Before setting off in the 600e, you can choose between three driving modes that will be familiar to 500e drivers: Scorpion Track, Scorpion Street and Turismo. In the 600e, however, Turismo limits the top speed to 93mph and output to 187bhp in order to conserve range. Scorpion Street and Track modes unlock the full 237bhp and 120mph top speed while adding some weight to the steering.
For twisting roads, Scorpion Track mode provides the nicest balance between effective power delivery, sharp but progressive steering and a firm but not shaky ride. In town, the gentler throttle and light steering offered by Turismo means it’s best left in that mode.
The way in which the car’s power delivery has been calibrated is quite different to the 500e, in that it progressively builds pace instead of delivering a rush of torque that kicks you in the back of the head. Overall, it provides a generous and authoritative turn of pace to make it feel fast enough for most environments but does it without intimidating the driver.
Scorpionissima cars provide tangible performance gains with an additional 39bhp and a slightly faster 0-62mph time. These can be felt mostly when you’re going quickly on a track or fast B-road, but because both this and the standard car have the same torque figure, you aren’t likely to notice much of a difference day-to-day.
The brakes, which have been developed by British specialist Alcon, are more than a match for either powertrain. They are fitted with quad-piston front callipers and front discs 380mm in diameter, while the rears are 276mm.
In normal driving and using up to 40% of pedal travel, they feel well-weighted and quite progressive – especially when braking from higher speeds. The fact that you can really lean on them means they really inspire confidence.
However, in high-demand situations, such as on a track or continually braking from high speed, the pedal feels quite vague and you find yourself guessing how much pedal travel you actually need.
The regen is nothing like as sharp or instantaneous as it is in the 500e, which means it’s more natural and likely to provide a familiar pathway for petrol hot hatch owners to transfer into electric car ownership.
Despite the fact that one-pedal driving isn’t available, the progressive reduction in speed means it’s easy to drive in town or on tight, technical, twisting roads.
