One Last Thrill
At Escape on Wheels, we have enjoyed driving a wide variety of cars. Although we always try to plan a trip around what we will be driving, sometimes it's good to test a car in an element you wouldn’t think it was made for. The Urus SE we drove recently was incredible on the highway and shocked us with its athletic abilities on mountain passes.
Today, we have some thrilling mountain roads planned for the brand new Caterham 485 Final Edition we are driving, but not until we complete 3 hours of transit. Arriving at the famed dealership Romeo Ferraris, it was a cold October morning, but thankfully, the sun was out. Our plan is to head northeast to Mount Bondone in Trento, but this requires a significant transit to get there.
Dropping into the driver’s seat of the Caterham and starting it up, we can already tell that we are in for a long first leg of the trip. The Momo steering wheel pops off for easier entry, and once you’re in the seat, it’s pretty comfortable - but with no side windows and side sills that hit just above your waistline, it’s far from luxurious. Of course, that isn’t the point of any Caterham - so we just look forward to the drive once we are finally off the motorway and head out of the showroom.
The 485 Final Edition is built to mark the end of the line for Caterham’s highest-performing naturally aspirated sports car. One of just 85 Final Editions built, of which 60 are produced in this configuration, the example we are out in today is finished in an outstanding copper orange metallic paint with metallic graphite gray striping.
Powered by a Ford-sourced 2.0-liter Duratec inline-4, this Caterham produces 224 horsepower and winds out to its thrilling 8,500 rpm redline. Weighing in at just 525 kg, the power-to-weight ratio is similar to that of a Maserati MC20, but with a 6-speed manual and no driver’s aids to speak of.
Driving down the Brenner Autostrada, we kept the top down even as the temperature dropped to just 8 degrees. It was a cold trip, but we were able to enjoy the ride all the same. That being said, even though the car is completely capable of cruising reliably and comfortably, it’s not where this car shines. There is a cigarette lighter socket in the dashboard, which is great for charging a phone, but aside from being wedged in next to the emergency brake, there isn’t a pocket or storage area anywhere in the cabin for a phone, map or water bottle. But, that isn’t really the point of this car is it?
Finally, we arrive at Monte Bondone where we traverse the Trento-Bondone road. This is the site of the famed Trento-Bondone Hill Climb, which has been taking place on this section of road since 1925. Consisting of more than 17km of tarmac, this course climbs nearly 1,400 meters and is full of tight switchbacks and some great areas to swing the tach towards redline.
The first thing that you notice on this road is the steering. What may have felt darty on the highway is so direct, it feels like all you have to do is think about going around a corner and you are around it.
The Duratec engine doesn’t have massive shove down low, but once you get above 5,000 rpm, it feels like a Vtec Honda and screams all the way to its 8,000 rpm limiter. We found the induction noise to be very exciting - but the sound of this car is dominated by the exhaust, which Romeo Ferraris turned from an out-the-back system to an open side pipe so everyone can hear you coming.
For the really tight turns, we wish that either the car had a bit more low-down torque, or closer spacing on the gearbox. Coming out of a hairpin in first would lead to some tail-out excitement, but it wasn’t really tall enough, while in second, it just didn’t have the punch we wanted.
By the time we crested the mountain, it was sunset and the temperature had dropped to 0 degrees - but we didn’t mind. The excitement of running up and down the mountain in this Caterham was keeping us feeling good.
The next day, we turned around and headed back towards Romeo Ferraris to return this car. After our thrilling day on the mountain, some of the things we may have found annoying on the Autostrada on the way out were no longer being discussed– after experiencing the car in its element, you are happy to make excuses for potential shortfalls, because it is just so good when it is doing what it was designed for.
Unlike the Urus SE, this Caterham 485 Final Edition is not a great all-rounder. While we were impressed by how well the Urus road tripped, ran up and down a mountain, it didn’t do a single thing that excited us as much as a few minutes behind the wheel of a Caterham on a good road. Having one car that can do it all is great, but the Caterham showed us that the only thing better, is finding the perfect car for a job.
Many thanks to Romeo Ferraris