Went to a Ferrari 'Experience' Today! :)

[Jim 2]

Well today I went out to Prestwold Hall in Leicestershire to use the birthday present my girlfriend got me - a Ferrari driving experience with 'Everyman' car experiences.

 

One of the days i've depended on my MK4 not to let me down, it threatened to again - a flying visit to Stealth Racing today and they reckon my alternator is about to seize (complete with awful screeching sounds and ALTERNATOR WORKSHOP warnings on the digi-display) - ho hum. All I can do is drive it until it fails. And a new alternator for the TDI is £200... who says the Corrado is expensive and unreliable?! :|

 

Got to Prestwold ok and had a chance to drool over some of the exotica pounding round the track - Ferrari 355 (the car I was to drive), Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche Boxter + 911 Carrera, Aston Martin DB9, and countless Scooby's...

 

Warm up lap was two passenger laps in an Impreza WRX STI just to point out braking points and so on.. then two laps driving the Impreza with the instructor. Holy CHRIST do those things fly... i've always heard stories like "Yeah they're quick to 60 but crap after that" - I thought the car was phenominal and would have gladly spent the afternoon bombing around in that! The instructor was great, really informative, reassuring, and keen on the technique I was using etc - we got round so quick we ended up stuck behind the Ferrari 355! Pah!! :)

 

Then onto the 355! Bit of a grouchy instructor, and didn't really want people to thrash it too much (at one point I went up a straight in 3rd and didn't change up till reasonably late and he grumbled "Thats £7,500 there.." - bah) - to be honest I think the Impreza ruined the experience a bit as it was so fast and so capable on the track, I feel the Ferrari would have been better out on the open road into silly speeds but on the track I didn't get to do that. Still the noise was phenominal and the performance was superb.. it really really flew and there was just no letup in the power in ANY gear. It did have an awkward throttle (very on / off when first applying the throttle) and a slightly heavy clutch..

 

But for those who've never done one of these I can only reccomend it. Was wonderful fun and I just had a huge grin all the way home! Will try put up a pic or too in the next day or so... off out to do some box shifting for the evening! :|

[biggerbigneil 0]

Cool!

 

I have a Silverstone experience to use up at some point before October.

Morning of lessons

4 laps in an Exige

4 laps in a Ferrari 355

1 fast lap in a track prep'd road car, what ever that is?

 

I got told they don't let you go wild in the Ferrari's, I'm going to do my best to get the back out though!

[veeDuB_Rado 0]

Absolutely awesome Jim! :D

 

I'm planning on doing one of them soon.

[corradophil 3]

I did a Porsche track day, unfortunately it was in 924s, it was still great fun and a good learnng experience though.

 

It is well worth doing a Rally driving experience too. I did that at Brands Hatch, and absolutely loved it.

[markp 0]

Quality.... I have to admit that when I did my driving experience I was a bit dissapointed with the F355 as well. I had a go in a Formula Ford and a Formula Renault at the same time and they were both amazing- definately recommended!

 

The next one for me is going to be a Rally driving experience!

[DanA 0]

Cool, sounds like you had an ace day out! I did the Porsche day at Prestwold Hall... Driving the Boxster S and a 996, quality day!

 

Did they take the driving photos ?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Nice one Jim, looking like the proper racer in your helmet there :-)

 

Yeah the instructor looks grumpy in the photo! The 355 is my favourite Ferrari ever, looks wise.

[iow_corrado_g60 0]

jim thats brill as i have mine ion the 28th of april exactly the same one i think but in oxfordshire that my missus got me cant wait goona get loads of pics!

[dinkus 10]

Cracking stuff Jim and nice pics too 8)

[RadoAds 0]

Nice one Jim, I was at Prestwold Hall last weekend, it was my sons 13th birthday so we paid for him and my brother in law to be driven round for a couple of laps in the Porsche turbo, I wasnt going to have a go until my brother in law mentioned that they were just nudging 150mph coming up to the right hander after the straight, it was at this point I ran into the office and coughed up for my go :) I was slightly worried though that the driver didnt start braking until he'd passed both "brake now" signs, the power and acceleration was awesome but the brakes and the handling just took my breath away. Nothing beats driving em yourself though I had an Elise driving day at Donnington a few years ago and that ranks up there on my fave day list.

[reaper1_3 0]

im doing a gallardo day soon cant wait!! sound great from what you say!!!

[Pickard1 0]

I did exactly the same day at prestwold hall a couple of years back. It was a Mk 2 Golf Gti back then as the practise car...they seem to have downgraded since then...... :lol:

I found the instructors to be equally Mardy (thats Leicester speak). The most annoying bit was that you wern't allowed to have your 'fast lap' with the instructor until after you had driven all your laps in the Ferraris. The reason for this being that it confirms what I was pointing out to the instructor for all of my laps - the breaking points are set way to cautiously. Anyway after a heavy summertime shower and on my last lap in the F355 I decided to show the instructor how to kick the tail out......nailed it in second out of a corner expecting it to be a bit like a go-cart.......the result was a 720 degree spin and a severe telling off :lol:

Im still laughing about that now :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

At the end of the day I thought the best car I drove was the old skool 80's Magnum jobby. No faffy paddle gearbox and a harsh ride and stiff steering....maybe it just reminded me of the corrado :D

[Not_Aircooled_or_Taxfree 0]

Nice, very foamy around the mouth now thanks! Any idea how much £ it costs or are you too much of a 'Gent' to ask her?

 

Will you be moding on a Scooby forum now then?

[Pickard1 0]

200...250....300 quid depending on which programme you go for. The more you pays the more/faster you drive.

You mcould also pay to do extra laps in some other cars....I didnt....but have been regretting it ever since. My advice: deffinitely pay the extra 20 quid!

[double-6s 0]

Nice one Jim, looking like the proper racer in your helmet there :-)

 

Yeah the instructor looks grumpy in the photo! The 355 is my favourite Ferrari ever, looks wise.

 

288 gto?

328 gtb?

f40?

 

love the 355 but no ferrari beats the 288 gto in my book. its nails

[Kevin Bacon 5]

No, F355 mate :-)

[double-6s 0]

hethan ;)

[Tempest 0]

Nice one Jim, sounds like it was a cracking day.

 

Wouldn't want to be an instructor at these events, as you constantly get folk that just want to kick the cr*p out of some potentially very expensive cars. That's certainly what I'd do as a visitor, of course :-)

 

Tempest

[Heardy 0]

I went to Prestwold Hall last year with my wife (i paid for one of the driving packages for her ) anyway just before we got there it turned out someone had crashed the dodge viper and trashed it!!!

all the instructors were very nervous after that,can't understand why :lol:

[Jim 2]

Wow - mega reaction!

 

I tell you guys.. if money were no object, I would be making way over to the Scooby Forums - that WRX just blew my mind! The 'power bulge' on the bonnet is a tad annoying I have to say but the noise and the pace of it.. it just totally took me by surprise. I can't imagine what a tuned one with another 50/100BHP feels like.

 

It actually wasn't as expensive as you guys think - I believe this Ferrari experience cost in the region of £120 - not cheap obviously but not out of reach for most people. Worth bearing in mind that it only lasts an hour - so 2 passenger laps in the Scooby, 2 driving laps in the Scooby and 4 laps in the Ferrari.

 

I'm definately going to save up and do another.. wouldn't have minded a go in that Gallardo as it just went like hellfire and sounded glorious! :)

 

I took more pics.. will try upload some more in a day or so :)

[Wendy 0]

Cool one Jim.

I really love the sound of the WRX and have seen them in action a few times, I really should get to drive one soon.

 

I have a Track Day booked in June for a Single Seater 1600 at Donnington Park no less. I really can't wait. Out for 27 laps in the Single Seater after 15 in a MG ZR where the instruction takes place giving guidance of lines to take etc.

I had wanted to do this at the end of March and was amazed at how far in advance you have to book now. June is going to be very busy. :D

[Jim 2]

And one of my favourite shots simply because of the content.. I think perhaps this is automotive enthusiast heaven. A nice line up of performance cars and a deserted airfield / track :)

[Trig 0]

That is a very nice shot. :thumb right:

[Jim 2]

I did exactly the same day at prestwold hall a couple of years back. It was a Mk 2 Golf Gti back then as the practise car...they seem to have downgraded since then...... :lol:

 

Amusingly I think they might still use them if they have nothing else.. dotted around the track I noticed one or two red MK2 GTI's on retro steelies and rally decor.. the paperwork for the day said that the practice laps would be in 'hot hatches' so like a Golf or a Clio 182 was what I was expecting.

 

Was slightly more pleased to be ushered into an Impreza WRX as you can imagine :)

[Wendy 0]

There is a Super Sports Car Day at Gaydon - Weekend of June18th/19th or there abouts which I think should have some similar shots. Unfortunately/Fortunately I will be at Le Mans :D