And now, for a further update, having done 500 miles in it now, its mostly based on driving:
Steering
When will VAG learn that 'heavy' does not mean 'good feel'. I dont want to feel like a weakling everytime i get to a corner, turning the power steerings assistance down when i load up into a corner is not good. It just feels weird, & doesnt inspire confidence ...
Handling
... which is a shame, as it can actually be punted down the road pretty rapidly!! On my favourite 'testing' roundabout, it will go around quite a bit faster than both the saxo (which was a twitchy fecker) and the Trophy (which tripods), but ultimatedly isnt particularly adjustable, lifting off doesnt really do much, except tighten the line (so no LOOS), although you can feel the rear wheels via Haldex if you play about with the throttle. ESP really kills the fun, so that gets switched off straight away. When the grip does run out, it simply understeers, given the lack of adjustability/ability to get the back end moving, this can be a little disconcerting as you head for the barrier lol.
At 8/10 attack, it will cover ground very quickly, to all those that say it wont keep up with a clio in the twisties. It will. Easily. With a map, it would eat one for breakfast. Imho of course.
Speed
Boosts nicely from 2k up to 4.5k, then tails off. Feels quicker than the Trophy at the lower end of the rev range, but doesnt pester you to thrash it, & theres not really anything to look forwards to at 5k +, so theres no point pushing it hard. A remap would sort the power delivery no doubt, but there is no voice to guide you in your travels, it sounds like a hoover. Motorway work is easy as you can put your foot down in 6th & it just goes, thats torque for you i guess.
Gearchange
Slow & dim-witted is the best way to describe it tbh, the ratios are nicely spaced, but the actually shift, especially from 3rd to 2nd is really poor. You cant rush changes (not even like in a clio, which isnt exactly great) and it constantly feels like there is excessive slack in the linkages. Not sure a short-shift would do anything to help & the throw is quite short already, its the side to side movement of the stick thats iritating.
Brakes
They work, & definately pull the car up quickly, but you can definately feel the kg's they are trying to stop. Serious punishment on a fast downhill section, or a track & they would wilt quickly. Brembo/Porsche brakes would definately be a worthwhile upgrade.
I havent bothered discussing the interior, as its fantastic, or the load space, as its fairly useless, as those are things that you can tell by looking at pictures. In addition, the look of the car, & the image it portrays are entirely down to personal preference.
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Hopefully, this may give people a slightly deeper insight into what they actually drive like, rather than just listen to hearsay & banter. I'm enjoying it at the moment, but i cant wait to drive the Trophy again.
