First go in a fast car

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The Martian
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by The Martian »

Couchy wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2020 8:48 pm Mate dropped by in his new M4 competition, 400 ish up. I grabbed keys and tbh it was ok. Lots of wheelspin though and numbers came up quick but not compared to a bike. For £70k it was a bit disappointing and dull. By comparison my old 911S was far more exciting as was my MGZT260.
I've had a race against an M4 comp and kept right with it up to almost 120mph (private dual carriageway, obvs ;) ) in my old Beemer which is worth all of about £4.5k lol, he looked a bit shocked at about a ton when he looked left and saw my grinning face still next to him :mrgreen:
I'd be disappointed if I'd spent £70k and a 14 year old non M car kept up TBH lol
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Mussels »

Supermofo wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2020 8:36 pm
Dunno what engine yours has but my brothers felt very fast indeed to me. Apparently it goes very sideways with no TC but as a first go TC was definitely staying on as it felt like it'd go very wrong very quickly when it got a tramp on.
I have the XF-S, by the sound of it your brother has the XF-R which has a much bigger engine. Mine only has similar performance to a Civic type R and I suspect that the civic would feel much faster.
I can make overtakes that previously I'd only consider on two wheels and I can sit behind a sportsbike on full lean round a roundabout but it does it so effortlessly that it doesn't feel that fast.
It has different modes that make it more interesting but I rarely get out of limo mode as it's always starts in that by default, if I use it in one of the other modes I get moaned at by passengers for being a boy racer even though I'm not driving faster. I'm not sure how they manage to give the impression of going faster without actually going faster, all I notice is it keeps the revs a bit higher.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Supermofo »

Mussels wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2020 9:30 pm I have the XF-S, by the sound of it your brother has the XF-R which has a much bigger engine.
Yes his is the XF-R. This one. Having the Supercharger means no lag as well so it just fugs offs.

https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/jag ... oad-test-0

"510bhp, 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds, a limited 155mph top end and in-gear acceleration times to make your eyes water. If you look at the more real-world acceleration between 50 and 70mph, the XFR takes 1.9 seconds"
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weeksy
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by weeksy »

I've never driven a fast car.... Not even a moderately fast car in honesty. Mostly i guess because i don't get them or care. I'm actually struggling to think of the fastest i've driven. I think probably the Volvo S60 D5.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by v8-powered »

I've been in a fair few quick cars over the years, friend of mine has owned some nice motors and was a member of the Ecurie 25 car club for a few years so had his fair share of rental racers!
Only one that sticks in my mind as bike-troubling was a Porsche 997 Turbo - that launched off the line so bloody quickly.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

35 years ago I knew someone who owned a Porsche 934 that was 2nd in class at Le Mans, he'd road registered it, it went like fuck, it would out accelerate a GPZ900R and the top speed was around 190mph.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Rockburner »

I've not owned a properly fast car before (had a couple of large engines eg: Opal Monza with the 3 litre straight six), but just recently I hired this for a tour of Scotland:

Image
(yes - the 5.0 litre V8 model)

Really fun car to drive! Seriously comfortable, the cabin is pretty spacious, the seats very comfortable: not just heated, but air-conditioned too! Also has an excellent B&O sound system. Wafts along very nicely indeed.

However it has some issues that flaw it for anything other than 'normal' road driving (imvho). The largest of which is that if you're wafting along and come across a slower vehicle, passing it is either a case of fiddling with the setting to put it into 'Sport' mode, where it becomes difficult to drive, always hunting for gears, or waiting for a seriously long gap (we're talking 200yards+) which will allow the gear box enough time to drop 4 or 5 gears (there's 10 in there) when you floor it.

Overtaking is a case of :
"Here's a gap, is it long enough.... hmm - I can't even see the end of the straight in over the horizon, it might be long enough, I'll risk it!
"Pulling out and: FLOOR IT"
"ok, I'm waiting, the gear indicator's gone blank, which one is it going to pick this time?"
"Ok, starting to get worrie... " ROOAAAARRRRRRRRR
"HOLY SHEEEEET"

I very nearly had a nasty experience because the down change takes so long and an overtake that the Rockster would have handled with panache took about 3 times as long as it should have done.

Playing with the flappy paddles didn't really help either, there's so many gears in the box that for regular driving it's simply easier to leave the auto to do it's thing.

The other issue with it being a GT car is the range: 50 litres of unleaded gets you around 400 miles, if you're relatively gentle, so you're constantly watching the range indicator and (in scotland), wondering where the next open petrol station is.

Huge amount of fun though, the engine noise (partially piped into the cabin) is massively addictive, and yes I couldn't help showing off the 'squat' when I spotted a couple of likely lads in an old A6 giving it the eye when I passed them on the A1. :D

Very very nice to drive with the top down too, even at motorway speeds, I was impressed at how little wind got into the cabin.

Would I buy one? Only if I'd won the lottery - it's too thirsty and the gearbox would drive me insane. But it's definitely got me thinking about drop-tops and V8s. (and yes, I'm hoping like hell I haven't tripped any cameras while up there).

For reference - I hired it from these guys: https://mustangrental.co.uk/
Last edited by Rockburner on Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

It's not the straight line acceleration which makes fast cars impressive, its the stopping and turning.

When you go in a properly fast car with a properly good driver you spend the first few minutes going "SHIT SHIT SHIT we're not gonna make that corner!" :D
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by slowsider »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:15 am It's not the straight line acceleration which makes fast cars impressive, its the stopping and turning.

When you go in a properly fast car with a properly good driver you spend the first few minutes going "SHIT SHIT SHIT we're not gonna make that corner!" :D
My wife must be properly fast then... :D
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Slenver »

Rockburner wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:14 am Mustang stuff...
We had one of those for a couple of weeks a while back. The auto gearbox was really horrific, agreed. They'd actually supposed to have improved/fixed it in the facelift version you had, shame to hear they hadn't really.

Not that I'd buy one but if I did there's only one solution of course - get the manual.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Yorick »

The first time Focused Events went to Bedford Aerodrome, the senior car instructor offered to take us bike instructors for a lap in a car to show us round. He was a reet knob and really loved himself :mrgreen:

He picked their fastest car and us 3 sat in the back. He really went for it and we just sat there nonplussed. It was quick and hit 160+ on the straight and he had tyres squealing every bend, just showing off. It didn't work. But I was impressed by the braking power :)

He expected us all to be amazed when we got back to the pits, but we just wandered off, giggling :mrgreen:
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Supermofo »

Harry wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 5:27 am That being said, for half an hour some of the cars are fun, the noise and the buzz is entertaining for a short period, but as I said, if I get loaned something fast for a day then I always take it back after an hour or so, because it wears a bit thin.
Yeah I wouldn't want to own this car as like my Fireblade when I first got it for a few weeks it was 'HOOOOOOOLLLLLLLYYYYY F....' but then doing 150mph everywhere was normal. But after owning a 65bhp single and a 2 litre Mazda the Jag was top fun for an hour.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Supermofo »

Rockburner wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:14 am However it has some issues that flaw it for anything other than 'normal' road driving (imvho). The largest of which is that if you're wafting along and come across a slower vehicle, passing it is either a case of fiddling with the setting to put it into 'Sport' mode, where it becomes difficult to drive, always hunting for gears, or waiting for a seriously long gap (we're talking 200yards+) which will allow the gear box enough time to drop 4 or 5 gears (there's 10 in there) when you floor it.
The Jag didn't have this problem. Only 6 speeds but it was possible for pretty much bike like pick people off overtakes at will and the paddles are there for if it didn't kick down fast enough, but in normal mode 50 to 90 happened quickly and in sport mode it hangs on to the revs till the red line, but was a bit much for normal driving.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Mussels »

Rockburner wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:14 am[SNIP] But it's definitely got me thinking about drop-tops and V8s. (and yes, I'm hoping like hell I haven't tripped any cameras while up there).[/SNIP]
For me drop tops are in the same boat, nice to think about and borrow but after having owned both I wouldn't bother again unless I was absolutely loaded for the V8 and the convertible was a 2nd car.

What you said about the gearbox is familiar to me in the Jag, you do get used to switching modes or pulling the paddle in advance but it always lacks the control of a manual. I really wanted a manual but the XF only has them in the XF-R and having had a V8 that averaged 12mpg I didn't fancy that again.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Rockburner »

Harry wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 11:11 am My mate has a 911 Turbo, a new one that cost him a packet, it's a beautiful thing to look at and nice to be inside, but I can't get excited about it, or any other fancy cars really.
I know what you mean - the Mustang was hired really because we had one booked for our trip to the US in May which got cancelled.

Having said that - the experience of driving a proper old school classic IS different - simply because they're far far more visceral and engaging.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

Friend of mine has a '67 Mustang with a 427 engine (that's 7 litres to you and me).

He's upgraded it to the more modern 4 speed manual, it started out with a 3 speed auto. You could get away with one gear I reckon.
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by G.P »

My first go in a fast car was in a Healey 3 litre when I was abut 7 years old. It belonged to a mate of my dad. Shortly afterwards I got a go in a Marcos, it was he original one with the wooden chassis and a Volvo P1800 engine. Not very powerful but it weighed fuck all so gt to the ton pretty quick for late 1960's and it was really low to the ground, increasing the sensation of speed.
just like this one:

Image
Most powerful car I've driven is the SL55 AMG. THe noise is more entertaining than the dynamics. most fun car I've driven is deffo the Caterham 7 - probably because its closest 4 wheels gets to motorcycles...
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Asian Boss »

My neighbour has one of them Lambos. It's got some shove in it. But I'd learn it in my old Bimmer.
Lambo sml2.png
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Wreckless Rat »

Asian Boss wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 3:07 pm My neighbour has one of them Lambos. It's got some shove in it. But I'd learn it in my old Bimmer.

Lambo sml2.png
he spent all that money on a car, and lives in some rabbit hutch estate... with del boy "lock up" garages... :lol:
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Re: First go in a fast car

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Slenver wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:42 am
Rockburner wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:14 am Mustang stuff...
We had one of those for a couple of weeks a while back. The auto gearbox was really horrific, agreed. They'd actually supposed to have improved/fixed it in the facelift version you had, shame to hear they hadn't really.

Not that I'd buy one but if I did there's only one solution of course - get the manual.
Hired a 3.8 Mercury Cougar in California in 1997, that had a really shit auto box that was alright when you were tootling along, but when you floored it nothing happened for a few seconds before it changed down a couple of gears and then it took off (in an undersprung, underdamped way), sounds like they haven't got any better
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