Well a couple of weeks after buying the car and we are on our annual visit up to Northumberland and the Borders. It it was the usual sprint up the A1 to Scotch corner then on the more interesting bits up the west snide of it to a little place north of Hexham.
It was really the first run out in a car which was unknown to me, it's always a bit of a trip in any car but a 10 year old French built one makes it more of a challenge. #449 performed wonderfully, it was lovely on the A1 with the Janspeed hardly intrusive and the suspension was so good.
Day 2 and it's been a trip into the borders via Bellingham and Kielder, a stop at our favourite cafe in Newcastle ton then across the tops to Hawick. The car was frozen over first thing which wasn't a good omen for the roads up here, the road up to Kielder was frosted in patches but as we crossed the border the Scottish gritters had done a good job.
A drive at 7/10ths was all it needed to light up the car and explore the much acclaimed front end. The ability to pick a line and turn in is wonderful, the car feels like you could just keep dialling it into any given bend and it would follow. The suspension is just so well set up, not choppy, it doesn't pitch and kick back, the damping rate is just right.
Ive not driven my 200 for 12 months but my imagination tells me that the 182 engine feels somehow to have more torque, it could be the gearing of the 5 speed box but it does feel silky smooth and lovely power delivery. The Michelin Pilots are certainly quality rubber, with wet roads, many of them with water off the hills flowing across them, the tyres felt confident and planted.
All in all with a couple of hundred miles under my belt I have to say the car has exceeded all expectations, I did think I would be buying something on which 10 years and 70k would tell through rattles, bangs and general signs of wear and tear but it is a testament to the car and probably the care of the previous owners that the car feels probably as good today as it did in Oct 2005.
Here are a few pics ive taken hopefully
It was really the first run out in a car which was unknown to me, it's always a bit of a trip in any car but a 10 year old French built one makes it more of a challenge. #449 performed wonderfully, it was lovely on the A1 with the Janspeed hardly intrusive and the suspension was so good.
Day 2 and it's been a trip into the borders via Bellingham and Kielder, a stop at our favourite cafe in Newcastle ton then across the tops to Hawick. The car was frozen over first thing which wasn't a good omen for the roads up here, the road up to Kielder was frosted in patches but as we crossed the border the Scottish gritters had done a good job.
A drive at 7/10ths was all it needed to light up the car and explore the much acclaimed front end. The ability to pick a line and turn in is wonderful, the car feels like you could just keep dialling it into any given bend and it would follow. The suspension is just so well set up, not choppy, it doesn't pitch and kick back, the damping rate is just right.
Ive not driven my 200 for 12 months but my imagination tells me that the 182 engine feels somehow to have more torque, it could be the gearing of the 5 speed box but it does feel silky smooth and lovely power delivery. The Michelin Pilots are certainly quality rubber, with wet roads, many of them with water off the hills flowing across them, the tyres felt confident and planted.
All in all with a couple of hundred miles under my belt I have to say the car has exceeded all expectations, I did think I would be buying something on which 10 years and 70k would tell through rattles, bangs and general signs of wear and tear but it is a testament to the car and probably the care of the previous owners that the car feels probably as good today as it did in Oct 2005.
Here are a few pics ive taken hopefully
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PS: Glad you found a good Trophy 
