Yes folks, Bifta's car has finally arrived, nearly 10 months to the day from the first time I walked into a showroom, drove one, and said "I have to have one of these"!
Car delivered to the house last Wednesday lunchtime, then driven into work – a very nervous first drive, made even more so by some clown running a red light as I was turning right across a main road. Thankful for that first gear surge!
So, general thoughts. Comfort is first class, lovely driving position, and a cockpit (there’s the Saab background talking!) that feels shaped to the driver – everything in reach and logically placed. The interface is straightforward and intuitive, keeping the ambient temperature right is so easy. I'm not after rocket science in my cars - I just want comfort and everything 'just so'. I've got in spades here.
Looks - well, what can you say? As it rolled off the delivery wagon my expectations were confirmed, then exceeded. It is a beautiful car. I pull the curtains in the morning and look out at it with pleasure and pride, and steal glances at it all through the day. It demands to be looked at and admired. And it turns heads – not just because of the DRLs. People at work can’t get enough of it!
Performance is effortless, absolutely effortless. It’s all there on tap from zero revs and up past the redline. Round town, on the motorway, A-roads, overtaking – everything the car does conveys the sense that it’s ready to surge forward, but doesn’t need to break sweat (I know, I’m anthropomorphising here!).
It’s noticeable how my driving style has changed in reaction to the car. Previous vehicle was a Saab 9-3 TiD 150 bhp, a good car, but which needed to be driven pretty hard to keep the revs on tap and ready for acceleration. With the A5, I know the acceleration is always there, whatever revs I’m running. So from a punchy and somewhat aggressive driving style I’m now much more relaxed. And because the power is there, and there’s so damn much of it, I often as not sit at the lights and just think – I don’t need to try and beat someone off the lights. I could, because I’m in this car. And because I could, I don’t need to.
I can’t see myself ever driving another car. It is truly fantastic.
Pics will follow when I can bring myself to go outside and take pictures, rather than gaze lovingly at the damn thing
And hey, I can now change my signature too!
Car delivered to the house last Wednesday lunchtime, then driven into work – a very nervous first drive, made even more so by some clown running a red light as I was turning right across a main road. Thankful for that first gear surge!
So, general thoughts. Comfort is first class, lovely driving position, and a cockpit (there’s the Saab background talking!) that feels shaped to the driver – everything in reach and logically placed. The interface is straightforward and intuitive, keeping the ambient temperature right is so easy. I'm not after rocket science in my cars - I just want comfort and everything 'just so'. I've got in spades here.
Looks - well, what can you say? As it rolled off the delivery wagon my expectations were confirmed, then exceeded. It is a beautiful car. I pull the curtains in the morning and look out at it with pleasure and pride, and steal glances at it all through the day. It demands to be looked at and admired. And it turns heads – not just because of the DRLs. People at work can’t get enough of it!
Performance is effortless, absolutely effortless. It’s all there on tap from zero revs and up past the redline. Round town, on the motorway, A-roads, overtaking – everything the car does conveys the sense that it’s ready to surge forward, but doesn’t need to break sweat (I know, I’m anthropomorphising here!).
It’s noticeable how my driving style has changed in reaction to the car. Previous vehicle was a Saab 9-3 TiD 150 bhp, a good car, but which needed to be driven pretty hard to keep the revs on tap and ready for acceleration. With the A5, I know the acceleration is always there, whatever revs I’m running. So from a punchy and somewhat aggressive driving style I’m now much more relaxed. And because the power is there, and there’s so damn much of it, I often as not sit at the lights and just think – I don’t need to try and beat someone off the lights. I could, because I’m in this car. And because I could, I don’t need to.
I can’t see myself ever driving another car. It is truly fantastic.
Pics will follow when I can bring myself to go outside and take pictures, rather than gaze lovingly at the damn thing
And hey, I can now change my signature too!
