Vauxhall Adam S
Discussion
So this reader's rides post is not the most obvious Pistonheads car and also isn't actually my car belonging as it does to my girlfriend.
However, I thought it was worth a share as if you'd told me before we test drove an Adam S, and then bought one, that I'd think it was as good as I do, I think I'd have laughed.
So this is it - it's a 16 reg Vauxhall Adam S in Saturday White Fever with a Black Jack roof (I know) that had a grand total of 100 miles on the clock when we picked it up a few weeks ago.
The main option it has is these:-
These seats truly are epic and really elevate the driving experience.
This is the heart of the little beast, all 1.4 litres and tiny turbo of it:-
And this is a dyno graph (not of this actual car but another standard Adam S) suggesting they make just a little more than the 148hp quoted:-
The dyno graph also explains the driving characteristics as, while it's a little turbo'd engine, it definitely enjoys being revved. It also seems to have just the right amount of power and torque to allow you to enjoy all of it on the road without finding yourself about to get in a lot of trouble.
The wheels are 18's with 225/35/18 Continental Sport Contact 5's and so it definitely doesn't lack for grip. The suspension is also very well judged in my opinion, being definitely on the firm side but not crashy. Combined with the square stance, tyres and relatively modest power and torque outputs it really does give it a prodigious amount of grip and a really playful handling feel. The proverbial go kart to use the cliche.
The brakes are also very impressive having decent feel, not being too over servoed and being of a size to mean that, at least on the road, fade isn't really an issue and is never likely to be.
The interior is also a very nice place to be with plenty of toys, decent quality materials, a nice stereo and speaker set up and, as of yet, not a single rattle or squeak to be heard.
The steering is maybe the weakest link as while it's very responsive it lacks any real feel (although this is a criticism that I feel can be directed at most new cars).
So, there you go. Not an obvious Pistonheads car but I can honestly say an absolute pleasure to drive (like a puppy in small car form) and definitely a car that has massively surpassed my expectations and has me pinching the keys from the girlfriend and taking the long route when we need some 'milk'.
However, I thought it was worth a share as if you'd told me before we test drove an Adam S, and then bought one, that I'd think it was as good as I do, I think I'd have laughed.
So this is it - it's a 16 reg Vauxhall Adam S in Saturday White Fever with a Black Jack roof (I know) that had a grand total of 100 miles on the clock when we picked it up a few weeks ago.
The main option it has is these:-
These seats truly are epic and really elevate the driving experience.
This is the heart of the little beast, all 1.4 litres and tiny turbo of it:-
And this is a dyno graph (not of this actual car but another standard Adam S) suggesting they make just a little more than the 148hp quoted:-
The dyno graph also explains the driving characteristics as, while it's a little turbo'd engine, it definitely enjoys being revved. It also seems to have just the right amount of power and torque to allow you to enjoy all of it on the road without finding yourself about to get in a lot of trouble.
The wheels are 18's with 225/35/18 Continental Sport Contact 5's and so it definitely doesn't lack for grip. The suspension is also very well judged in my opinion, being definitely on the firm side but not crashy. Combined with the square stance, tyres and relatively modest power and torque outputs it really does give it a prodigious amount of grip and a really playful handling feel. The proverbial go kart to use the cliche.
The brakes are also very impressive having decent feel, not being too over servoed and being of a size to mean that, at least on the road, fade isn't really an issue and is never likely to be.
The interior is also a very nice place to be with plenty of toys, decent quality materials, a nice stereo and speaker set up and, as of yet, not a single rattle or squeak to be heard.
The steering is maybe the weakest link as while it's very responsive it lacks any real feel (although this is a criticism that I feel can be directed at most new cars).
So, there you go. Not an obvious Pistonheads car but I can honestly say an absolute pleasure to drive (like a puppy in small car form) and definitely a car that has massively surpassed my expectations and has me pinching the keys from the girlfriend and taking the long route when we need some 'milk'.
Edited by DeaconFrost on Wednesday 12th July 20:17
Jimmy Recard said:
Interesting this pops up this week - my brother's girlfriend's sister was saying that she likes the look of them so I looked it up and thought they look like a cool little car, but they really need the Recaro option you have in yours.
I'd definitely agree. The recaro's not only look great, they're really comfortable and really enhance the fun and feel of driving the car.
stewies_minion said:
I'm intensely anti Vauxhall but that looks a right little giggle.
Me too, but I had one of these as a rental in the French Alps and actually thought it was pretty great (especially as it was a free upgrade from a fiat 500!)Recaros were awesome, it looked cool in dark met blue, and the handling was pretty good even over broken alpine passes.
Criticisms were that I didn't think the engine really liked being revved, although maybe I'm being spoiled by M Power, and I could not figure out how to get the cruise to work! Connecting phone to the car seemed very haphazard too.
These were expensive new I think but would probably be worth getting a nearly new one for a decent discount.
EDIT: looking at the dyno plot it does look like the turbo is all out of puff by 5500 rpm? I'd agree with that from my experience. Would be interesting to see what a remap could do but maybe it needs a bigger turbo?
Edited by shalmaneser on Thursday 13th July 09:16
I haven't seen one of these on the road for a while, considering how new they are it seems unusual.
But I saw a couple at the weekend, I think that Vauxhall got it right when they gave the buyers all the choices they could want in colour combinations at a low cost, it works on them and only sometimes online you see them in the "wrong" shades but that's just taste.
No good for me though, I tried to get in one and it was not a comfortable experience for me, or for those watching me try to get in and out!
But I saw a couple at the weekend, I think that Vauxhall got it right when they gave the buyers all the choices they could want in colour combinations at a low cost, it works on them and only sometimes online you see them in the "wrong" shades but that's just taste.
No good for me though, I tried to get in one and it was not a comfortable experience for me, or for those watching me try to get in and out!
shalmaneser said:
Me too, but I had one of these as a rental in the French Alps and actually thought it was pretty great (especially as it was a free upgrade from a fiat 500!)
Recaros were awesome, it looked cool in dark met blue, and the handling was pretty good even over broken alpine passes.
Criticisms were that I didn't think the engine really liked being revved, although maybe I'm being spoiled by M Power, and I could not figure out how to get the cruise to work! Connecting phone to the car seemed very haphazard too.
These were expensive new I think but would probably be worth getting a nearly new one for a decent discount.
EDIT: looking at the dyno plot it does look like the turbo is all out of puff by 5500 rpm? I'd agree with that from my experience. Would be interesting to see what a remap could do but maybe it needs a bigger turbo?
The redline kicks in just after 6k rpm so I guess that's why the power is dying off around 5.5k rpm maybe?Recaros were awesome, it looked cool in dark met blue, and the handling was pretty good even over broken alpine passes.
Criticisms were that I didn't think the engine really liked being revved, although maybe I'm being spoiled by M Power, and I could not figure out how to get the cruise to work! Connecting phone to the car seemed very haphazard too.
These were expensive new I think but would probably be worth getting a nearly new one for a decent discount.
EDIT: looking at the dyno plot it does look like the turbo is all out of puff by 5500 rpm? I'd agree with that from my experience. Would be interesting to see what a remap could do but maybe it needs a bigger turbo?
Edited by shalmaneser on Thursday 13th July 09:16
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