I can honestly say you'll love it.

I have more "family trips" planned for northern Germany (Hanover) in a few months time, but the next "Men Behaving Badly" road-trip - the one I'm really looking forward to - is to Ulm in August, so I'll be passing through Stuttgart.

I've already decided the Lille-Belgium-Luxembourg-Stuttgart route will be my preferred route. On paper - toll free, 30 km shorter and only 12 minutes longer (because of the Belgian speed limits!).

 

And cheap fuel in Luxembourg

ACC blows the socks off Cruise Control.

 

 

Doesn't it just!

 

Good report, thanks.

 

We have much in common, except my travels include regular visits to family in Hamburg rather than Hanover (Hannover).

 

I, too, previously "hammered" a Superb II 170 (manual, which I still miss sometimes) on these journeys – plenty of full throttle where conditions permitted.

 

How much larger exactly is the S III’s tank? I’m surprised – but very encouraged – that the 280 will go as far even with the extra tank capacity, given how relatively more forgiving diesels are of being hammered, fuel consumption-wise. 

Edited 29 December, 201510 yr by eurotraveller

Good report, thanks.

Thanks, but the one feature I omitted to mention is BSD - Blind Spot Detection. I've tended to not take much notice of it in the UK, but when you're sat on the "wrong" side of the car, this really comes into play big time.

 

How much larger exactly is the S III’s tank? I’m surprised – but very encouraged – that the 280 will go as far even with the extra tank capacity, given how relatively more forgiving diesels are of being hammered, fuel consumption-wise. 

As I said, it surprised me too.

My S2 estate (which was also DSG) was 60 litres and the S3 is 66 litres. Not much, but obviously enough to make a difference.

I should point out I don't let the tank run to reserve, especially on the continental motorway. Once I drop below a ¼ tank I look to refuel at the next opportunity.

I can't say the S3 had as much fuel left as the S2 as I tend not to get too anal about these things - simply that when I dropped below a ¼ I refuelled at the same services (Bottrop, 340 driven miles from home) as when I was giving it large with the diesel and it dropped below ¼, having both times set out with a full tank.

My return journey was also more sedate than my outbound. I filled the tank in the village where my brother lives and, seldom exceeding 100 mph but also never dropping below 80 mph, didn't refuel until the BP services in France (310 miles) - and even then it was a case of last-opportunity-for-cheaper-fuel rather than needing to refuel.

As a rough-guess I reckon I might have made it to Maidstone using my ¼ tank rule-of-thumb.

 

I have family in Bremen and Hamburg too, but that's reserved for my spring/early-summer visits.

Some interesting reviews here. I'm planning the replacement of my leon cupra 280 which has the same engine tune of course. 30k miles a year is probably going to rule the superb out in petrol form, plus I think I'll always be missing the quicker sharper handling of the leon. If only skoda would fit a 6cyl diesel into the range....

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“If only skoda would fit a 6cyl diesel into the range....”

 

Why? The reasons for choosing diesel are diminishing by the day anyway, but, also having a 6-cylinder diesel car (C350CDI “AMG”), I know they're just too thirsty to make any sense when looking ahead.

 

VW’s own 240PS diesel as offered in the Passat is / would be in a Skoda the far more contemporary option.

 

Yes, 6 cylinders will always sound nicer than 4, but is that reason enough? Overall, I find modernity more appealing.

 

Furthermore, in comparison with otherwise similar 4-cylinder C-class cars I've driven, I find the handling of the 6-cylinder diesel car very much compromised by the huge amount of additional weight sitting over the front end. Weight is always the enemy of good handling.

Edited 30 December, 201510 yr by eurotraveller

I compared my car speed reading to my TomTom satnav the other day. Knowing car speeds usually under read I was keen to see how it compared to the TomTom reading. Here's the results:

 

Car > SatNav

31 > 30

42 > 40

53 > 50

63 > 60

74 > 70

82 > 78

 

Make of that what you will, it may well be different for each individual. I am also assuming my TomTom is fairly accurate! Another point - I am running winter wheels and tyres. I'll re-do the test when I get the Pegasus summers back on.

Edited 30 December, 201510 yr by l4wrence

Keep looking ..... When do you think we will see 280 reviews ? I want to see the press telling me what a great choice I've made !!! ;-)

How much do you think the 280 L&K will depreciate in three years, sure it's not very economic but it's going to be quite a rare spec?

Thanks, l4wrence. One of us will eventually have to establish how far that gap widens as you go a lot faster than that, although I just found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-grAzcKQjoc

 

Here’s a review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5756qGHZnJw

 

He likes it mainly for travelling in comfort and reckons the car doesn’t encourage fast driving! Well, that’s his view, maybe I should comment no further on that.

 

Actually, he talks quite a bit of bovine excrement. For instance, he ‘accuses’ the car of being quite thirsty in virtually the same sentence as saying “when driving quite a lot of autobahn at high speeds.” Well, we can all imagine what a journalist does when given a free ride in a powerful car. He furthermore says the gear ratios are too short with 3000 rpm at 130 km/h.

 

He’d go for a diesel … but that was early August, of course. Otherwise he recommends the 220PS – maybe also because he laments the absence of a manual gearbox option.

 

The rest is the usual praise for the car generally.

Yep seen those. I may add other speeds when I am on the continent but clearly this is max UK speeds

How much do you think the 280 L&K will depreciate in three years, sure it's not very economic but it's going to be quite a rare spec?

Dunno. I have a 5 year warranty but only do around 6-7k a year. Intention is to keep until car is worth nothing so I'm not really bothered by depreciation.

Thanks, l4wrence. One of us will eventually have to establish how far that gap widens as you go a lot faster than that, although I just found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-grAzcKQjoc

 

Here’s a review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5756qGHZnJw

 

He likes it mainly for travelling in comfort and reckons the car doesn’t encourage fast driving! Well, that’s his view, maybe I should comment no further on that.

 

Actually, he talks quite a bit of bovine excrement. For instance, he ‘accuses’ the car of being quite thirsty in virtually the same sentence as saying “when driving quite a lot of autobahn at high speeds.” Well, we can all imagine what a journalist does when given a free ride in a powerful car. He furthermore says the gear ratios are too short with 3000 rpm at 130 km/h.

 

He’d go for a diesel … but that was early August, of course. Otherwise he recommends the 220PS – maybe also because he laments the absence of a manual gearbox option.

 

The rest is the usual praise for the car generally.

Does the 280 actually need 3K rpm to reach 130k/mh - 81mp/h in 6th gear?

 

I've driven the current petrol vRS Octavia & a Superb 3 220 & they have wide ratio / high geared DSG's, not unlike my VW EOS, which does 95 mph at 3k rpm.

 

Our '11 vRS & ' 12 Superb 2 are much lower-geared, 3k rpm = 76-77 mph.

 

It's good that the 2.0 TSi lump has an "elastic power delivery", (sorry Tom for the plagiarism), & can cope with gear ratios that would be appropriate for a diesel.

 

DC

I’m also among the old-fashioned in the sense that I like to buy (pay for) and therefore actually own my cars. But of course that isn’t really the way anymore in this world of virtually zero interest rates. And so the market seems to be flooded with brand new cars: I cannot believe the number of 65 plates everywhere.

 

Mix into that the next, inevitable economic downturn and manufacturers even more desperate to keep up the numbers (I’m very reliably informed from within the trade that some surprising brands are already struggling to do so now) and all this points in only one direction: I would expect depreciation to be savage across the market. The only answer is as said above – plan to keep your car for a long time. It ain’t fashionable, but makes sense.

 

Who can reliably forecast how the 280’s very much niche nature might fit into all this? I’d budget for disappointment, but it may even turn out to be a relative winner.

 

Also on the upside, by even being on this forum you're by definition already a relative winner as you're not being taken in by the dubious benefits of ‘premium’ brands and the 10s of thousands they charge more for the badge to begin with.

 

For instance, it will be interesting in a year or two to compare the 280’s depreciation against that of its closest Audi comparable – in terms not of percentages, which is favoured by those wanting to cast the best possible light, but of actual money lost.

Edited 31 December, 201510 yr by eurotraveller

Lucky me,returned yesterday from christmas and new year in tenerife,wall to wall sunshine,but you dont want to here about that,having not driven my 280 for a while,the 90 mile drive home from bristol airport was epic,was pouring of rain,but you would have never known,really giving it the beans round corners,rapid getaways from the lights illegal speeds on the motorway(must have been lead footed,only ave 25mpg!) She just done everything that was asked of her,4x4,what a difference that makes in poor weather,it was such a magical 80 minute drive,absence has really rammed it home what a special car i own,you can keep youre spoilers and sportline trims,all this in something that looks like a posh taxi,the ultimate q car,without a doubt!! Take the plunge,be brave,buy one.just hope there arent any coppers on this forum.evening all.kevin.

“If only skoda would fit a 6cyl diesel into the range....”

Why? The reasons for choosing diesel are diminishing by the day anyway, but, also having a 6-cylinder diesel car (C350CDI “AMG”), I know they're just too thirsty to make any sense when looking ahead.

VW’s own 240PS diesel as offered in the Passat is / would be in a Skoda the far more contemporary option.

Yes, 6 cylinders will always sound nicer than 4, but is that reason enough? Overall, I find modernity more appealing.

Furthermore, in comparison with otherwise similar 4-cylinder C-class cars I've driven, I find the handling of the 6-cylinder diesel car very much compromised by the huge amount of additional weight sitting over the front end. Weight is always the enemy of good handling.

Sonic appeal and smoothness. Reason enough for me at least. Given the parity of price for diesel and 99 RON that you need for the 280, and that prices for diesel powered cars will drop as demand softens in the wake of the combination of car manufacturers shooting at their own feet, plus the political "science" of particulates and NOx is now more relevant than CO² emissions which can only influence tax legislation positively. It's therefore feasible that a comparison of fuel consumption will be more significant than it has been. Ultimately, I'd rather a 6cyl big diesel in a motorway cruiser than a big turbo 2.0TSI. Similarly I'd never consider a diesel powered hit hatch.

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Sonic appeal and smoothness. Reason enough for me at least....Ultimately, I'd rather a 6cyl big diesel in a motorway cruiser than a big turbo 2.0TSI. Similarly I'd never consider a diesel powered hit hatch.

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Or a big naturally aspirated 3.6 petrol engine with power and torque plus the smoothness.....

Or a big naturally aspirated 3.6 petrol engine with power and torque plus the smoothness.....

If it could manage >40mpg without trying then absolutely

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Yes, that is the downside.....admittedly.

I think I need to get a Shell loyalty card. "Lady Scarlett" is drinking the good stuff: V-Power Nitro+

 

At this rate I'll be drinking the less premium beer to keep the lass happy! On the plus side only 150 miles left for running in.

Edited 13 January, 201610 yr by l4wrence

Keep looking ..... When do you think we will see 280 reviews ? I want to see the press telling me what a great choice I've made !!! ;-)

 

Unlikely for another month if not 6. Reason is the press fleet order couldn't get the 280, so they had to order the others.  When they are cycled one may make it... I kind of hope it's about July for a dash to the Alps

I think I need to get a Shell loyalty card. "Lady Scarlett" is drinking the good stuff: V-Power Nitro+

At this rate I'll be drinking the less premium beer to keep the lass happy! On the plus side only 150 miles left for running in.

What are you getting when trying, and when pressing?

My cupra 280 manages 37-38 on a 70mph m way cruise, and 31 on a fast m way and caning A road run.

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I guess this shows the benefit of 4x4 on the 280 against the much lighter Cupra .....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi-ZA4ENU0I

 

Tie Fighter v Star Destroyer :-D

Then again .... Just notices its not a very scientific test .... Look at the outside temps ...

SWMBO driving me back from a party Saturday night (she doesn't drink, wifey plus points). We're coming off a roundabout onto dual carriageway, the car is nicely warmed up. I shout 'punch it'! Big grin on both our faces then very quickly I say to ease off because we are speeding slightly! God I love this car.

Then again .... Just notices its not a very scientific test .... Look at the outside temps ...

And to a proper, ie metric ton the leon would have overcome it's traction off the line problems.

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