I looked at VXX this morning with a pang of guilt. The poor thing has not seen a bucket and sponge for about a month, I drive it hard every day on my commute from SW London to the PH office and it's telling me that it needs a service in a few thousand miles.
Running- in, on the way home from Le Mans
It got me thinking of the good times we shared and, considering my home is around eight miles away from the office, we have managed to rack up around 1,600 miles per month since delivery in July 07. That's a lot of good times.
Our time together started with Le Mans, where the obligatory stickering-up ceremony happened on the very same day that the car arrived. The next day I drove to Le Mans - one day earlier than the rest of the PH team to set things up - what better way to get to know a car than sit in it for a few hours, on your own trying everything and hooning with other cars heading down for the race? I knew from then on that it was a nicer car to drive than my previous Boxster S, giving new confidence in my abilities - an opinion that always causes debate. I also split opinion when I tried a Z4MC for a week and concluded that I preferred the 3.0, but let’s leave that one alone....for now.
Sunning itself at Virginia Water
VXX and I have done many PH meets since then, including a few tunnel runs and the odd Sunday Service, but this car makes me do something that I haven't done in a long time. It makes me take the long way home, it makes me want to drive to the Surrey countryside just for the hell of it, it makes me want to drive without the stereo on - just so that I can listen to the fantastic engine note and above all else I still enjoy looking at it from my living room window.
So what’s wrong with it then? My girlfriend will tell you that it's not got enough space for shopping or luggage- but she does take a suitcase larger than my flat for a weekend away. She will also tell you that it's quite hard to get in and out of. So that’s the woman’s perspective done then!
For me, it rattles far too much for a car that, while not ridiculously expensive, certainly can’t be classed as cheap. It also likes to break traction a bit too easily and while that’s fun for the vast majority of the time it can be tiring if you just want to relax a little when driving. Some complain of a hard ride, personally I don't have an issue with that as it makes the car feel more alive, but I know what they mean as it does pick up every little imperfection in the road. Oh, and it seems to want to be a Volvo as the automatic headlights function simply puts the headlights on all of the time no matter what the conditions are. I always wondered why BMW drivers have their xenons blazing on a sunny day - now I know.
Early morning noise making
So why did I feel guilty this morning? Well, VXX does everything I ask of it without complaint so you just get used to driving it and that's it. It sits there and takes the abuse without breaking down or feeling fragile, it has even given me an average of 25.1 mpg since the day I picked it up - that’s not bad in my book. But is that the problem? With the Porsche I used to clean it every weekend, check that it had enough Mobil 1 to drink, had an elaborate warming up procedure on cold mornings and with the flat six behind your ears, driving it always felt like an occasion....even though it was 'only' a Boxster.
I'd say that I drive harder in the Z, it certainly feels more forgiving than my Box, whereas the Z gives me confidence to take corners faster, I always felt the Porsche was going to catch me out if I wasn't careful. That sums up my attitude to the Z. It’s very efficient, it's a fantastic drive, it does everything that a sports car should do but it just lacks a sense of occasion, it misses a bit of soul. It's like a fantastic dinner party, with fine food and drink, great company, superb music and pleasant surroundings, all in all a thoroughly enjoyable experience. But sometimes I want a bit of danger, a bit of excitement and a touch of uncertainty in my nights out. It keeps you interested and makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, sometimes I want a bit of rough.
No question, the Z is the perfect sports car, a master class in German efficiency but maybe it’s just a bit too perfect, was I wrong about that M version?
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