13 Jun 06
Everything about The Red Car keeps getting better. Over the last month it has excelled at carrying people, plants, groceries, babies, in-laws, benches and tired parents. Fast, refined, spacious, flexible and thoroughly accommodating, it really has answered every question thrown at it with engaging ease.
The Skoda's briskness continues to entertain. It's a surreptitious speed that's so easy to accrue and even easier to grow accustomed to. When I first drove it, I knew the Skoda wasn't particularly quick off the line, but was pacey once it got going. But it was only when I realised that it has a twin-scaled speedometer that its real pace became clear (after 80mph, each additional increment adds ten rather five miles an hour).
Another question that's popped repeatedly into my head is whether the vRS is a Golf GTI in a straighter suit with a larger bundle of kit and a smaller price tag? As far as I can tell, both share exactly the same engine, transmission, steering and suspension architecture. But ask a Skoda and VW engineer what the difference between the two is, and what I assume to be a politically correct silence descends.
As far as I can make out, the spring and damper rates on the Skoda are slightly softer and less aggressive than those on the Volkswagen and the power steering set-up is subtly different too. Because the vRS is slightly heavier than the GTI - 1,485kg versus 1,451kg - it isn't as brisk off the mark, but the top speeds of both are essentially the same. I'll have another dig around and see what else I can find out, but if you can shed any light on the subject, please write to me at contact4car@channel4.com.
