kempez
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Matt
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2022
- Threads
- 18
- Messages
- 731
- Reaction score
- 896
- Location
- Hampshire, UK
- Vehicles
- Taycan Turbo ST, Volvo XC90 T8
- Thread starter
- #1
I thought I'd post a very brief review of my experience going on the experience
I'm a track day 'virgin', albeit I've been trying to get on one for a couple of years but have been foiled by COVID.
When I saw I'd have the opportunity to go to this, I was excited and I'll be honest: very slightly nervous. Not knowing what to expect and coming from a long, albeit comfy, drive in the family wagon (XC90 T8), I arrived at the Centre. First impressions were that it looks pretty cool. I've not been to Silverstone either (again it's on my list but never got round to it), so it was pretty great driving round the circuit exterior to get there, if a little coned off everywhere!
I've owned a few fast cars, some of which were a learning experience all of their own. But I'd never felt I'd got as much out of them as perhaps I could do. This was my chance!
It all started off well with nice food, good hospitality and a really nice relaxed atmosphere. I went alone due to my wife needing to cover childcare, as I wouldn't be back until 6PM (ish). The instructor was a really nice guy. I gave him a brief of how I'd not really driven an electric car properly before (test drive doesn't count), and basically just wanted to learn how to drive it to it's capabilities. The rest of the day was pretty epic to be honest. The ‘ice Hill’ and the kickplate/ice patch were great learning and both tracks are great fun. Got more and more confidence in the car and was buzzing around by the end.
Maybe because I went in with the attitude that I wanted to be taught how to drive the car, I feel 100% more confident I can drive it to its limits, or at least my limits and within the cars performance envelope. If that makes sense. I started relatively cautiously but by the end I was easily outpacing others in Taycan Turbo's, who were braking more or at least slowing more around corners. Not everyone of course (I'm not claiming to be Senna or anything), but the instructor was absolutely great and I feel fully prepared to get the car now.
They put me in a Taycan Turbo. Not the exact spec of what I'd ordered - it was a saloon, but the instructor said the difference would not be noticeable and certainly not on the real world on a road. The 'ice' driving was great fun and felt like it gives you the confidence to at least be a little armed in some more extreme situations: you know how the car will behave. Also the benefit of features like rear steer were obvious and I was glad I'd specified it.
Shout out to Rob, my instructor. He was really great and his advice, tips and encouragement built me up from cruising around relatively carefully, to the stage that by the end I just felt that I was 100x better armed to drive the car out of the showroom (whenever that will be! )
Only one minor mishap: the car had a bit of a grumble and went into limp mode briefly, late on in the session. I think being blasted all day, fast-charged and the 38ºC heat gave the battery cooling a bit of a workout. A couple of 'turn it off and on again', though, and it was back to normal.
I'm a track day 'virgin', albeit I've been trying to get on one for a couple of years but have been foiled by COVID.
When I saw I'd have the opportunity to go to this, I was excited and I'll be honest: very slightly nervous. Not knowing what to expect and coming from a long, albeit comfy, drive in the family wagon (XC90 T8), I arrived at the Centre. First impressions were that it looks pretty cool. I've not been to Silverstone either (again it's on my list but never got round to it), so it was pretty great driving round the circuit exterior to get there, if a little coned off everywhere!
I've owned a few fast cars, some of which were a learning experience all of their own. But I'd never felt I'd got as much out of them as perhaps I could do. This was my chance!
It all started off well with nice food, good hospitality and a really nice relaxed atmosphere. I went alone due to my wife needing to cover childcare, as I wouldn't be back until 6PM (ish). The instructor was a really nice guy. I gave him a brief of how I'd not really driven an electric car properly before (test drive doesn't count), and basically just wanted to learn how to drive it to it's capabilities. The rest of the day was pretty epic to be honest. The ‘ice Hill’ and the kickplate/ice patch were great learning and both tracks are great fun. Got more and more confidence in the car and was buzzing around by the end.
Maybe because I went in with the attitude that I wanted to be taught how to drive the car, I feel 100% more confident I can drive it to its limits, or at least my limits and within the cars performance envelope. If that makes sense. I started relatively cautiously but by the end I was easily outpacing others in Taycan Turbo's, who were braking more or at least slowing more around corners. Not everyone of course (I'm not claiming to be Senna or anything), but the instructor was absolutely great and I feel fully prepared to get the car now.
They put me in a Taycan Turbo. Not the exact spec of what I'd ordered - it was a saloon, but the instructor said the difference would not be noticeable and certainly not on the real world on a road. The 'ice' driving was great fun and felt like it gives you the confidence to at least be a little armed in some more extreme situations: you know how the car will behave. Also the benefit of features like rear steer were obvious and I was glad I'd specified it.
Shout out to Rob, my instructor. He was really great and his advice, tips and encouragement built me up from cruising around relatively carefully, to the stage that by the end I just felt that I was 100x better armed to drive the car out of the showroom (whenever that will be! )
Only one minor mishap: the car had a bit of a grumble and went into limp mode briefly, late on in the session. I think being blasted all day, fast-charged and the 38ºC heat gave the battery cooling a bit of a workout. A couple of 'turn it off and on again', though, and it was back to normal.
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