I agree. I think this is the perfect XC bike for a lot of people, especially those who ride in more technical/faster parts of the world.
I’m looking forward to hearing some unbiased ride reviews of both the more supportive RC and more progressive 900 series. I note it looks like the rear linkage all sits lower relative to the rear axle than the current model, I wonder how/if that effects pedalling dynamics? I can never remember which set up is best for antisquat etc.