There’s little urge below 1,500rpm - although the will trickle along at around 1,000rpm quite happily most of the time - beginning to move below 2,000, then getting going most marvellously from only a little after, and keeping up the pressure all the way to the top.
We were at first not quite sure how to interpret the vaguely red-shaded area of the rev counter, which begins at 5,500. The engine so obviously revelled in rushing up beyond that, remaining relatively smooth up to nearly 6,500, and only beginning to buzz a bit fussily beyond that. The engine can be taken to the 7,000 end of the scale quite safely. There is no rev limiter, in spite of the electronic ignition.
Turbo cars are so often not relaxing, and this is one of those – it’s hard to avoid rushing everywhere given half a chance with a clear or even mildly cluttered road. There is not too much lag, and what there is you can avoid with a quickly-snatched downchange. This is a king overtaker, its wonderfully exhilarating acceleration and fair response used properly making it possible to take opportunities denied to most other cars in complete safety.
The power is matched by a good set of gear ratios and an excellently smooth, sweet, narrow-gated gearchange. Changing up at 7,000 takes you to 37 in first, the revs dropping to only 4,100 in the 63mph second, 5,000 in the 87mph third, 5,100 in the 119mph fourth, and 5,450 in top. Add to those impressive maxima the fact that there is so much power between 3,500 and 7,000 and you have a marvellously handy performer, always ready to deliver.
Those are distinctly sports ratios, with such a good spread of poke. There is a case in motorway driving for asking for a slight adjustment of the top three ratios, to allow fourth to take over fifth - which is perfectly geared for achieving the 125mph mean maximum speed - and making fifth a high overdrive, to cut down cruise fussiness, adding a slightly higher third.
