Pro-R TA340C

[stum450n]

Well as some of you know, I was lucky enough to spend yesterday putting a few hundred miles on the clock of the TA340R and to be honest, like many of you I was initially sceptical...

That really didn't last long at all! In fact, it took about 10 mins to get used to the car and from then on it continually proved itself to be one of the best, if not the best set up cars I've ever driven.

Whilst it doesn't have as much power as some modified scoobs I've driven or the stripped out track setup of others, it does, as a complete package, outperform all of them by a country mile! I took the car through its paces on A, B and M roads and on each it tacked them beautifully. The balance of power and the incredible handling (thanks to the TA340Cs suspension setup) where more than enough to cope with everything I threw at it - grip and handing under power were unlike anything else I've known.

Is it worth the extra above a 320STi - yes. Without a shadow of a doubt, yes! Having driven both, I can see the difference and external looks aside, they may as well be different cars! Whilst an extra 20bhp isn't huge in the power stakes, the handling setup combined with pin-sharp throttle response (even when using S mode rather than S sharp) makes for one hell of a car!!!

I'll relay my findings in more detail soon but wanted to give my initial thoughts as a response to those who are making judgements (as I initially did) based on the spec sheet alone

[The Don]

It may be of interest (to those that don't already know) that combining the 320R power upgrade with a Hayward and Scott cat back exhaust (as fitted to the TA340Cs) produces (on Surrey Rolling Road) 342BHP and 360 Lbsft

Hence my little play on numbers..........

Out of interest, as the exhaust and Eibach springs fitted to the TA340CS are not Pro-R items (Pro-R springs for saloon not yet available but soon) who covers the warranty?

Edited October 11, 2011 by don