A mixed day...

Muncher

Muncher

Muncher

Soldato
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
7,169
Location
Ipswich
Started by getting pulled @ 99.85mph on a 3 lane dual carriageway in no traffic. Currently investigating getting off it on a technicality...


Had a fantastic day though, drifting a Ferrari 550 Maranello, driving a Porsche 996 GT3, Lotus Elise, Racing Puma amongst others.

Pics, videos and comments on all the cars to follow :)
 
Current worst case scenario is 3 points (my first) and £60...


The GT3:

The cabin is a nice place to be, the seats, comfort spec are supportive.

The gearbox is good but there is a bit of play in the gearstick.

Driving position is good.

Steering is light, there is feel but coming from a car without PAS it is lacking something.

Turn in is very positive, far more so than I expected, it just really shouldn't be that good, it just doesn't do understeer.

The engine note is fabulous, it changes with minute throttle inputs, it really sounds angry, so direct and responsive.

You can feel the rear of the car shifiting, pitching and rolling purely on throttle adjustment, far more so than anything I have ever driven.

It feels like a car that you'd have to be very careful in and takes a lot to master, but is so rewarding.



I'll comment on the others in the morning.
 
Nice pics sam, hopefully some good video footage to come too.

The FRP is really pretty impressive, a few people were interested in having a drive of it. Stops well, turns in well, exactly what a hot hatch should do. As I said yesterday, cars are all about how they "feel".

Impressions of the Elise S1 - was a standard 1.8.

Very similar to the VX, a fair bit more tail happy though. Turn in was positive, nice front end grip, though rolls more than the VX does. It just wasn't quick enough though, the engine and gearbox really let the car down. The speedo didn't work, the seat isn't anywhere near as good and somewhat flexible. Anything in a straight line just felt a bit of a let down. I expect a 111S would be different though.

The Elise owner drove a couple of laps of mine and said they were pretty similar, turn in isn't quite as spot on due to the tyre sizes but the drivetrain and sound it makes is vastly different. He said if we has buying again he'd be seriously tempted by the VX.


The Ferrari 550Maranello:

Is a big, big car. Interior is OK apart front the lovely gearstick and gate, nice but not seriously impressive. The big V12 provides a nice soundtrack but is quite muted and seems very distant.

The clutch is extremely heavy and the gear change requires some effort, would certainly become a pain in London traffic very quickly. Has bags of torque, completely linear power delivery. The steering is light and it is pretty nimble for a big, heavy car. A nice amount of feedback.

It's pretty easy to drive and not at all intimidating, very easy to hold a big sideways drift too. I said to the owner that I could have quite happily drive it straight out of the gate and taken it for a blat with confidence. It does very well for a big car and has superb balance and would be quite easy to drive rapidly on the road. I do want to compare it to a V8 Ferrari though, hopefully next time as I think that would be more my cup of tea.
 
I think thise event is pretty unique in that respect, it only attracts the "right sort of people" who you are quite confident in their abilities.
 
Bennah said:
Hehe :p

How do you get an invite then? Got to have a fast decent car and a load of money :D
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It's a mixture of various factors really, but having something fast or interesting if pretty much vital.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Fast in 0-60 or fast in top end? :p

Thats probably me out for a few years then :( :p
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Either, though it is primarily aimed at big top end. In my case it's fast to 100, under braking and through the bends but not at the top end.
 
[TW]Fox said:
155 enough? :p
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Not really :p Yesterday was an especially slow day, really strong headwind and missing a few regular cars who would be right up there.

Most cars don't get anywhere near their theoretical top speed there as a lot of fast cars just can't manage it in 2.2 miles.

189 markbe - SL600 Kleemann
184 maff - CL65 AMG (dodgy turbo)
184 Leon S - 993TT RUF (Longer 6th gear)
184 P4LNY - 996GT2 DMS
183 rods - 996TT DMS
183 Nev C - 996TT DMS (tiptronic)
183 derestrictor - 993TT Andy Fearns/Weltmeister spec.
180 R1_JON - 996GT2
179 dazren - 996TT X50
179 turbosboy - SL55 Kleemann (speed limiter)
178 PGAdamopoulos - 996TT X50
175 bluesatin - 996TT X50 Aerokit
173 911Habit - 996TT (boost problems on the day)
172 gwp - 996TT cab
171 550HEP (Ian) - 550 Maranello
170 Clivedd - Audi RS4 MRC
170 s3am - 996GT3
167 f355spider - 360 Challenge Stradale (loose undertray)
165 Snuffy - Esprit Sport 350
163 flying trotter - 997C2S
163 rviant - 360 spider (Best with top down 160)
161 Billy83 - M3CSL
160 GavinR - Cerbera 4.2
155 james p - F355GTS
155 ThatPhilBrettGuy - Noble 3R
153 Helen (not PH name) - Nissan 300XZ TT
148 jeremyc - Audi RS2 Avant
146 GregE240 - 500SL (1990 vintage)
146 smifffy - Subaru P1 sideways spec
143 burriana - 3.2 Carrera
143 Charlieboy's wife - Audi S4 Avant.
131 thekirbyfake - Focus ST
131 domster - Subaru WRX STi
129 muncher - VX220
121 neil cardiff - Mk3 VW Golf GTI 16V
115 atgsanbo - Ford Racing Puma
115 Ruxpin - Lotus Elise
106 Dr T (not PH name) - Bentley Brooklands (exiting venue)
 
D4VE said:
Is that limited electronically?

Nice cars :cool:
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I doubt it.

The Dodge RAM is just mad, it has an 800bhp engine by Rousch and didn't half shift. It matched the 550M up to 150 but then couldn't do any more than 160mph as it had the aerodymanics of a house brick and could not corner. A waste of a nice engine if you ask me...
 
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