[size=150]ABR HQ, Oslo, January 25th, 15.35[/size]
Weather: Light drizzle, 1,2C (34,16F)
With slow steps I made my way to the coffee machine, still trembling slightly from the massive hangover. Thank god Trygve had stayed to receice all the new arrivals while I went skiing. I don’t want to see another afterski in my life!
Walking into the shop, the first car in line was A NPC Garrish Throwback, and both the ad and name could not have been more appropriate. It looks like the bastard child of a Ford Granada and Volvo 940 raised by it’s american cousin, a Jeep Cherokee. This sounds weird, maybe even bad, but after examining it from all angles I like it more and more. Yes, the body might be a bit dated, but the rims and wheelarches give it a sporty yet rugged appearance. I could be like Eric Forman in “That 70’s show” in the vista cruiser with the Garrish Throwback.
Next up was the Legatus Njörðr, and the amount of differences to the Garrish Throwback… well, they are extremes in regards to concepts. From spacious and rugged utility in the Garrish to sleek sportscar on a budget in the Njörðr. And while I was loving the lines, the scepticism was there. Where to put my skis, my hiking gear or my groceries? Will i be able to get to the cabin? As I got in i was flabbergasted (more on this will be covered in the final blurb or review) by several solutions. Legatus apparently were true to their roots al least. This should indeed be an interesting test drive.
After some crazy extremes I was almost relieved when i gazed upon the IV-C SW-4x4. From the outside it at least appeared that their designers had kept their cool. Either that or stolen the design plans from VAG and streched the wheelarches a bit. Not a bad idea though, there is a reason why they sell a ton of octavias and passats here in Norway. While I love the all black theme, I am not 100% sold on the front foglights arrangement, but that is just me I guess. The 4x4 on the other hand whould suit this car very well. With the appearance of an allrounder, it would be interesting to see if that would be an advantage or not.
In the following slot I had to do a second take. It might have been the bright orange making me temporarily blind, because initially the Solo Beaver BM Adventure looked like the sporty version of the IV-C SW4x4, but after a few seconds the differences started popping forward. The hood scoop, bigger headlights, different rims and double exhausts as well as a lip. Where the previous car tried to encompass a variety of groups with toned down exterior, the Solo Beaver BM Adventure definitely were making a statement. You will not go unnoticed in this car
After the estates I was suddenly looking at a hot hatch. The Komodo Tiara Mega was something of an oddball. Where I was loving the front end of the car with nice lines and aggresive, interesting fixtures, I really hated the rear. The vent placing was nice, but taillights and semicentered exhaust did not suit this body. However, what really tickled my fancy was the engine. Not a racing engine, but definitely economical. Combined with low profile tires it might be really fun on the tight, twisty roads up here. A bit concerned about how the gravel roads would treat them though.
I moved on to the Erin Merna Vox, and the wheels immediately caught my eyes. My bike has wider tires than that! Well, someone was thinking about fuel economy for sure. After going a few rounds I was decidedly undecided on what i thought about this car. Some features looked great, like the sloping of the rear door and the layout on the tail in general, albeit i might have done some small changes. The front however made me feel split in half. There were parts that looked great, well aligned and thought out. Yet it somehow seems happy and mad at the same time, like a Jekyll & Hyde thing. It definitely made the colour seem appropriate.
Striking! That’s the word that popped into my mind when I turned the corner and saw the SME Banshee. Some might argue that the arches are too wide and the black trim belongs to the eighties, but the combination just made my day. This car makes an impression and you either hate it or love it, but by god, I think I’m in love. The popup headlights combined with the shape of that front end, foglights for daytime and the lip just makes me happy. Well, it would definitely look good on a poster, now I just hoped it was as good as it looked, because not all poster cars are fun to own.
Being next in line after the Banshee could easily have been disheartening for many, but the Vichingo was up for the task. First of, the frontend on the Vichingo delivers tons of attitude, just like the earlier Lancer Evos . My suprise was even greater when I saw the side of it. Not really sure if this is a hatch or very short minivan, and combined with the crazy tires on it, I was truly baffled. This was something completely unexpected and different. What had they been feeding the designer? And more importantly, could I have some of that as well? As i put down the spec sheet I was smiling broadly and really looking forward to the test drive.
Finally I reached the latest arrival for now, and this was the Revera EC. Now, the Revera EC did not get my heart racing like some of the other contestants, at least not immidiately. It is not flashy or on the extremes of the designs. However, the designers have payed a lot of attention to detail. The layout is well thought out and aligned, and it gets prettier and better the more you look at it from different angles, especially the rear end of the car. It is one of the best rears so far, even if I personally would remove that spoiler, but now I’m nitpicking. The front end is also really good, even if my initial impression was a bit boring. While it isn’t the most flashy or dramatic, I’m struggling to find a bad angle for the Revera EC, and that is not as common as one would believe!
Clsoing up shop for the night, I realized the hangover was gone, and there was a slight spring in my steps. Things were looking exciting, and the deadline was not there yet!
)
Heldigvis har vi latterlig billig bensin og diesel for tiden. Deleprisene (om man er litt behendig selv) er heller ikke så verst og koster så og si det samme over hele EU/EØS.
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