I will post some pics later, it needs a clean, because its been "bug'ed" and looks a mess.
I have been pottling around in it all day, clocking up 200 miles with a stop for lunch with my g/f. Its still got half a tank of fuel, so hopefully is going to be better on fuel than my old Focus ST170 which was a 2 litre.
I can say is I am really pleased, the handling is sweet with less body roll than the ST, the pull in 6th gear is better (it shares the same gearbox, less different ratios) but its seems more slick. The lower down grunt is impressive, and pulls effortlessly without having to redline it, I was changing up at 3k rpm.
After a few hours sat in it, it felt very comfortable, which has a rest for your left foot, something the ST did not have either.
Its plugged full with kit with an onboard computer, after market HU, which plays some impressive slick bass tones. Little things like you can unlock the car doors, and hold down the button, which then retracts the windows too. When you open the door the windows slightly retract then go back up when you close the door with a nice discerning clunk. The interior is well laid out, bu the centre speedo is a bit redundant, so i switched to the digi speed on the rev counter.
The noise mixed in from the charger and exhaust make for a nice combination, and you can hear the rumble from the exhaust as you change gear. Road noise is even down from the focus, and also is rattle free.
Bad points, cosmectically, they have not touched up a stone chip on the bonnet, which they will do next week, and I have noticed an impact mark on the front bumper.
Put the dealer as promised replaced all the 17" curbed alloys from another cooper s.
So it gets a big thumbs up from me, I am well cuffed, with my purchase, a good replacement for the ST which seems very old in comparison, and has a more raw approach to it, with noisy engine, dated interior but it will be missed.
I will get some pictures soon.
