3Dr Si4 Dynamic - Firenze Red/Black

mark_n · 07-12-2011 02:29pm

It's arrived and I'm very pleased. Good handover from the dealer and an apology from the dealer principal for the problems/lack of communication; full tank of petrol as a goodwill gesture. Real sense of occasion when they pull off the cover and then drive it out round a mini off-road cone with a sign saying "Not suitable for BMW X1 or Volvo XC90", so a sense of humour there. All fine.

Lots to like about the car; very pleased I changed to Firenze Red, made possible by the production delays and I like the all black above the waistline and interior including the headlining black mats and black contrast roof. Looking out of my study window, it looks great with the sun catching the quite high level of metallic dosing.

I know Prestige fans like the leather but I like the Dynamic material - looks hard-wearing and fit for purpose and while the seat leather may not be the softest ever to caress my back-side, it too looks like it will stand up to daily wear and tear and there is none of the sagginess which we have seen on some of the Prestige leather. Individual rear seats emphasise the more sporting nature of the car, though may not be for everyone. Seats comfortable, just right driving position, great visibility out front, makes a change from staring up people's exhaust pipes.

Toys are fine, work as expected, intuitive and sat nav home took me on my preferred route. Standard Meridian audio is fab and I was soon enjoying Adele's "Roling in the Deep". Bluetooth integration to iPhone 4S fine. Surround camera system is going to be a real boon when parking, need to find somewhere to practice so as not to embarrass myself by making a mess of things.

Most important thing for me though is how does it drive? The combination of the Si4 engine, the Sport gearbox mode and Dynamic chassis mode give it real sporting pretentions but compared to the more overtly sporting cars I have (for example, the Subaru Impreza WRX and Porsche 997.2 turbo), it is a little soft and roly-poly.

First, the ride on 20" wheels with Continentals and Adaptive Damping is first class, even in Dynamic Mode. Much more comfortable than those other cars, maybe even a bit floaty. Anyone worried that the car has crashing suspension in this configuration needn't be.

Then it's quiet, to the point you end up travelling much faster than you thought and I realise the noise in the car is an important cue to how fast you are travelling. I need to recalibrate my senses.

Acceleration off the line is fine but you need a decent prod of the throttle. There is a sense of disconnectedness between the throttle and resulting speed, reminiscent of a slush box auto and I think they should lock up the torque converter at lower RPM. Overtaking is fine, helped by using the paddles to get into the right gear/rev range before starting, just as you would in a manual.

Cornering is fine but not very flat, not helped by the tall stance of the car so I need to get used to the roll in this car which might unsettle passengers with spirited driving. The steering is a bit dull and lifeless, almost over-servoed and I would prefer it to be a little heavier in Dynamic mode.

Brakes are first class, progressive stopping power.

Build, fit and finish, paint are all fine. People complain about the glove box lid, I think it's fine, only concern so far is the rear back-rest levers which do seem a bit flimsy.

So, lots to apppeal to this driver enthusiast. The whole form factor is wonderful and the execution very good. I can't imagine anyone being seriously disappointed with this car and I come from a quite critical starting point. Overall, I'm absolutely delighted. This car and I are going to become best chums and go lots of interesting places together.

For those of you who face a long wait, believe me, it is worth it.

Room for improvement? I'm hoping the 23.2 MPG on the 39 mile trip home is going to get better!

I'll post some pictures when I get the chance.