48 hours with my R36 - First Impressions

[reverseworm]

Picked up the R36 yesterday morning and after a half hour induction from the dealer regarding all the bells and whistles, I was on my way.

I have since done 200kms and think I am in a position to convey my initial thoughts of the car.

I read an article once that described this car as "Mike Tyson in a business suit' and after spending two days with it, I think it is quite an accurate description.

Interior

This car has all the fruit you would ever want - heated seats, auto hold, auto mirrors that adjust when reversing, rain sensing wipers, auto headlights, stacks of storage compartments, cooled glovebox, clever remote key that closes the windows when you lock the car, arrive home lights, trip computer and so on, and so on. I must say that I am still discovering little touches here and there that simply add to the enjoyment of this car.

The seats are wonderful - it's been said before, but they truly are some of the best seats you will find. Supportive, comfortable and adjustable. Lovely.

The steering wheel is superb - nice and chunky and finished in flawless, tactile leather that reminds you that you are in a special car.

Instruments are well laid out and clear and the colour is bright and distinctive. The multi-function display between the speedo and tacho is also great. I reckon if you spent some time fiddling around with it, it would tell you the winner of the NAB cup grand final (Collingwood in case you were wondering). Its all there - temperature, average consumption, real time consumption, compass, even the name of the street you are driving on!

I bought the wagon and I can say that the cargo space is enormous. The rear seats fold flat so you have about as much room as a ute back there.

Couple of things I dont like and these are quite minor in the grand scheme of things - the ignition is a bit gimicky. There is no reason to have a push start key and it turns out to be a bit clumsy I feel. It really adds nothing. The temperature control dials I think feel cheap and flimsy. They really should be made of a higher quality plastic, or better still, brushed aluminum. I miss the ability to change radio stations from the steering wheel controls - I spend alot of time flicking between stations, and to do this in the R36 requires you to take your eyes off the road and look at the console mounted display. That's all. Nothing else to complain about - not bad.

Exterior

I got the Icelandic Grey colour and it is a cross between gun metal grey and sort of ice blue - looks really nice and can change quite a lot depending on the light. The finish on the car is superb and typical of a euro built car. The wagon is sleek and squat to look like and has a menacing presence about it that screams "drive me!" rather than family wagon. A very good looking car indeed. The 18' wheels along with the chrome and aluminum trim really is a classy touch and suggests a hint of prestige. You know instantly this is not a toyota.

The Drive

This is the Mike Tyson bit. Still running in obviously, but the dealer did say to drive it hard

At one level the R36 feels like a biggish car - solid, stable and planted but it exhibits very little body roll and off the line and through the gears, this thing has got some serious mumbo. The 4wd, DSG and output combined means that at the lights there are few cars that will trouble it. It is very quick. The sound of the V6 is quite addictive I must say and you find yourself kicking down a gear, just to hear the engine under load. A superb, muted growl that means business. I cant wait to hear it in a tunnel or car park.

I have heard the steering of the R36 be criticised for being 'disconnected' or lacking feel and I can understand this. Coming from an RX8 which is probably the best handling car I have driven, the steering feel on the R36 is perhaps a little 'remote'. This is no bad thing though - remembering that this still is a 1700kg wagon with a sporting ability rather than a sporting purpose, the ride, steering and overall drive is one of smoothness and comfort - not hard edged, white knuckle stuff. I am happy with the driving experience and you could do a 1000kms in this thing and be as fresh as a daisy at the end of it.

The engine has plenty of torque low down and the DSG shifts with lightning speed that still amazes me. This is the first non-manual car I have owned and I remember vowing never to buy and auto - and I still havent. This is a remarkable gearbox. Fast, intuitive and smooth - an absolute delight to hear it work. I say hear it, because you would be hard pressed to feel it - it is that smooth. An engineering marvel.

For a big car this thing has some grip. Through the wonderful roads in the Yarra Valley in Victoria, the handling of the R36 really shone. I think the handling characteristics are best described as neutral with a slight forward push. Never a hint of understeer but you can appreciate that at the limit, that is quite possible. The 4wd system is sensational and I find it very difficult to determine which wheels the drive is coming from. Some may say that is boring, but for the intended purpose of this car, I think it is entirely appropriate.

I have heard it said also that the R36 is faster than it feels and I can completely confirm this. One minute you are happily accelerating through a bend that has a recommended speed of 70kph and a glance at the speedo reveals you are approaching 120 - all without any hint from the car that you are in any way pushing it. This is a licence destroying machine.

Overall I could not be happier with this car, and for the money (whilst $70k is not a small sum) it represents exceptional value. It is extremely practical and user friendly, but also has the ability to push you back in the seat like the terminator and go through the twisties like a car half its size.

I will post some more impressions as I put the kms on, but so far, sensational!

Sorry about the size of the pics - wouldnt let me post them any bigger

[Cro]

Congrats

You can change radio stations using the steering wheel controls.
Just scroll through the Mini MFD till you get to the radio station view using the steering wheel buttons. Then use the up and down arrows to scroll through all tuned stations.

If you like, you can adjust the settings so it scrolls through stations in the memory.

[reverseworm]

hey thanks for that - another example of all the little things I am yet to learn about the car!

[vwevo]

Great early review worm.

Would love to get your thoughts after a couple of weeks behind the wheel.

Hoping my sedan is delivered next month.

[Cletus]

Had my r36 wagon for just on three weeks now. Never before have I enjoyed driving a car so much. Living in the Royal National Park south of Sydney, the car is perfectly suited to the winding roads I travel to work each day. Unfortunately the other half, who took a lot of convincing about spending near on $70K for a car, seems to be driving it more than me.

[KI11Z]

wow, such a nice vehicle mate! congrats

[Autopia]

Great review. You've succeeded in making me even more impatient to get my wagon.

[Umai Naa!!]

Good write-up, indeed.

In regards to the steering feel, suspension gurus Whiteline Suspension, have adjusted the position of the front crossmember on their TDI Passat demo car for more positive castor. It's easily done, as the bolt holes do allow for some tolerance. It's not overly noticable, but it's a difference nonetheless.

[Steve]

Compared to the numb steering feel of Dad's Q7, my R36 is brilliant.