Sagaris - 1st drive
Discussion
After over a year of waiting I finally drove a Sagaris today. I couldn't quite beleive it after 15 months of obsessive ph'ing, picture and news hunting, sifting through endless rumours and wild conjectures, I finally did it.
Well,... are you allowed to swear on PH? I could turn the internet blue with excitement. The car is a revelation. But not in the way I was expecting. I think we have to put the prototypes to bed now and judge the car as it is. Which is, granted a different sort of car but having just driven it back to back with the mighty t350 - a car I adore - I have to say it's a better car in every respect. Hard to believe given the way it looks. Ok the styling is pure street/track racer but the drive is quite different. Getting back into the t350 it seemed edgier and certainly less stable at speed and under hard acceleration.
Firstly the car is low and definitely on the firm side but no more jiggly than the t350. Grip seems immense as you would expect but it's definitely one of those cars that seems unshakeable (think original quattro, integrale). Overall this is a comfortable car which is well capable of big journeys. Biggest and most surprising of all is the steering. It's quite different in feel. More relaxed, even a little lighter in feel but deadly accurate and precise. The feel is 'delicious' for want of a better word. One of the best power assisted systems I've come across.
Everything felt very tight, no squeaks or rattles and even the speedo needle was damn near rock solid!
Perhaps the seats could do with more support for something with such stupendous grip levels but other than that a wonderful experience. All the great things I like about the t350 (esp the wonderful engine)but somehow more refined. Yet, thankfully, no less TVR - some achievement in my view. Overall a surprisingly relaxing experience (nb bearing in mind my expectations). Only downside is that the car doesn't feel as uncontrollably fast as the t350, it's now too composed for that hairy arsed feeling. That said I couldn't bring myself to rev it out properly, being so low mileage.
It does ground a bit at the back over big bumps but overall this thing is an A-road weapon of the most devastating kind. Perhaps not the ultimate track tool but a supreme road car which will do more than hold it's own on the track.
I guess it's down to your personal preferences but I cannot urge strongly enough - if you're in any doubt about this car go and drive one!
I'm more excited than ever about my iminent car and if they've finally ironed out a few niggles this could be the start of really good things for TVR.
[quote=the pits]
After over a year of waiting I finally drove a Sagaris today. I couldn't quite beleive it after 15 months of obsessive ph'ing, picture and news hunting, sifting through endless rumours and wild conjectures, I finally did it.
From Mrs Y6 Bal:
Hi. It was nice to meet you today.
So how did it look on the road while you were following us on my test drive?
I noticed you had a smile on your face but it wasnt as big as the smile I had when I drove it back.
Both Barry and I agree that it is 'the dogs'
Cant wait for mid April.
Lorraine.
After over a year of waiting I finally drove a Sagaris today. I couldn't quite beleive it after 15 months of obsessive ph'ing, picture and news hunting, sifting through endless rumours and wild conjectures, I finally did it.
From Mrs Y6 Bal:
Hi. It was nice to meet you today.
So how did it look on the road while you were following us on my test drive?
I noticed you had a smile on your face but it wasnt as big as the smile I had when I drove it back.
Both Barry and I agree that it is 'the dogs'
Cant wait for mid April.
Lorraine.
Nice to meet you too. It was an unbelievable sight and I would have loved to follow it for longer. That thing doesn't look road legal! It was really nice to see and hear it being driven with a bit of 'enthusiasm'. Exhausts looked massively cool and are unique among road cars. But I'm starting to think that the car's so composed it could handle a bit more power...... typhon engine anyone?
To be in a t350 following a purple Sagaris (that I'd just driven) on an otherwise dull tuesday afternoon, well it doesn't get much better than that does it!
pmm said:
I had a short drive in a Sagaris on Saturday. Having previously owned quite a few TVRs (the last being an early Tuscan - a truly awful car), I was amazed at how it felt & drove. Got it for a longer while on Friday. Now, where's that piggy bank?
Judging by the reviews, it would seem that the new regime have managed to make the cars ride much better whilst retaining superb handling.
I read a review on the Tuscan II which said the same thing (and specifically mentioned the difference over a t350).
I can't wait for the t350 mkII (I prefer the styling to the Saggy-ass and TII). Having said that, I need a car for July so I suspect I'm not going to get my wish!!
D
Clearly TVR are on a roll! It all bodes very well for the t350 replacement, providing NS doesn't botch up the beautifully judged styling. His taste is yet to be seen! But hey who knows it might equally be great for all I know.
As for the ride on the Sagaris, be in no doubt that it is well firm. It's just not as blob hard or jarring as originally planned (30% stiffer springs than t350 and lowered too).
Having owned a Skyline R34 V-spec I know about blob hard cars and they are quite literally a pain in the arse. That thing would change lanes on the motorway at the slightest camber change or bump.
Drove the sagaris on monday and wow what a difference they have made to the chassis/handling. was allowed to push it a bit on the test drive and at the limit, it did hang its arse out but having said that it was completely controllable through oversteer, amazing. very impressed I must say (so was the salesman) and after a year of being without my beloved cerbera 4.5, I can seriously feel a sagaris being added to my garage soon!
_DeeJay_ said:
I had a short drive in a Sagaris on Saturday. Having previously owned quite a few TVRs (the last being an early Tuscan - a truly awful car), I was amazed at how it felt & drove. Got it for a longer while on Friday. Now, where's that piggy bank?
Judging by the reviews, it would seem that the new regime have managed to make the cars ride much better whilst retaining superb handling.
I read a review on the Tuscan II which said the same thing (and specifically mentioned the difference over a t350).
I can't wait for the t350 mkII (I prefer the styling to the Saggy-ass and TII). Having said that, I need a car for July so I suspect I'm not going to get my wish!!
D
Just took delivery of our Tamora, and the ride is much more compliant than our 2004 T350. Softer on the road, less nervous - a little like a standard Chimaera.
Drove a Sagaris on Friday and found that the supension was much as described on here - very good for the road. The steering on the car we drove was not so good, it bump steered, tramlined and the steering would not self centre. Maybe just a problem with that particular car - would be interesting to hear some other views on this aspect of the car.
daftlad said:
pmm said:
I had a short drive in a Sagaris on Saturday. Having previously owned quite a few TVRs (the last being an early Tuscan - a truly awful car), I was amazed at how it felt & drove. Got it for a longer while on Friday. Now, where's that piggy bank?
Judging by the reviews, it would seem that the new regime have managed to make the cars ride much better whilst retaining superb handling.
I read a review on the Tuscan II which said the same thing (and specifically mentioned the difference over a t350).
I can't wait for the t350 mkII (I prefer the styling to the Saggy-ass and TII). Having said that, I need a car for July so I suspect I'm not going to get my wish!!
D
Just took delivery of our Tamora, and the ride is much more compliant than our 2004 T350. Softer on the road, less nervous - a little like a standard Chimaera.
Drove a Sagaris on Friday and found that the supension was much as described on here - very good for the road. The steering on the car we drove was not so good, it bump steered, tramlined and the steering would not self centre. Maybe just a problem with that particular car - would be interesting to hear some other views on this aspect of the car.
I've just driven one. Apparently the revised geometry settings provided by the factory were incorrect and have now been sorted. Chances are, you drove one with incorrect settings.
After the prototype, the Sagaris doesn't have the visual appeal it did and the racer for the road formula (light weight, downforce etc) has been lost.
But, now I've driven one, it just doesn't matter a jot. I've been back about an hour and I'm still on a high.
Down bumpy A roads it was so confidence inspiring - you could let go of the wheel at 90/100mph and it'd track straight. The suspension gives a really compliant ride yet still manages not to roll into corners at all and goes exactly where you point it.
My only complaint is that it's so grippy and well composed, it just doesn't feel that quick (yet glacing at the speedo confirms it is!). I suspect the car I drove was a little tight too (it didn't pull as strongly above 6k revs as I expected) but I'm sure that'll sort itself as it clocks up the miles.
I'm back to test a t350 in a couple of weeks (I prefer the styling) but I'm already working out where the find the extra cash for the Sagaris.
Well done TVR - top job!!
Can you lot stop talking about the Sagaris, I want one sooooo much now but can't really afford one for 2 years.
Hearing about everyone's test drive is driving me bonkers. Might have to put an order in to the factory next year on my birthday. If I keep looking at the figures on my bank statement hard enough they might increase.
I just gotta have one.
Hearing about everyone's test drive is driving me bonkers. Might have to put an order in to the factory next year on my birthday. If I keep looking at the figures on my bank statement hard enough they might increase.
I just gotta have one.
targarama said:
When will the mags get their hands on Sagari?
At good couple of months with any luck (I don't want those waiting lists going out of control)
It does seem odd that they haven't released one to the press yet.
Having said that, they might want to get it finished completely first. They haven't flush fitted the filler cap etc and definately need to stop it bottoming out (which it easily does with the bolts on the rear diffuser).
I suspect all that will be fixed with a couple of tweaks on the customer/press cars.
groucho said:
Can you lot stop talking about the Sagaris, I want one sooooo much now but can't really afford one for 2 years.
Hearing about everyone's test drive is driving me bonkers. Might have to put an order in to the factory next year on my birthday. If I keep looking at the figures on my bank statement hard enough they might increase.
I just gotta have one.
Do NOT, whatever you do, consider even going to a showroom to look at one. It's a very, very bad financial move to make.....
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