Few Hours w/ an Ultramarine
 

Got to spend a few hours driving an Ultramarine Blue FR-S w/ Auto Trans.

Here are some photos from my drive:

http://alrphotography.zenfolio.com/p635875315

How does it drive?!?!

great color!!!!

Nice! That color is a little too subdued for my taste, but the design is amazing as always. Love the tail lights.

Really nice photos. I'm sure alot of people on forum would like to know your thoughts about the drive.

Nice pics!

I thought the Marine was much brighter than that, weather maybe?

do tell....

Where did you drive it at?

great photo's!! thanks for sharin'!! starting to lean toward the FR-S again.:bonk:

I absolutely love Ultramarine/Galaxy Blue Silica... I have a feeling it's not going to be offered in Canada though. At least not right away.

So this is my second time driving the FR. And the more I drive it - the more I love it.

I actually returned the FR - and jumped into an IS-F for the weekend. As great of a car as the IS-F is, I was shocked by how much more precise the steering feel is on the FR-S. I know they are very much different beasts - but I was shocked when I drove off in the IS-F - how less fun to drive it is compared to the FR.

As for the FR-S - like I mentioned above, it just keeps getting better. I have a bad left knee - but I still ordered a Manual Asphalt.

But after this drive - especially since it was a few hours, and really gave me the chance to try the auto in all types of conditions - I'm beginning to question my choice of a manual.

I know I know - true sports cars are manuals. But look at how many forms of racing have moved to paddle-shift transmissions. I'm a huge F1 fan - and every time I drive a paddle-shift car (and I've driven everything from Veyron, to Lambos, to the FR-S) - I begin to think that modern driving truly does involve a paddle-shift transmission.

I can't think of anything negative about the auto trans in the FR-S. As many of you know - it is derived from the one in the IS-F. And even though it doesn't pack the same punch to the stomach the IS-F does - that is simply because the FR-S has a lot less power. The transmission itself is fantastic. Upshifts are quick - very quick! Downshifts are precise - and the throttle bleeps as you know - just perfectly.

The rest of the car just keeps getting better for me. I keep noticing new things that surprise me. Dumb example - for the FR-S emblem on the floor mats is metal. It's not just stitched onto the mat - it is a machined piece of metal - not what you'd expect in a 25k car.

Yes, it does sometimes feel like it could use an extra 30-40 HP, and a bit more torque. But once you drive it for a few hours - you don't think of that anymore. You're taken away by just how fun the car is to drive. How light it feels, how nimble it is. And how you can take it right to the edge - and feel those "skinny" tires almost give... it's tons more fun than almost anything else I've driven.

And like I said - I've driven a few cars here and there:

http://alrphotography.zenfolio.com/f336501463

Anything specific you guys want to know about the car that I may have not talked about?

Yeah - it was WAY overcast... that's why my photos are not that great!

Plus I didn't want to waste time taking that many pics - I wanted to drive! :)

Awesome portfolio you got there! As a hobbyist auotmotive photog, you make me very jealous! Mind if I ask if that's (photography) what you do for a living to be able to shoot all those cars?

Impressive photo portfolio :thumbsup: - I remember watching videos and reading about the "unboxing" of the first westcoast LFA. And to think... you were there just blows my mind. Haha keep up the great work.

Thanks guys!

Yeah - photography is only my side gig... been doing it for years. I shoot every now and then for a few sites like sub5zero.com and Autoblog.com - that's how I get access to some of these cars ;)

Good to hear your opinion.

How did ultramarine look on the car in person?

Thanks for the awesome pictures. I too am planning to get Asphalt as my first choice, but I'm starting to like ultramarine more and more. Your insight on the automatic is also very similar to others who drove an automatic as well. I'm still deciding on whether I want an auto or manual. Hmm...decisions, decisions lol.

Andre, thanks for posting! Great to see Ultramarine without any special lighting. Really shows how the car looks in normal conditions. I think it's my favorite color so far.

As for manual or automatic -- the old "automatics are no fun" argument became obsolete many years ago. Technology marches on but some people hold fast to out-dated feelings. Get what is most comfortable and damn the naysayers. If they're so stuck on older shit technology they should give up their CD's for cassette tapes. (Oh wait they came full circle on that and now listen to lo-fi digital downloads. :D)

Thats awesome i love the contrast! i still cant decide the color i guess ill never know till i go out and see for myself once im ready to buy

cool. Since you drove it for a long time. how was the gas mileage for the automatic? I am trying to convince myself to buy the FR-S instead of a golf tdi.

Love the ultramarine even more - ordered a manual one, and still sticking with it.

Did you note if the car had remote trunk release, assuming you looked at the key or opened the trunk?

Awesome pics and review! Thanks.

Nice pictures, and a nice little review.

I can think of three easy ones right off the bat . . . it's slower, heavier, and more expensive. :) The 'slower' part may not be a fault with the transmission technology (more a result of the crappier gearing), but it's still slower.

The problem with your analogy is that cassette's don't perform better than CD's . . . and in 19 out of 20 cars a manual WILL perform better than it's automatic counterpart.

I have no problem with someone wanting an automatic and enjoying it - just don't kid yourself about it's advantages.

thank you for confirming my colour choice.

hi all new member here from ireland, think i may have changed my mind about the blue, it does need the sun on it to make it great, dark grey is now surely the best?

The key does have a remote trunk release... can't remember if there was one inside the car too or not.


As for the color - yeah, at first I didn't like it - but it's quickly becoming one of my favorites!

Asphalt looks almost black in low-light conditions from what I've seen. I LOVE it in car show photos where it highlights with a nice bluish tinge but as far as I can tell that is not what you will see in yellower daylight. It's a common Subaru paint color (Dark Grey Metallic), check at a dealer to see real-world examples.

There is an inside one, used it today. It had a built-in delay. Had to hold it for 2 seconds to pop the trunk

Sorry I must not have been clear. I was just pointing out that many peoples' arguments against automatic transmissions are out of date and if they're so determined to ignore the march of technology, they should buy cassette tapes - because we're marching on without them.