentrating more than ever before. Stay committed, feed in the power without being daft and the R500 guides you round. The road straightens and the throttle's soon buried and the road-side foliage is a green, hazy blur. The road soon veers right, the Caterham's in third with 4,000rpm showing and again, the throttle's soon planted. The car stays faithful, mesmerising me with its precision, responses and blinding pace. 

It's all too easy to fall into a hypnotising, licence-losing rhythm with the R500. The way it goes about its business alters your perception of how fast a road car can be. Respect it, drive accordingly and the car's faithful. Jump in in a Clarkson-like manner and it'll bite - it will end up sideways. The cornering ability, the torque-rich low-down grunt and the ballistic delivery past 5,000rpm. I could drive it all day and never once lose interest.

We're on the way back now and it's a sad feeling. The R500 has left a longing impression and it's a shame that I've driven it in a way as no other car that I'll drive will be as fast, rewarding and as great as this little one. Even trundling along behind smoking diesels is an occasion, and as we pull into its resting place it's with regret that I have to get out. I clamber out and I’m buzzing with adrenaline.

"It's good, isn't it?" Richard questions.

"The best," I answer.

Thanks for the memory, R500 Superlight. You're the best car I've ever driven.

Morgan Three Wheeler

We're heading out on the moors above Huddersfield and we're alone. It's early June but the skies have turned ominously dark after a sun-drenched start, rain's now surely imminent and the temperature feels autumnal. You can smell the heady mechanical whiff of the engine in front, but it's doing its bit by passing on some of its warmth. We're in an utterly charming car - it's like a modern-day Mille Miglia entrant. Its V-twin throb sounds great and its noise is not diluted by the blustery elements; all you get is a glorious deep bellow from the 2.0-litre. My sunglasses are splattered with what must be a hundred insects and I'm pretty sure my once-spiky hair is now sheltering one hundred more. Accelerate harder, let off the gas and the exhaust pops on the overrun. It's ludicrous that this is a brand new car with just 348 miles on its clock.

Glance down and you'll notice the Ariel Atom-like front suspension arrangement. You get a little mesmerised by it; you can see the damping absorbing ruts and you chuckle as the thin tyres bob up and down and search for smooth tarmac. On these roads they're always busy.

Have you guessed what it is? I'll give you a few more clues: it's a recent creation from one of England's finest car makers, it has a manual gearbox, this one's painted in the iconic Gulf colours of blue and orange, it's got a naturally aspirated engine sourced from a motorbike and it's extraordinarily good. Oh, I've forgotten one key thing: it's got three wheels. As there aren't many three-wheeled cars on sale, that's probably given the game away, right? The car in question is the Morgan Three Wheeler.

Just a few weeks ago, I penned a piece called 'The Perfect Drive'. It recalled the memories of a handful of stand-out drives that will live long in my memory.

Strangely, those drives came in affordable cars. Having driven lots of exotica in my short five-year driving career, they have no doubt left their mark but tellingly, it was in two French hot hatches that I'd had my best moments - up until now.

The simplicity of these two cars - the Peugeot 106 Rallye and the Renaultsport Clio 182 Trophy - are what makes them great. They have no pretense, no complications. They're simply great because they're transparent; they don't hide behind electronic wizardry and you're in charge. I love cars of this ilk and the Morgan's bristling with that style.

It's easy to be a little disappointed by the motoring world in 2013. There's not much that has a similar ethos, and that's where the little Morgan comes in and gives you faith in the sea of monotonous BMW X3s and smoke-belching diesels. In performance cars, characterful, naturally aspirated engines are being replaced by dull-yet-potent smaller capacity turbocharged ones, rich in torque but woefully devoid of character.

We're at the cusp of a dramatic change in regulations. Emissions are high on the agenda and it's affecting all of our much-loved marques. The Mercedes C63 AMG is adored for its tyre-shredding, wild character, yet its fabulous V8 is almost certainly going to be replaced with a smaller powerplant with - you guessed it - forced induction. Even Porsche, who, in my opinion, are the purveyors of the finest drivers' cars in the business, have changed its flagship driving machine.

The all-conquering GT3 has been a favourite for everyone who's driven it since its 1999 debut. A car which was pared-back just the right amount, had an ever-so-slight weight reduction and was great because it did everything brilliantly. The forthcoming 991-generation 911 GT3 is to go without one of its best qualities: its manual gearbox.

Yes, Porsche has done the unthinkable and ditched its fabled manual. In its place there's the very good PDK 'box, but as quick as the gear changes are it's simply not a match for that magnificent Porsche manual.

Even supercars aren't immune from the drastic changes. The recently-revealed, hugely expensive flagships from Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche aren't as simple as their forebears. The LaFerrari (I know - a ridiculous name) uses F1-inspired KERS technology, as does the McLaren P1, not to mention a whole host of other technological features. It's fair to say they're moving with the times and these cars are at the peak of technology, but does that make them better? I'm undecided. Their geekery's at an all-time high, and whilst they're no doubt at their optimum in 2013, it's just getting a bit boring.

There are of course two sides to it, and the amalgam of this debate came to a head in the Ferrari Enzo. Replacing arguably the last analogue supercar, the F50, the difference between the two was night and day. The Enzo, although still powered by a thunderous V12, was overflowing with technology. It had the most advanced F1-style gearbox with super-fast, neck-jerking changes. However, this technology came with a drawback: its weight. 

Manufacturers are obsessed with reducing the time it takes to change gears, and I think it's completely boring. If they concentrated more on keeping weight down, I'd be more interested. I don't care that a semi-auto 'box can change up 0.3 of a second quicker than me. That's why this lovely, traditional and simple Morgan is so good - there's just no bull. It cares not for acceleration times and lapping the Nurburgring, and for me, that's cooler than any 200mph overpowered, overweight and completely geeky supercar.

Proof of this trend doesn't come more starkly than in the form of Porsche's most expensive car, the 918 Spyder. As a natural successor to the timeless, V10-engined Carrera GT, they're incomparable.

The Carrera GT was remarkably simple. It was relatively simple, with a gear knob topped with balsa wood, a carbon structure, razor sharp throttle response and was the pinnacle in precision. It took no prisoners, yet its endearing character has cemented its place in supercar folklore. That spine-tingling V10 delivered just over 600bhp and its looks were astonishing. Even now, the ten-year-old design looks incredible. I'd take one over an Enzo every day of the week.

In the last few months, we've seen the rise of the aforementioned 918 Spyder, a car which is far more controversial than the simplistic Carrera GT. Why? It uses batteries. It's powered initially by a 600bhp V8, but it's accentuated by cells which add a couple of hundred horsepower onto its total. Great, you might think. But then its weight's revealed and a collective gasp is heard, for it tips the scales at over 1700kg.

You might not think a few hundred kilos is cause for concern, but no technology advances can iron out the bulk which inevitably dumbs the steering and feel of the car. No matter which side of the analogue/digital fence you fall on, the next few months are certainly set to be intriguing as the head-to-head battles commence.

A new car which flicks a strong middle finger up at the technology brigade is the Three Wheeler. It's single-handedly standing up to the modern-day rules and conformity, and I applaud Morgan for having the nerve - and nous - to do it.

In the new Three Wheeler you get proper old-school grunt. It's powered by a two-cylinder engine which directs its power to the rear wheels, or should I say rear wheel... The Three Wheeler has one wheel at the back and two at the front. Unlike technology-obsessed marques, Morgan are bucking the trend and they're returning to their roots. You see, three-wheeled creations were what Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan formed the company with and were on sale for 40 years afterwards.

The quirky Malvern-based firm have revived it though, and the £30,000 2013 Three Wheeler is fantastic.

Purity and intimacy are what cars lack in most cases. They're filled with so much wizardry that it's hard to just enjoy the raw experience. Anyone with any sense wouldn't go without them on their day-to-day vehicles as they give safety, but on specialist cars they very much tend to get in the way.

Clasp eyes on a Three Wheeler and it's love at first sight. You're amazed by its size (incredibly small), its width (again, incredibly small) and its look. It's such a unique car. There are two old-fashioned, Caterham-style headlights which sit up on beautifully fashioned metal, there are two thin-rimmed wheels with cycle-like spokes and a glorious V-twin motorbike engine that sits proudly, visible to all.

It's a fantastic thing to behold. When its wooden body shell's being fashioned, it would've been simple to make this 'car' into a boat - its shape's that similar.

Getting in the thing isn't particularly easy, or elegant. You kind of shimmy your way in: step over the tub so one foot's in, then hold onto the bodywork and hoist yourself in. Getting out is even harder...

As soon as you're in its seat you just smile. 'Quirky' could be deemed as an overused adjective with this marque, but it's so fitting. Nothing's like this car - it's completely unique. Look ahead and there are two pieces of perspex, one in front of the driver and one in front of the passenger. They're largely useless, as they're only a few inches high so they never really protect the driver from anything that's flying, so a helmet's advisable.

There's a circular steering wheel which is laughably large given the size of the car, a chunky gear knob, a handbrake and the simplest dials you've ever seen. It's great. There might not be a lot in here but you're surrounded by air, visibility's inevitably great and it just feels right. The seats - lined in quilted leather in a diamond pattern - aren't particularly supportive but the driving position whilst in them is a strange one. You kind of feel like a little kid playing in your dad's car as you're holding onto a bus-sized steering wheel. It's nearly in line with your head. Its driving position isn't perfect because of this but in a crazy way, it's just fantastic. Pure sense of occasion. Yes, I'm even praising it for having a flawed driving position.

Start up the motorbike engine and it slowly, lazily responds after a second or so. Even this is an occasion as its starter button hides beneath an aircraft-style toggle cover. Flick it up, push the button and the beast grumbles. It's not a fizzing motor that's hyperactive and craving revs. It just sits there up front vibrating, reluctant to wake up. It's so strange as its character makes you think you're sat in a 30-year-old car, not a brand new one. You get that same feeling as you would when you're sat in a temperamental classic car; there's trepidation there as it feels like it may or may not start. You get that pure unadulterated joy when it does cough into life. It's built by a company called S&S, who are famed for their relationship with Harley Davidson. Built to Morgan's specification, the 2.0-litre produces 80bhp and 103lb ft of torque. The stats, particularly the latter, are mightily impressive for a bike motor, and as the engine reaches its peak at just 3,250rpm, the Three Wheeler always feels perfectly situated to pile on speed.

Once it's warm, the lumpy idle sits at just over 1,000rpm and the throttle response is actually rather sharp - something I didn't expect. Its clutch is weighted nicely with just the right amount of inertia and its five-speed 'box is slick and precise. The gearbox is actually from a Mazda MX-5 and it's a great combination.

Top Gear lovers won't get this car. They'll be disappointed by its 80bhp power figure, and they'll loathe it as its solitary rear wheel makes prolonged power sliding redundant. However, as it only weighs just over half a tonne, it's actually pretty brisk. It'll keep most junior hot hatches in sight to 60mph, but it's its torque that's the most memorable aspect of its performance. You see, as its peak's reached at a shade over 3,000rpm, you're perfectly situated no matter which gear you're in.

It's just an assault on your senses. You're driving along with the world rushing by in a blur. It's not fast by any means, but who cares when you're having this much fun? Speed is irrelevant in the Three Wheeler, and that's something which I thought I'd never say. People of all ages look, point, stare and frantically click their phone's camera to capture this glorious little car. In many expensive cars you kind of get the sense that some people think you're a bit of an idiot. Flashy, perhaps arrogant. Drive a loud Ferrari in look-at-me red and you get a mixed response. In the Morgan it's just pure adulation. It says to the world that you're a pure enthusiast who doesn't much care for power or gimmicks. It says that you're a fan of simple machinery, yet you're not fussed about headline-grabbing power figures. I love that.

The fact that the lone rear wheel is situated in the centre has a profound effect on the way you drive. You forget it's positioned there at first. The first time you pick out an approaching pothole and make the necessary adjustment to avoid it, you soon know all about its position then as the front wheels successfully miss the crater and the rear wheel takes the full brunt of it. A shudder goes through the body but it soon shakes it off and thrums on.

Its steering's so informative. On challenging roads it shines and gives instant feedback. Its weight's just so and you're filled with confidence as you have faith in the way in which the Three Wheeler steers. You can't help but feel that its engine out front has a big influence on this; it's so direct and precise. The best thing is that you can actually see the process being done by the car in front of your eyes. Turn in and watch the components do their thing, feel the response through the wheel and get on the gas. This is what driving's all about. You're an integral part of the process, interacting, working with it. No other production car gives this feeling. Step on the brakes and there's great feel, an abundance of stopping power and again, it just builds your confidence.

The Morgan Three Wheeler is completely beguiling and an absolute joy from start to finish. It puts the biggest grin on its driver's face and finally, a modern-day car has returned to simplicity. It celebrates motoring for the sake of motoring, and even when you're trundling along at 30mph it's utterly mesmerising. It doesn't care about yawn-inducing Nurburgring times or being high up on the Top Gear test track board. All it wants to do is show off its character and I for one absolutely adore it. Drive a Morgan Three Wheeler and it rekindles that magic of driving. I've had another perfect drive.