Vroom Vroom
by admin on Apr.18, 2009, under Uncategorized
My mum bought me a supercar experience for christmas and I cashed it in this weekend. I really wanted an Aston Martin drive but they don’t have them at Wigan so I went for the Ferrari 360. 400bhp sounds OK and it is a Ferrari.
Straight away I had my eyes opened. I love computer racing games and anticipated the real thing being substantially different but just the 4 laps in the back of a mini cooper S taught me a thing or two about line and braking. (And for a little car with 4 big blokes in it, that thing could move).
So I eventually get in the Ferrari. Few more eye openers. It’s cramped. And not the quality I’d expect. Our Audi is way better put together. First problem is that my foot was too wide. The brake and accelerator are too close together and I pushed them both at the same time so I had to take my shoe off and drive in my sock, a common problem apparently. Sounds lovely though.
Off we go.
Did one lap following the instructors guidelines and then opened it up. WOOT! That things sticks to the road like glue and once it got on the back straight and gets into it’s stride it absolutely flies, proper compressed into the seat acceleration. Loved it. What a great laugh. Only got 6 or 7 laps of a short circuit but so much fun. I thought I was going fast but had to back off to let the single seaters go past on a couple of corners, I want to try them next.
April 18th, 2009 on 10:41 pm
That sounds ace
April 19th, 2009 on 10:48 am
Ha, yes I had a driving experience thing for my 30th. down at bruntingthorpe. 3 laps each in a lotus elise, subaru impreza, ferrari 360 and porsche 911. I didn’t have the shoe problem in the ferrari as the one I got was an auto, but I did have that problem in the 911. my foot was pressing both the brake and the throttle at the same time, and the throttle was winning. still, an amazing day.
As you said, the build quality of the ferrari wasn’t quite where you’d hope it would be. for me though, I loved the porsche, it just felt so planted.
also, lnot quite the same thing, but look out for vauxhall VXR driving days. I did one last year, £90 for 1.5 hours on the short indy circuit at brands hatch. all the VXR models were there, several of each. you get in one, do 3 laps (with an instructor next to you) and then come in. then get in another car.
ace fun and for me, the star car was the little corsa. £200bhp in a tiny car and it cornered like it was on rails. The VXR8 was cool, but too big and heavy for such a short track with no really long straights. you then et another 1.5 hours elsewhere doing other stuff, including being driving in a car on two wheels. I’ll be looking out for it again!
dave
April 19th, 2009 on 11:20 am
I think I’ll try some of the little single seaters next. They were by far the fastest things on the track. Quite a twisty circuit at wigan though with only one real straight so I guess they would come out on top.
April 20th, 2009 on 9:23 am
I found the singleseaters boring when I did a day.
Westfields were ace on the stupid little section we were given to do.
A big Merc S Class thing was fab as it drifted unlike the Audi S3 on the same section that the computer kept stopping you accelerate.
The best was a Handa Accord Type R on the full circuit as the instructor took you round (watch for braking point, ie way after the brake marker) then do it yourself. Felt much faster as you got body roll and out of shape unlike the singleseaters which if you get it wrong just spin.
April 20th, 2009 on 9:37 am
Singleseaters for the win.