Best tea chest !
If you dislike the " tin can's" as you so disparagingly call them have you considered flying a Robin DR400 ?
Manufactured from gods composite it will out perform all the metal aircraft in the class and no doubt will match the DA40.
Try to steer clear of the DR400-120 as it is a little underpowered, the -140 is a nice and very economic aircraft for short trips, the -140B & 160 (both 160HP) are the most economic for longer trips. The -180 has the best payload with a range that will require the carrage of a wide mouth bottle
The Robin also considered much nicer to fly but because of the large payload at MTOW it handels very differently to one loaded For the standard club search for the £150 hamburger.