Caterham 310 Encore: A Final Salute to Ford Sigma Engine With Lotus Seven Philosophy
By Team Dailyrevs June 13, 2025
Not Designed for Everyone, Built for the Few
If you’re still interested in horsepower without algorithms, or feedback without filters, the Caterham Seven 310 Encore is speaking your language. This 25-unit sendoff isn't about numbers on a spreadsheet—it’s about feel, flow, and a farewell to the 1.6-liter Ford Sigma engine that powered Caterham’s soul for over 15 years.
A British Blueprint That Never Needed Rewriting
You can’t talk about Caterham without going back to Colin Chapman’s Lotus Seven—a car that didn’t just start a lineage, but a mindset. When Chapman built the original in 1957, he stripped everything out that didn’t make it faster. When Caterham took over in the 1970s, they didn’t revise the formula. They preserved it.
The 310 Encore is the last Caterham to use the Sigma engine, and it’s every bit a descendant of the Lotus 7—featherlight, unfiltered, and purist to the core.
Where Minimalism Meets Track Readiness
The 310 Encore isn’t a “look back” exercise. It brings together carefully chosen hardware upgrades lifted from the more track-focused 310R:
-
Lightened flywheel for sharper rev response
-
Widened front geometry for cornering stability
-
Adjustable sport suspension
-
254 mm vented disc brakes with four-piston calipers
-
A race-style master cylinder that transforms pedal feedback
And because this car doesn’t believe in driving through screens, it keeps the timeless 5-speed manual and nothing more. The result? 152 horsepower, 0–60 in 4.9 seconds, and a power-to-weight figure north of 280 bhp per tonne—delivered with the same analog feel that defined Caterham’s identity.
Six Paint Schemes, One Final Statement
Caterham’s idea of a farewell isn’t just mechanical—it’s visual too. The Encore is offered in six custom colorways inspired by music, including:
-
Blue Monday
-
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
-
Orange Crush
-
Purple Rain
Each unit is finished with black wheels, custom striping, and a numbered plaque—quietly signaling its rarity without shouting.
The End of the Sigma Chapter, Not the Spirit
While this is the last of the Sigma-powered Sevens, it’s not the end of Caterham’s ethos. But make no mistake—this one matters. It closes a chapter that’s been part of grassroots motorsport, driving clubs, and Sunday morning sprints since the early 2000s.
It’s also one of the final cars on sale today that can trace its philosophy—not just its shape—directly back to the Lotus Seven. There’s no digital interface. No driving modes. Just throttle, brake, clutch, and commitment.
Why You Won’t See This Again
In a world racing toward autonomy and electrification, the 310 Encore stands apart—not as rebellion, but as restraint. It proves that evolution doesn’t always mean reinvention. Sometimes it means knowing when to finish the sentence.
Browse the Caterham 310 Encore listing on DailyRevs →