I have a supercar experience on Sunday, which of these should I drive?
Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren, Audi R8, Nissan GTR, Porsche, Aston Martin and more.
Lambo - on the basis its likley to feel the most bonkers. Some of those will feel just normal given you wont be allowed to raise the revs.
the one done up to look like Lightning McQueen 🙂
McClaren or Lambo would be my choice
6 brands, but only two models. More detail required!
McClaren would be my choice, but the Lambo would be a close second. If the Porsche is a GT3 RS, it would be third, but only if it is a GT3 RS.
Lambo, Porsche and GTR for me.. Never done anything similar mind!
McLaren.
Is it at Knockhill Al?
Could be interesting in the wet 😉
If the Lambo has a V12 engine , then that one.
Ferrari. Because Ferrari.
McLaren.
Lambo / McLaren, just cos
Also, if I was going to own one of those cars, the GTR would be top of my list, but it's not really a supercar.
Lambo - for the bonkers, and... because Lambo!
Lambo – on the basis its likley to feel the most bonkers. Some of those will feel just normal given you wont be allowed to raise the revs.
Is that how these things go? You can drive this mentally fast car, but please don't go above 40mph?
I'd go for one of the most bonkers too. One of the first 3.
Serious(ish) answer - I drove a Ferrari on one of these things and it was quite boring. You're on a track with no other cars and it's all posh and refined inside, there's no thrill.
The single-seater race car though. That thing was exciting. Dunno what brand it was.
I had a supercar experience for my birthday last year. Similar choice of cars. I chose the Lambo Gallardo on the basis that I'm never likely to own one or go for a ride in one again. It had lots and lots of grip!
It was the most booked out of all the cars, and was very tatty. The owner of the company said, in the briefing, that he didn't understand why everyone wanted the Lambo, not the faster Lotus, or whatever. BECAUSE IT'S A LAMBO!
I'm sure I would have had fun in any of them, but I'm glad I didn't pay for it myself. Three laps - an out lap, a full lap and an in-lap. That's not three laps imo! It must have taken less than 4 minutes. I've always said that I'd buy a Lambo given a lottery win and then not know what to do with it, given modern roads. My drive didn't cure that. I still would.
I'd go for the Lambo, it's the one you're realistically not going to see many other folk driving. Also, don't expect to be able to nail the loud pedal but do enjoy the drive.
I was at Knockhill in my own car when there was a ferarri experience on, I was having great fun overtaking some very expensive supercars who were doing 1900 rpm while I thrashed the nuts off my Golf.
I'd still love a go in one, even to press the pedal hard just once. I mean they can't stop you hooning it for a few seconds can they?
I’d still love a go in one, even to press the pedal hard just once. I mean they can’t stop you hooning it for a few seconds can they?
We were told that there was a limiter fitted and a speed limit (7omph iirc?), for insurance purposes.
Given the forecast, which one is 4WD? The Nissan, I believe is, don't know which models of Ferrari/Lambo/McClaren you've got there.
I wouldn't want to spend my laps getting told to tiptoe around the corners if the weather is bad.
We were told that there was a limiter fitted and a speed limit (7omph iirc?)
What's the point then?
R8 or McLaren - probably best on track. Can't say that I'm too bothered by a Lambo or Ferrari.
A good few years ago and I did one of these but as well as the supercars (Lambo - instructor was v v protective limiting fun, Aston-felt v heavy and ponderous on track) we were given a good few laps at the end in a little ginetta track car. It was far and away the best fun, light nimble, the instructor pushing you on to explore the limits. So if you have something like that I'd spend more time in that sort of thing.
They will have £25 off you for an insurance waiver.
They usually let you pin it in 4th as they are less likely to spin up then.
Lambo
i got a passenger ride in a Lamborghini Aventador, where the instructors give it the beans.
I’ll never forget it.
Porsches, R8s, GTRs and even these days Lambos are pretty common. You don't see many McClarens or Ferraris so I'd go in one of them. The 650LT is meant to be the best car evah. Although if it's at Lochgelly Raceway and not Knockhill it won't matter as you're essentially trundling a massive car round a go-kart track at 20mph.
(Although, in reality, I'd have booked the rally experience because I don't "get" supercars. Which is what my mates have done for me as a birthday present- doing it next weekend at Knockhill!)
What’s the point then?
They didn't publicise that prior to arrival, so it may have been untrue, or possibly not a great sales point.
Porsches, R8s, GTRs and even these days Lambos are pretty common. You don’t see many McClarens or Ferraris so I’d go in one of them.
I've seen tons of McLarens lately. Possibly more than the ubiquitous Astons. Not so many Ferraris, and very rarely see a Lambo.
McLaren because it is rarer than the rest.
Not the McLaren, too common.
Not the Farrari, too ****erish.
Not the R8, too Golf’ish.
Not the Aston, it’ll break down.
Not the GTR, too chav’ish.
Which leaves the proper car.
Got given one of these "experiences" a few years back.
You'll likely have 3 laps/car - an out lap, a full lap and an in lap (the place I was at - an airfield was sub minute laps with 3 corners). The instructor will tell you when to change gear, when to accelerate, when to brake. Its very production line, and they'll punt you out if you break the rules. I got proper shouted at for changing gear without a prompt.
Driving on a track feels very different to driving on a road and I kinda wasted the first car getting to grips with the slightly alien environment. Getting in someone else's expensive (paddleshift which I'd not used before) car and immediately thrashing the knackers off it doesn't come especially easy.
I had an Aston DB9 (meh), a Ferrari F430 (nicest of the 3) and a Lamborghini Gallardo (most bonkers, but a very clunky gearbox). The interesting/exciting one in the slightly damp conditions looked like to be the Ariel Atom.
I'd drive the cheapest, then if i loved it maybe if the stars aligned and wifey was in a good mood.......
The interesting/exciting one in the slightly damp conditions looked like to be the Ariel Atom.
The place I went (Llandough) would only let you have passenger rides in the Atom.
GTR - great to drive, Lambo - because it's a Lambo, McLaren and Aston.
The R8 is a watered down version of the Lambo, the Fezza is - well a Fezza.....
Depends what Porsche it is - if it's a GT3 then yes.
I drove a few for my 40th a couple of years back - by far the most fun was the GTR followed by the Lambo and then the Aston - but then the Aston felt like my old TVR sowas different to the other 4wd jobs.
What ever you choose just have fun, listen to the instructor, and they might let you have a bit more of a play.
Depends if you are a driving god or not. I had a similar experience a few years ago and got a choice of a Ferrari 360 or Porsche 996 turbo at Donington. Although i'm a Porsche fanboi I thought i'd go for the Ferrari as it was a bit more supercar-ish. However for a normal numpty like me the Porsche is a far faster car with its 4wd so I regretted it. The Ferrari was OK but a bit scary, the instructor was encouraging me to nail it and drive like I stole it, but the Ferrari did feel very skittish, but the others in the Porsches were far more planted and having a much better time than me.
When do you get to choose? If you can leave it to the day and see what the weather and track conditions are like then doso- if damp or slippery then go for a 4wd car.
I’ve been passenger in an R8, the driver nailed it from a standing start up to (he says) around 95mph.
It was certainly quick, but if I’m honest, it made that speed seem pretty boring.
So I’d avoid the R8.
Nissan gtr for the most impressive off the line acceleration.
Im not a lambo fanboi (at all), but id say the lambo has to be done.
Edit: R8 V10, 570bhp.
But still not exciting. Surprised me tbh.
You don’t see many McClarens or Ferraris
Guy in our village has both with sequential number plates. He is a complete donk.
I did this at leuchars with a very similar line up, i took the gts rs because it was a manual, booked 6 laps so managed to get a feel, by lap 4 i had the tail out. The guys doing it were sound, so long as you took it easy in first so not wrecking the clutch they let you go basically as fast as you could.
I think they quickly spot the can drive against the maddies and treat you accordingly.
We had a 'sighter lap' in an Alfa with three of us driven round by a proper driver. He was basically pootling around and the woman beside me was complaining that we were going waaaay too fast!
Driver reckoned the Porsche Turbo would be the quickest (think I saw 140 on it down the straight) but kinda wished I'd done the Lambo.
Everyone laughed at the Ariel Atom driver who was doing his one lap in the downpour...
Oh, and its likely that all the cars could be automatic, if that changes anything?
Did one for my 40th (eek ten years ago) at the old ProDrive track (Fen End). Had about 5 laps (inc in/out). Approach then was to try and get people going “fast” in straight line, rather than through the bends for most people. There was a rule that if you span it, your drive was over, as this meant you weren’t listening to the instructor. If you listened they let you push a bit harder.
Had drives in supercharged Ariel Atom and Ferrari convertible (think it was a 360). One was an absolute hoot, the fastest thing I’ve ever driven, or am likely to drive and would have one if I could, I can still remember details of driving it, and then there was the Ferrari, which I can barely remember.
Did something similar a few years back, but the most fun was a stripped out Polo Gti with proper sticky tyres! It was amazing how you could throw it around!
Lamborghini.
I've followed them on the road. Nothing, but nothing gets past a Lamborghini tractor.... 🙂
I'm probably the least knowledgeable person on this thread but if I'd bought you this as a gift and you told me you'd driven an Audi then I'd think you were a (boring) ungrateful knob.
HTH 😁
Shame there's no Lotus on that list. I would like to try one for the giggles of fast cornering.
He was basically pootling around and the woman beside me was complaining that we were going waaaay too fast!
Chicks eh. She should have been in a Nissan Micra.
