Is the cabin air inlet in a stupid place on the FL2, i have noticed, much more than any other car i have ever owned, the smell of fumes in the cabin when in traffic, if i switch on the recycled air, it stops it.
Is this normal for this model?

In a word - NO.

Check door seals, back hatch seal to start with. Something wrong somewhere.

Bob 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

It's a no from me too the problem needs sorting it's not healthy.

Could you be confusing the smell with that of warm diesel

Take the plastic cover off the top of the engine and see if you have puddles of fuel laying in the casting wells in the head and around the injectors. it's not unknown for an injector body or the fuel return pipes to leak. 2007 TD4 XS The work horse that earns its up keep
2013 SD4 HSE The posh one for towing the caravan
1973 Triumph Stag I bought in 2009 and restored.

not warm diesel.. definitely either oil on exhaust or exhaust fumes however it must be coming in through the vents as it stops if i put recirc on, only happens when in standing traffic and a vehicle directly in front of me

If it only happens when there is a vehicle directly in front of you and it stops when you put the recirc on then it must be from the vehicle in front. I have noticed this many times.

Get out and ask the bloke in front to check his car to see if it is pushing out too much fumes or has an incorrect mixture.

J

I also never had this issue, check for oil/diesel leaks that drips on hot surface.

Found It....
There is what looks like a crankcase breather pipe that vents back into the air inlet, well the pipe had come out spewing fumes into the engine compartment, now reattached, no more smells...

Fumes from the engine bay shouldn't be getting into the scuttle, which is where cabin air is drawn in from. FL2 sealing design is pretty good so it suggests you have a peak path from engine to scuttle area.

It could well be the battery cover area as this often leaks if miss fit. Or have a look at the bonnet mounted rubber seal ( I think FL2 has this). I appreciate you've tracked the source of the odor, but might be worth a cursory glance of the under bonnet sealing?

My number 1 cylinder injector has a damaged tip seal. Replacing it got rid of the fumes in the cabin.

Who would have thought. 2007 TD4 SE Manual Santrini Black