Goodwood FoS: Volvo V40 And Cessna 172S Skyhawk First Drives

What really happened this weekend was something of a "dream day at the office". Not that I was in the office. You know what I mean. It all started with a Saturday morning drive down to Goodwood to check out the sights, people, cars and incidentally, it was also the first time your humble author made the pilgrimage to Goodwood, also known as 'Car Mecca'.

The primary mission was to bag a first drive in the 2012 Volvo V40. So upon arrival at the Goodwood Circuit, we were ushered into an über-exclusive VIP room trackside and made to wait with V40s whizzing past the window. Volvo UK sure know how to get my tastebuds tingling.

The main aim of the V40, according to Head of Public Relations Duncan Forrester, is an attempt to score sales in a mainstream car segment. 2012 sees the arrival of premium hatchbacks from ze Germans - BMW's 1 Series, Audi's updated A3 and the brand new Mercedes-Benz A Class which we're huge fans of here at CT, to name but a few. These cars are posh and physically appealing and whilst Volvo is modest with sales targets, they're hoping the cars will shift in relative volume amidst an already very appealing line-up of V60s and the XC range.

After watching other journalists and dealers lapping the car, I finally had the chance to get some bum-in-seat time on the Goodwood Circuit. First impressions are strong; the V40 is a real looker. The car sits low to the ground likes the A-Class but of more interest is the fact that this Swedish sex bomb is based off the Focus platform. From our recent week with the another excellent Ford chassis in the Fiesta, we couldn't think of a better mass-market vehicle to share a platform with.

At the front there's some standard Volvo badging with lines from the nose to the windscreen giving the impression of a 'wind-swept' look symbolising speed and strength. There's a bank of running LEDs situated below the bumper, which is an unusual position, but looks totally bad-ass on the road. The story continues towards the rear and whilst our track car was in pearl white, the car looks simply sensational in metallic black or gun-metal grey.

Our 'first-drive' tester came equipped with the D4 diesel block which churns out 177 oily horses. The devil's fuel is now sipped by the majority of the British (you can draw your own conclusions) but inside the V40, there is little to no audible diesel rumble. Bodykit wise, the rear of the car sports twin chrome exhaust pipes, whilst the usual large Volvo rear-window is replaced with something slightly less vulgar. From having seen so many pictures of the V40 in the press, this is a car which doesn't let you down in the flesh.

Slide your derrière into the plush driver's seat and you're treated to the usual Volvo treatment; leather on leather on leather. The seats are supremely comfortable and adjustable in more ways than you can think of configurations. What was slightly disappointing was the lack of change with the 'floating' centre console. The console itself is beautifully milled but there's a lack of refinement with the adjustment knobs that sit on top that don't sit well with me - no repetition intended. Fortunately the great media system from the XC60 has been added to replace the out-dated toot found in the C30. But the biggest functionality improvement is the instrument binnacle which is now completely digital, switching up displays depending on the function you want your V40 to run.

Right, on with the track action. Not much can be deduced in the way of ride quality as the track was completely flawless, unlike the pimple-faced roads we face daily in the UK. Having said that, the V40 has been tested on British roads so according to Volvo, the suspension setup has been tinkered with to play nice on our pothole-filled streets. But the engine has a fruity pull to it and handling dynamics were on point, with the rear end allowing for some lee-way in particularly fast corners.

The D4 engine benefits from stop/start technology which will help to reduce emissions as the car sits idle. This tech also comes in handy when the 'Pedestrian Detection System' is activated. We ran the car in second gear and at around 10mph into an obstacle and the car auto-detects, beeps, flashes a red light and automatically brakes. All you need to do after you've saved the life of little Billy is depress the clutch, listen to the engine fire back into life and carry on driving recklessly. Awesome!

Another top feature is the V40's auto-park. This really is Star Trek grade shiznit. Simply hit a button and slowly cruise past a potential space. The car will scan to see whether there's enough room for your posh hatch. Then modulate the reversing speed and put your hands on your head, coppers-style. Watching the steering wheel come to life will freak you out, but will also save embarrassment when you inevitably can't park properly without. Epic win indeed.

Now you might be looking at this title and thinking, "V40 I understand, but a Cessna plane?!". What's going on? Well, after our track time, we were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take to the clouds above Goodwood and commandeer a Cessna 172S Skyhawk. I know, we could hardly believe it either.

This four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft has been around since 1955 and is one of the most successfully mass-produced light aircraft in history. A plane like this, if you were in the market for one, will set you back $307,500. Just a tad more than the McLaren MP4-12C then.

What was literally my first-drive of any aircraft (as you can probably understand) turned out to be immense. Controls were handed to my good self and despite gripping the joystick wheel quite heavily, I managed to perform basic manoeuvres and keep the plane flying at a steady altitude. Of particular note is how useful my Diddy Kong Racing childhood training proved to be. We headed down to the south coast and on the way back, were treated to an aerial view of Lord March's grounds. What a way to cap off a fantastic day.

So, after a brief time in the car lapping Goodwood's Circuit and looking down on the fleet from 2,000 feet, I came to a pretty swift conclusion. Volvo have raised the bar yet again with the V40 and with prices starting at £19,745, the battle between Sweden and Germany is only going to heat up. Our full test drive in North Wales is coming up next week and we can't wait to spend more romantic, one-on-one time with the Volvo V40.