Supercar experience.. and bumping into forum members!

[Jim 2]

Today I went to the Prodrive test track in Fen End near Kenilworth (conveniently about 15 minutes from where I live!) for a supercar experience. I'd booked it back in January and it's been a long few months, counting the days until today. Thankfully the weather held, the track was in good shape and I got to drive some awesome machines.

 

Started off with a very sedate passenger ride in an M3 CSL to show you the track. You only get one lap and it's quite a lot to take in so you really feel a bit nervous when you first go out driving.. so what better car to start me off in than a Lamborghini Murcielago in a nice lairy orange colour. I was supposed to be in a Gallardo but that had broken, so didn't complain about the free upgrade to the Lambo! Despite being a huge car, the cabin is claustrophobic as hell. Driving it a few things stuck out.. the clutch / gears were a bit of a pig (can see why people go for flappy paddles now) and the visibility was terrible - but it went a BASTARD. On my first few laps I ended up being a bit of a James May - the instructor hadn't said "welly it" or anything so I was pootling around changing up at 3,000RPM because that just felt right.. but then I felt a bit more comfortable as we came onto the 3rd lap and I opened it up. I don't think anything prepared me for the savagery of that car and sheer speed and how quickly it built up. It was relentless through 3rd and into 4th - before I knew it I was at 125MPH and having to hit the brakes. More of the same on the last lap before pitting. Shockingly fast car but not something I'd want to drive in town traffic. An amazing experience.

 

Then I was supposed to be driving an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. No sign of a V8 Vantage so unbelievably got bumped up to a nearly new Aston Martin DBS. It looked absolutely stunning in black. The interior fit and finish was beautiful and the ride was so much smoother than the Lambo - but it still went like stink. Definately not as quick but would be a much nicer place to do long drives. Gear shift felt as smooth as it did in any modern car and it sounded superb. I liked it more for the comfort but it just didn't have the theatre of the Lambo.

 

After that I got back into the M3 CSL for a high speed passenger ride.. the guy driving really knew what he was doing and the M3 was absolutely astonishing. We went round the track probably in half the time that I was doing in the Lambo and the entry speeds into some of the corners were shocking. Yet the car remained totally composed and the guy really knew how to drive it. It absolutely blew me away.

 

I thought at that point I was done for the day but an organiser guy announced that they'd reduced driving laps of the Audi R8 to £25/lap.. I figured it'd be rude not to at that price so stumped up for two laps. Glad I did as it ended up being my favourite car of the day. So confidence inspiring, and the instructor was great, really pushing me to give the car some stick and encouraging late braking off the main straight (where I was hitting over 100MPH). I was in two minds about the DSG system in the Audi.. it made the drive MUCH easier so I could just concentrate on the track - just felt like I was playing a video game. But I expected swift, seamless changes and instead could really feel the power coming off and back on as I clicked up the gears. As I say though, I enjoyed the R8 the most. The Lambo was sheer terror and just a brute of a car. The Aston was beautiful but didn't quite click for me. The R8 was astonishing. Gripped, sounded freaking sweet, and the driving position felt just like that of the Corrado - so I felt right at home. I knew the German car was going to be the best ;)

 

If anyone is still thinking about doing one of these days, get out there and do it. They're SUPERB. I even bumped into a Corrado Forum member who was there with friends (wazza) - small world and all that. Was good to meet you mate :)

[KADVR6 0]

sounds like you had a really nice day Jim. not jealous at all

[boost monkey 0]

I got one of these for christmas, but not booked it yet. Is there a massive waiting list Jim? IIRC I think the track for mine is Andover way, can't remember which it is though.

[Jim 2]

Well got my voucher in January and had to book for April. Can only imagine it gets worse in the summer months tbh...

[CazzaVR 0]

Sounds fantastic, mate! Brilliant array of cars to drive. Gotta do this one day! Tracking the vRS at Castle Combe in a couple of weeks, but it's not quite the same as driving something really powerful and built for it.

[TomB 0]

That sounds like an awesome day, you lucky get! I'm going to have to get the Capri up and running so I can take on R8s :D

 

Cheers,

T

[Tempest 0]

Excellent experience, jim. Write up for the Sprinter? :-)

 

I just booked a single-seater race car experience at Donni for July 8) Kindly given to me by my business colleague, who´ll no doubt attend to take some piccies :-)

 

Tempest

[Jim 2]

Excellent experience, jim. Write up for the Sprinter? :-)

 

Well I figured the Sprinter should remain VW/Corrado focussed - not sure everyone would wanna read about something that is completely unrelated!

[Jim 2]

Few pics! Just from a little point and shoot but give you an idea :)

[wazza 0]

What a cracking day that was!

 

Like Jim said, I was there with friends - we'd all clubbed together to buy my mate 4 laps in the car of his choice for his 30th birthday - he upgraded this up to 4 laps in the Lambo LP640 - which he took up to about 160 on the main straight!

 

I thought it rude to go all that way, be surrounded by so many beautiful cars and not get into one so ended up having a single lap in the Audi R8, not bad for £25. A fantasticly quick car but i wasn't too sure about the flappy-paddle gearbox, it wasn't as smooth as i'd expected and i did get told off for triggering the kick-down existing one of the corners a little too agressively :norty: I have since tried re-creating the acceleration in the Corrado but it just isn't quite the same, although the grin factor is definately still there!

 

Jim - was good to meet you, maybe see you again at the next one - I want more laps next time!

 

Will add some photo's when i get a chance.

[Jim 2]

it wasn't as smooth as i'd expected

 

Glad it wasn't just me who thought the DSG box was surprisingly poor.. you had a noticable drop in power and then a surge again between gear changes. I expected fairly seamless shifts.. it was nothing like that at all.

 

And damn - wish I'd bought some laps in the LP640. I got the normal Murcielago up to 125MPH and wimped out at that point...!!

[Rob_B 0]

was that the chap from evo magazine running the 2 lambos and aston? always read about that in the magazine and think lucky barsteward!

[Jim 2]

The Murcielago (non-LP640) did have an Evo sticker in the window.. I did wonder about that. Is there a picture of him anywhere so I can see if it was him?

[Rob_B 0]

well the LP640 is white with an orange interior i think and has EVO on the bumber plate?

[EskimoFriend 0]

This thread has made me very excited, I'm off to drive a Gallardo next Thursday at Prestwold Hall, Leics. :clap:

 

I've been watching videos of other people doing it, and I've now got a slight mixture of nerves and excitement!

[andy 0]

That sounds really cool, roughly what kind of price is it Jim?

[Jim 2]

You can get single car experiences which start at around £99 but then it goes up to about £160 for two cars.. and right up to like £900 if you wanna make a whole day of it! :)

[wazza 0]

well the LP640 is white with an orange interior i think and has EVO on the bumber plate?

 

I don't think this one had an orange interior - from what i can make out from my photo's its black with yellow trim. Can't recall seeing an EVO sticker on it either but i'll have a look at my photo's, which i will get round to adding sometime!

[Rob_B 0]

could have been a yellow interior actually. lucky sod anyway

[wazza 0]

could have been a yellow interior actually. lucky sod anyway

 

Too right! My 1 lap in the R8 was enough to convince me I needed to start doing the lottery... or rob a bank!

 

I opted for the former rather than the latter :roll:

[Rob_B 0]

could have been a yellow interior actually. lucky sod anyway

 

Too right! My 1 lap in the R8 was enough to convince me I needed to start doing the lottery... or rob a bank!

 

I opted for the former rather than the latter :roll:

 

:wink: now i know how you are getting your money, i want a cut so i dont tell the feds who did the robbery :norty:

i wont be greedy, just 20% is fine!

[Wendy 0]

This thread has made me very excited, I'm off to drive a Gallardo next Thursday at Prestwold Hall, Leics. :clap:

 

I've been watching videos of other people doing it, and I've now got a slight mixture of nerves and excitement!

 

I have done this one - it is absolutely amazing - enjoy. :D

 

Jim - any chance of an Internet address for the Pro Drive event you did.

Sounds like super time was had, really want to drive an R8 too 1

[Jim 2]

Hi Wendy..

 

The event was run by these guys: http://www.6thgearexperience.com/

 

I think we booked (inadvertently) through an agent but the event was actually run by these guys. If you book, take your debit card with you as you can pay on the day for extra laps in other cars.. the full list of stuff there from memory was:

 

Ferrari 360 Spyder

Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale (was REALLY tempted)

Lamborghini Murcielago

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640

Ariel Atom

Aston Martin DB9

Aston Martin DBS

Audi R8

BMW M3 CSL

Subaru Impreza

[Wendy 0]

Thanks for that Jim, I will have a look into that. :)

 

Just been offered a Track Day at Mallory which I am very tempted by, it is one of the circuits I have not yet driven, quite ridiculous when you consider how close it is.

[cdem 0]

Whats the best one to do for around the £200 mark?? Im doing one for my 21st, been looking at this as ive always wanted a go in the GTR and Audi R8

 

http://www.experiencemad.co.uk/details/ ... ?code=2933