Too early to be a Cortez, Q804BCH is a MK IV+2. After an awful lot of head scratching, a lot of wire brushing,too much puzzling with a multimeter, some interesting fuel tank surgery and a ridiculous amount of replacement sensors, parts and so on, mostly furnished from a now almost gutted 114 in Bridges breakers, she went through the MOT on the 25th.
While there's plenty of work left to do, things are looking very positive, aided in part by a splendid first build, complete with a fully annotated wiring loom. Compared to E500YPP, a MKIII convertible, she's quiet, currently a bit heavier to drive on the now almost impossible to source 185/55R13 tyres and, obviously a fair bit more powerful. The 'fly by wire' idle is a damned nuisance compared to a well set up SU and initial throttle response currently lacks the crisp certainty of the A+. This may change...
Both make wonderful noises as they rev past 4,000, but boy the difference in wonderfulness dates them. The MKIII moves smoothly from a distinct beat to the sort of throaty vintage roar that evokes old fighter planes, while the MKIV has a far more balanced duet of exhaust and induction roar, with the sort of almost electric crackle that you hear from the later 7s, Both send a tingle up the spine, but in two very different ways.
As for driving, there are more similarities than difference, Sure the MKIV is more sophisticated in any number of ways, but the MKIII feels lighter and leaner, both have that endless grip and a sufficiency of lovely nuanced breaking. On fast sweeping A roads the MkIV is a clear winner, but on B roads, I really see the two cars as much closer despite the power. However, I haven't properly set up the hydragas and dampers on the IV and the tyres are old. I suspect I'll have to drop to 175/65 R13 to get decently sticky tyres without a mortgage
So that's two on the road now, and I'm content. E500 still looks like she escaped from a scrapyard, but she's done well over 20,000 miles in about two years. The sheer practicality, has made her my only car for the last year and a half, something that several SSI Reliants never managed. For everyday driving this new one looks like a winner - you can't go wrong with four seats and an almost entire lack of leaks!