Go on - give us the details
Gladly! I'm not one of those pushy Yanks, so I tend to not bother others...
First, it looks far better in person than in print or on line. It has a rightness of proportion and a balance, and the black wire wheels and mud guards...which I previously thought had an 'unfinished' look are downright sexy, the way they hug the tread, the proportion of them to the wheel as a whole. I love cars with curves, and this whole car is just one big, accentuated curve. I love proportion and balance, very few cars today have either, nevertheless both.
Ok, the drive. As a disclaimer, my frame of reference is the '89 Alfa Spider I've loved and modified over the past 26 years. So, 'Being out in the open' and "Noise" aren't so novel for me, but merely an expectation, not to be distracted by.
The first thing is the motor. Speaking of frames of reference, unless your garage also houses a motorbike, there's nothing that can prepare for the experience of sitting in a close cockpit with a MX 5 5 speed box and a round steering wheel, and being thrown down the road by a V Twin. It is instantaneously torquey and remains so throughout the range and gives off an absolutely intoxicating bark....not like our Harley's which are loud but crude, but rather refined. Some have spoken about modifying the exhaust for more growl, but not at the expense of hearing that glorious sound from the front! And, it pulls into the the ne'er reaches of RPM's, I don't think I got it out of third gear. Not that I needed to, the enjoyment factor began as soon as we were underway, I had more fun at 40mph than I've had lapping Nurburgring in a Turbo Porsche at 150.
Lots have talked about the vibration, which wasn't such an issue for me, the ride was surprisingly compliant, the steering light, direct and positive. The fit and finish was excellent, and it had that undefinable yet clearly recognizable expensive feel. It had a heft and substance that belies it's weight and size.
A thoroughly exhilarating experience. The most unique and the purest motoring experience I think I've ever had. The Ultimate Driving Machine.
The down side to all this is that the as delivered price here in the Colonies is about GBP 5000 higher (including the absurd 1500 Rest of World charge), which given the current occupants of both my garage and home make it just a bit of a reach right now.
Unless someone wants my extra fine '84 XJ6...
