Discussion
On the way to collect my V12V S manual from AM Works I enjoyed my last drive in the V12V I have had for a year. I got to thinking so... just how different can it be and does it really get any better than this?
Turns out quit a bit and emphatically YES
Outside it looks the same at a distance but the lightweight wheels and different bonnet louvres and grill make it look more aggressive. Inside the new centre console and the coloured accents in the seats and door cards work well to lift the interior. I even like the piano black door pulls.
Start her up and it sounds different to the V12V, slightly higher frequency note and a bit sharper. Driving position etc has not changed and with the lightweight seats is just about perfect, for me at at any rate and and I am 6'2" .The Dog leg first gear takes a second thought the first few times you use it especially as its down, seems to me like up is more intuitive with reverse being down? Clutch is lighter and not what I expected to contain so much torque.Gearbox is a delight after the V12V six speed. Shifts are easier, lighter and quicker. Yes you have to be precise as the gate is pretty close but not an issue for me. The gear position on the dash is a nice feature too. Bearing in mind the engine only has 54 miles on it (Well it did yesterday, its got quite a few more already) it pulls like a train from low revs and is beginning to hint at the massive power available at the higher reaches of the RPM range.
The Sport button needs to be the default setting, if you want normal buy a Fiesta. Adaptive dampers are good, normal setting is softer that the V12V and Sport is firmer, not got to Trac yet
Exhaust note is fantastic and in Sport mode is more urgent that the old car.
AMShift is excellent, the downshift rev matching works superbly, flat upshifts work well too but I can only see them being a benefit on the track where it would help to keep the car stable especially when shifting and turning at the same time. It also makes a wonderful 'crack' from the exhaust as the ignition is cut and re enabled.
So overall with 200 miles done I am mightily impressed, its got all the best bits of the original V12 then more best bits added.
I am loving it, its been a long long time since I last got up at 5:30 just to hoon around in a car
Turns out quit a bit and emphatically YES
Outside it looks the same at a distance but the lightweight wheels and different bonnet louvres and grill make it look more aggressive. Inside the new centre console and the coloured accents in the seats and door cards work well to lift the interior. I even like the piano black door pulls.
Start her up and it sounds different to the V12V, slightly higher frequency note and a bit sharper. Driving position etc has not changed and with the lightweight seats is just about perfect, for me at at any rate and and I am 6'2" .The Dog leg first gear takes a second thought the first few times you use it especially as its down, seems to me like up is more intuitive with reverse being down? Clutch is lighter and not what I expected to contain so much torque.Gearbox is a delight after the V12V six speed. Shifts are easier, lighter and quicker. Yes you have to be precise as the gate is pretty close but not an issue for me. The gear position on the dash is a nice feature too. Bearing in mind the engine only has 54 miles on it (Well it did yesterday, its got quite a few more already) it pulls like a train from low revs and is beginning to hint at the massive power available at the higher reaches of the RPM range.
The Sport button needs to be the default setting, if you want normal buy a Fiesta. Adaptive dampers are good, normal setting is softer that the V12V and Sport is firmer, not got to Trac yet
Exhaust note is fantastic and in Sport mode is more urgent that the old car.
AMShift is excellent, the downshift rev matching works superbly, flat upshifts work well too but I can only see them being a benefit on the track where it would help to keep the car stable especially when shifting and turning at the same time. It also makes a wonderful 'crack' from the exhaust as the ignition is cut and re enabled.
So overall with 200 miles done I am mightily impressed, its got all the best bits of the original V12 then more best bits added.
I am loving it, its been a long long time since I last got up at 5:30 just to hoon around in a car
Edited by Simon T on Friday 14th April 09:33
Edited by Simon T on Friday 14th April 09:37
k were they.....?Simon T said:
On the way to collect my V12V S manual from AM Works I enjoyed my last drive in the V12V I have had for a year. I got to thinking so... just how different can it be and does it really get any better than this?
Turns out quit a bit and emphatically YES
Outside it looks the same at a distance but the lightweight wheels and different bonnet louvres and grill make it look more aggressive. Inside the new centre console and the coloured accents in the seats and door cards work well to lift the interior. I even like the piano black door pulls.
Start her up and it sounds different to the V12V, slightly higher frequency note and a bit sharper. Driving position etc has not changed and with the lightweight seats is just about perfect, for me at at any rate and and I am 6'2" .The Dog leg first gear takes a second thought the first few times you use it especially as its down, seems to me like up is more intuitive with reverse being down? Clutch is lighter and not what I expected to contain so much torque.Gearbox is a delight after the V12V six speed. Shifts are easier, lighter and quicker. Yes you have to be precise as the gate is pretty close but not an issue for me. The gear position on the dash is a nice feature too. Bearing in mind the engine only has 54 miles on it (Well it did yesterday, its got quite a few more already) it pulls like a train from low revs and is beginning to hint at the massive power available at the higher reaches of the RPM range.
The Sport button needs to be the default setting, if you want normal buy a Fiesta. Adaptive dampers are good, normal setting is softer that the V12V and Sport is firmer, not got to Trac yet
Exhaust note is fantastic and in Sport mode is more urgent that the old car.
AMShift is excellent, the downshift rev matching works superbly, flat upshifts work well too but I can only see them being a benefit on the track where it would help to keep the car stable especially when shifting and turning at the same time. It also makes a wonderful 'crack' from the exhaust as the ignition is cut and re enabled.
So overall with 200 miles done I am mightily impressed, its got all the best bits of the original V12 then more best bits added.
I am loving it, its been a long long time since I last got up at 5:30 just to hoon around in a car
Very nice. I drove one a while back but I didn't enjoy the regular seats. Carbon fibre seats are much more in keeping with the nature of the beast. But the expensive coffee people at WS have not found what I am looking for...Turns out quit a bit and emphatically YES
Outside it looks the same at a distance but the lightweight wheels and different bonnet louvres and grill make it look more aggressive. Inside the new centre console and the coloured accents in the seats and door cards work well to lift the interior. I even like the piano black door pulls.
Start her up and it sounds different to the V12V, slightly higher frequency note and a bit sharper. Driving position etc has not changed and with the lightweight seats is just about perfect, for me at at any rate and and I am 6'2" .The Dog leg first gear takes a second thought the first few times you use it especially as its down, seems to me like up is more intuitive with reverse being down? Clutch is lighter and not what I expected to contain so much torque.Gearbox is a delight after the V12V six speed. Shifts are easier, lighter and quicker. Yes you have to be precise as the gate is pretty close but not an issue for me. The gear position on the dash is a nice feature too. Bearing in mind the engine only has 54 miles on it (Well it did yesterday, its got quite a few more already) it pulls like a train from low revs and is beginning to hint at the massive power available at the higher reaches of the RPM range.
The Sport button needs to be the default setting, if you want normal buy a Fiesta. Adaptive dampers are good, normal setting is softer that the V12V and Sport is firmer, not got to Trac yet
Exhaust note is fantastic and in Sport mode is more urgent that the old car.
AMShift is excellent, the downshift rev matching works superbly, flat upshifts work well too but I can only see them being a benefit on the track where it would help to keep the car stable especially when shifting and turning at the same time. It also makes a wonderful 'crack' from the exhaust as the ignition is cut and re enabled.
So overall with 200 miles done I am mightily impressed, its got all the best bits of the original V12 then more best bits added.
I am loving it, its been a long long time since I last got up at 5:30 just to hoon around in a car
Edited by Simon T on Friday 14th April 09:37
If you fancy a co-pilot, just to assist my research, that would be most kind :-)
Quarterly said:
Do you tend to drive it in the rev matching mode all the time? (for ease and to enjoy the blips) or do you prefer to drive as normal mode?
Well for 170 miles it's done so far AMShift is on. Got used to heel and toeing so will neeed to see if it can cope with me forgetting and doing it myself sometimes if so this would be the best solution because it seems much easier on the gear box than not doing it
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