Caterham 620R video – Kamui Kobayashi drives silverstone

Caterham Cars have released this short video of Formula One driver Kamui Kobayashi taking their Caterham 620R for a blast around the Silverstone race circuit in preparation for the new F1 season which kicks off in Australia on Sunday 16th March.

The Japanese driver didn’t do things by halves either – his first time behind the wheel of a Caterham Seven drive is at the wheel of the most powerful production Seven ever built, the raucous 620 R.

With 310bhp, a top speed of 155mph and a 0-60mph time of less than 2.8 seconds, the Caterham 620R made its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year and was put through its paces by F1 fan favourite Kobayashi at Silverstone just before he travelled to Melbourne. Priced at £49,995 (incl VAT), the Caterham 620R replaced the Superlight R500 at the top of the Caterham Seven range in the UK.

It certainly made an impression on the 27-year old, who said: “Normally, with a new car, it takes a few laps to understand it; with this car, after one corner, I understand it straight away. I feel like this is a car that I am driving, rather than the car driving me and that is a very good feeling.

“The power of the 620 R is awesome – I can’t believe you can drive this car on the road, it is definitely the closest thing to a racing car.”

Kobayashi also helped Caterham Cars launch the Seven 160 – at the opposite end of the Seven spectrum to the 620 R – for the Japanese market in Tokyo on Monday this week. The 160 weighs just 490kg (unladen), powered by a turbocharged 660cc engine, originally from a Suzuki Kei car, this produces 80bhp, giving the Caterham Seven 160 a power to weight ratio of 160bhp/tonne. Prices for the Caterham Seven 160 Start at £14,995.