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RIDE & HANDLING
9/10
Due to the De Dion rear axle and the
fact that the shock absorbers had been set at a comfortable level, this Rush
demonstrator has to be the best in its class on quality of ride. We tested it
on a wide variety of roads, including some very bumpy farm tracks and a pretty
nasty stretch of high speed A-road, and we came back astonished. Not even once
did the suspension bottom-out or clunk and there wasn't even a hint of the
tyres rubbing against the bodywork. What's more, the structure of the car
didn't show any flaws, either, and there was simply no shake, squeak or rattle
from any part of the car, a clear testament to its quality build. Steering
through the front suspension is wonderfully communicative, being light but also
retaining plenty of feel for what the front wheels are doing on the road. It
responds very quickly with a precise turn-in and has a very planted and
confident feel. Right, now it's time to have a little fun…
Lotus
Seven-inspired roadsters have a great reputation for being up for a laugh and
this little stormer certainly enjoys being thrown about. If it was your best
mate, it would always be dragging you down to the pub for a pint of Stella or
six. As we take a tight corner perhaps a little too quickly there's the initial
understeer characteristic of all front-engined cars and, as you ease off the
throttle, this quickly turns to some entertaining oversteer which is easy to
correct with a bit of opposite lock. The Rush is extremely manageable for any
driver who wants to push their car hard without taking any big risks and this
particular one shows one of the best combinations of ride and handling that
we've ever tried.
PRACTICALITY 6/10
In terms of the cockpit, the long wheelbase
Rush is definitely an extremely practical option for anyone over average height
or well-built challenged only by competition from Westfield and Caterham.
There's a huge amount of room in the footwells and six-footers certainly won't
have any problems fitting inside.
In fact, DJ even claim they have
squeezed in someone who was 6'6"! We've already established that the driving
position is excellent with more arm room than most cars in its class and
well-designed seats. Storage in the cockpit is always going to be limited in
this type of car. Small pockets in the footwell are a token effort but they're
still pretty usable, even if it's just for your sunglasses, and they look
great.
Although it would have to be a post-SVA fitment, it would be
possible to fit some sort of glove box or tray under the dash on the passenger
side to provide room for the usual clutter. Installing such a fitment would
also have the added bonus of hiding that unsightly washer motor clearly visible
in the footwell.
DJ's excellent sidescreens are arguably the best in the
business with extremely strong hinges a recent development. And a very well
made hood lurks folded away in the boot hidden by a sturdy padded duck cover.
Once erected (which, by the way, is a simple case of swiftly extending it and
fitting it over the top windscreen rail), there is very good headroom inside
and everything fits cosily. The boot is about as big as you're going to get
with enough room for small bags even with the hood stored away, although we'd
still like to see the development of a lockable option. In traffic jams the
Rush is impeccably behaved and, due to its sensible dimensions, it's a breeze
to park and manoeuvre around town.
It's a very versatile car that would
happily cope with daily use as a runabout in addition to weekend blasts at
track days and long distance cruising in the holidays. Practicality is a very
hard thing to judge with this type of car because the Rush was never intended
to be super practical. Yet, in conclusion, the long-wheelbase Rush is about as
practical as a Lotus Seven-inspired chariot is ever going to
get.
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FUN FACTOR
8/10
Fun in any Lotus Seven-inspired car is
essentially all about feeling comfortable and confident in the driver's seat,
safe in the knowledge that driver and car will work in harmony as performance
edges ever closer to the limits. As it begins to perform, the car's
contribution must be top levels of ride, grip, steering feel and gearchange
fluidity. The Rush LWB didn't disappoint in any area. Indeed, more so than mere
fun, it was an absolute delight.
Some machines of this type are a very
tight fit for all but slim drivers but this one will clearly accommodate most
body shapes - tall, chunky rugby players will have no problem. With great
steering, an almost uncannily superb ride and roadholding that will confidently
take you right to the limit, this is a genuine 100% pleasure package. True, the
gearchange could be slicker but it doesn't detract from the big
experience.
The Rush looks fun too. Maybe it's the yellow finish, maybe
it's the violently contrasting black and yellow cockpit. Maybe it's even all
the shiny hardware that's hung around the chassis and body. Whatever, it all
adds up to the same thing, a high quality fix of exhilaration. Anyone who fails
to have fun in a Dax Rush has a serious problem. And if this example isn't
quick enough for some, the answer is simple: fit a more powerful
engine.
VALUE FOR MONEY 9/10
DJ
Sportscars' starter price for the Rush LWB body/chassis kit is £1895 + VAT, which Sounds very attractive.
This is a high quality product, however, and once you start buying all the
necessary items on the list the total soon mushrooms up towards £6500 +
VAT. And that's without the tempting extras, some of which were on the test
car. Put it this way: DJ reckons you'll be able to build a basic specification
Rush lwb for around £7000 or, alternatively, one to the same level as the
test car for around £8000. True this sounds expensive compared to some
but, whichever way you go, our view is that you'll get excellent value for
money. This is a premier division roadster and such things don't cost
peanuts.
VERDICT 8/10
Truth is,
it's virtually impossible for any car to achieve a ten out of ten rating in a
Which Kit? Road test. Yet the Rush lwb has come darned close considering it's
essentially a no-compromise chariot whose whole purpose is to be an
exhilarating road racer. The key to this success is that DJ Sportscars never
stops developing its products, finding ways of incorporating serious
improvements. Some of these might go against the grain for diehard Seven
enthusiasts who believe in pure function but we see no reason at all why that
particular sportscar concept shouldn't enjoy the benefits of progress wherever
possible.
Probably the greatest progress made in this extremely capable
Rush's armoury is in the simply stunning quality of its ride. Extremely
comfortable are the only words to describe it, yet such luxury is not achieved
at the expense of other such vitals as handling and grip, both of which get top
marks too. Whether you're looking at its engineering, detail finish,GRP
quality, cockpit design, driver comfort, equipment levels or even simple
appearance, DJ Sportscars' Rush scores high marks. It's a very well designed
and comprehensively thought-out package. It's not an economy model but such
quality can not come cheap. Yet building a near copy of the Sierra 2-litre
powered demonstrator won't cost you an arm and leg and you'll be rewarded by a
brilliant result.
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