Getting pretty excited now! Any requests for questions/checks/photos taken, but be quick!

When i spoke to the dealer to make sure the cars were in he sounded euphoric! 'OH...they are in'!

Hope the missus catches the bug, and understands why i have been thinking about the 8 every 7 seconds for 5 months!

I promise not to be gentle with it!

Please comment on gearing ratio and lack of torque if any. Confirm that if 'driven' it is as fast as the next sports. Also quality of interior.

Lucky bastard :D

rael

Find a roundabout, see if there is any/much body flex?

This is the only 'performance' worry I have.

Oh and see if it realy does 68mph at the rev limiter in 2nd ? :)

Come on - where is the review????

I believe he just kept going and is halfway to moscow by now ;)

lol, if he could afford that much fuel why hasnt he bought an AM?

:)

Originally posted by Goose
:)

Well its more informative than Autocar!

Short and sweet.;)

I have now vowed to stop moaning, as it is worth the wait!

The car I drove was a silver, high power, with leather and nav. In the showroom they had the most beautiful car in the world, a red one, with red/black leather!

For all you red lovers, you have made the right choice! The silver did not look anywhere near as nice to me, but hey - that's why I ordered the red! In the words of Dr Evil, the red looks "One Million Dollars"!

The first thing I did was chuck my golf clubs in the boot. Now in my Golf I had to take out the woods to fit them in, but the 8’s boot is nice and wide so they fit in no problem! Very important point for me, excellent start!

I got there early so I could have a look around the show model first, but my dealer said we could get straight off - 45minute test drive! I was on a roll!

Next I asked if there was a set route for the test drive, he said "take it where you like, as long as it’s back by 1:15"! So I took it on a great loop of fast country roads just south of York.

Driving out of the town centre, low speed, low revs, torque was a non issue. As the speed builds I felt I ought to change gear, but the thing is just so damn flexible. I think 3rd gear is like putting it in auto mode. You could leave there all day long! As I came out over the ring road and got in my lane a TT pulled next to me, he couldn't take his eyes of it. I could almost feel his world come crashing down, he knew some of the shine had just disappeared from his car.

I turned off onto the country lane, THE NOISE!!!!! Never driven a rotary before, I think some of the noise descriptions are not doing it justice, it's like a motorbike! I left the window down so I could hear it. I did not notice what speed I was doing when I changed to third (sorry), I found myself concentrating too hard on the driving. It feels very sensitive, precise, on the steering, I did not find the ride at all sloppy. I'd say they have done a damn fine job. There is a little roll, but then it digs in and gives you the confidence to bury the throttle. I never heard the beep once, probably because I had the window down.

I would say that for those wanting 'kick in the back' acceleration you may be a little disappointed. Sure it's fast, but it doesn't feel it. 3 figures came up in no time, I was passing people with ease, it was fun, but it didn't 'feel' fast. I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all, just unusual. Soooo smooth though. One strange thing - there were some tight hairpin bends which I used engine braking on, it seemed to chirp the tyres every time?! I wasn't dropping to second at 60 or anything, weird, should this not be done on rotaries?

I tested the stereo with some Norah Jones and 50 Cent, not bad, crisp, clear not at all boomy, will no doubt benefit from a little time spent setting it up though. The leather seats were very adjustable and comfortable. I don't think anyone will not be able to get comfy, and didn't find myself sliding around at all (even though I'm quite slim). I'm 6’1” and had a couple off inches clear below the moonroof.

My wife thought it was 'nice'!!! She said she definitely preferred the red.

Then she went sniffing round the MX-5's!

Women…..will we ever understand them?!


Overall I have one possible complaint – the picture is very low quality! But I have vowed not to moan any more haven't I!

On my testdrive I was told that because it is a rotary there is no engine braking!?! Being a rotary virgin I didn't question the statement but is this correct?

Nice review, I agree about the Red, pictures REALLY don't do it justice.

About the chirping of tires, you shouldn't be downshifting going into a corner with engine braking it throws the balance off too much, use the brakes and then rev match and downshift and lay some rubber down on the way out :)

Andy that is untrue, I do it everyday on my way to work, it slows you down, maybe not as much as a piston though.

Great review. Good point as I use engine braking a lot when high reving. I imagine that this because the car revs so freely and with the foot off the gas there is not great momentum for the revs to fall as fast. But probably this can be descibed a liitle more scientifically!

rael

I love the 'His world came crashing down' :)

Sweeeeeet. ! ! !

Great review Goose, glad you are pleased.

In the showroom they had the most beautiful car in the world, a red one, with red/black leather!

Totally agree with that one, it is stunning :D

Love the TT quote as well :)

I'm test driving a Red one in a couple of weeks and am looking forward so seeing the red leather in the flesh.

Mark

If there is no significant engine braking, could the "chirping" of the tyres be the DSC kicking in ?


AnilS.

Could it be the RPM buzzer?

Definately tyres, was braking on the straight before turn in, car balanced, revs circa 6-8k. Did it twice. Salesman confirmed that it was engine braking. Never had tyres squealing before from doing this!

It was a fantastic view, looking out over that swooping bonnet

:)

Can't wait for my drive after reading this. Only a week to go. Got all the lovely backroads near Dorking to go hooning down. Wonder if the dealer would object to me rigging up my camcorder mount to the window... :D


-andy-