With the insurance and tax sorted out (still has MOT from last year) I took it out last night on a job to the in laws. Needless to say it's very different to drive than the C5, the steering's more isolated, the brakes aren't nearly as sharp and it feels big and a bit wallowy - maybe this is because I didn't push the XM hard enough to cut into sport mode, what with it not being on the road since May and the cold weather I didn't want to wreck it first time out.

It ran superbly if a little smokey but that could be due to soot build in the exhaust, it really needs a good long run up the motorway to clear it out. If it still seems a little smokey after that I'll reduce the full load fuelling a tad using the Lexia. Driving it to work this morning you'd never guess there was nearly 1/4 ton of rubble in the boot. If only it was an hatchback.


Steve.