Sorry about the delay in getting up a proper review guys - has taken me an age to sort through pic's, but anyway, here we go!
So on Tuesday I finally cashed in the Ultimate Supercar Experience birthday present my girlfriend and family chipped together to buy for me. My brother and a mate did it as well and I paid for my good lady to have the Lamborghini LP640 experience (to try and make her more enthusiastic about cars!).
Anyway, turned up at Thruxton with plenty of time so had a chance to drool over some of the cars. Sitting at the end of the paddock was this. The Lambo has such presence, a real supercar that just knocks you over even when stood still! Especially in this colour combo...
After checking in it was time for a safety talk and explanation of the track.
Next up was a ride out with one of the instructors in a Mazda 3MPS, talking through the lines and how best to approach each corner. The guy we had was particularly good as he was explaining & showing what happens if you get it wrong... that certainly helped my girlfriend get her head round it.
I was really impressed with the track. Nice and wide with to slower 'complex' sections then several high speed corners, some with interesting cambers at the apex and on the exit along with a fast back straight and a heavy braking zone.
I particularly liked:
Entry to the first complex - hard braking then hard right, left and then on the power
Exit out of Segrave - off camber, on the power, drifting out to the curb
Noble - fast left with a late apex
Church - fastest corner (I saw 95 mph), right hander especially the undulation at the apex that just unsettles the car in to an off camber exit, feeding on the power until your straight then plant it for the back straight (where I saw 140mph).
The circuit feels really good when you get a rhythm going, but punishes you if you get a corner wrong.
Next up was the Porsche Cayman 2.7's. Again, you're in with an instructor who's assessing your ability and giving you a score (this determines how the guys in the supercars treat your drive). A useful session and again the pace picks up pretty quickly. I was pretty impressed with the Cayman actually. Was really nice to drive, great in the corners... could do with more power though... would really like a go in a Cayman S!!!
Anyway, was pretty pleased with how I drove, hooking up the corners nicely and received a few compliments from the instructor - which was nice
I got a score of 92% meaning the drivers of the supercars are a little more encouraging when you get behind the wheel of them!
Next up was the Aston V8 Vantage.
Beautiful little car, especially with the anthracite wheels and sounded awesome. The car I'd driven had the flappy paddle gearbox, which though handy was quite jerky on shifts, either way, put your foot down and the thing sounded sooooo good! Car was really comfy, didn't feel that quick, but handled really well (it was a drop top too!!). I really enjoyed my drive in this one.... I bet the new 4.7 version n with the extra power is great!
Then we had the F430.
I was really, REALLY looking forward to this one. I've loved Ferrari's pretty much since I could walk and talk and would never hear a bad word said about them, but it was probably my least favourite to drive round a track for 4 laps. That's not to say a hated it, the noise, the drama were just awesome (the instructor was even happy enough to put the magneto in to Race), but for 4 laps it was just too edgy. It's the sort of car that could take you forever to master, which in hindsight probably makes it all the better... a constant challenge then... maybe I should have another go in this one, but in a manual next time???
Next was the big one, Lambo LP640.
Had a really good chat with the owner (Martin) who would be with me in the car. He has several of them and turn them over pretty much every year (this got me thinking about a new business idea!). Anyway, the drama with this car, scissor doors, quilted leather, carbon trim, negotiating getting in the car, firing up THAT engine.... seriously, if my numbers came in it's the first super car I'd order.... it was better in the flesh than I'd dreamt! Again, flappy paddle box, smoother than the Aston's, but made something this intimidating an absolute doddle to drive! Carbon fibre paddles too
First stab of the gas and I was just laughing, the noise from that engine was just awesome, a few mm of travel on the gas pedal translates to big stabs of acceleration.
The best thing about it was it's ability to go just where you want it to, much better than the Ferrari in that respect, it inspired confidence. Grip was immense, especially through the faster corners, again, I ended up laughing most of the way through this drive I was enjoying it that much. On the back straight a chance to stretch it's legs, even with early up shifts it got to 140mph with no fuss.... I LOVE THIS CAR!!!
Then we had the 997 Turbo.
I've driven a mates 996 Turbo several times before, so I'm pretty familiar with this sort of car, but I was quite surprised with just how much of an improvement the 997 is. Considering it's turbo charged, the amount of boost low down was really impressive, the thing just shot out of corners at warp speed. The instructor in this car really encouraged me to go for it and I probably had the best drive in this car. It was also probably the easiest to drive fast on track, easy to place in to corners and awesome brakes!
That should have been it, but my girlfriend as part of the Lambo experience had the opportunity to go in the single seater's, she didn't fancy it so we asked if we could swap it for something else. They offered the Dodge Viper, which she still didn't fancy so she let me do it instead.
So, besides it taking about 10 minutes to fire up due to issues with the immobiliser (you would cry if it was your car and you we're trying to do this on a busy street!!!), when that engine caught it sounded a beast. Side pipes, left had drive and the stiffest clutch and gearbox I've ever experienced, oh and no traction or ESP!!! It's so highly geared that it's practically ticking over and your tearing along, but when you plant it, it makes a great noise (thanks Lamborghini as I believe they developed the engine!). The car is prehistoric compared to the other cars, it's stiff, skips through the faster corners, but on the back straight it matched the Lambo for acceleration (I saw 135mph!) and again had me laughing... I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it!!!
Then that was it a great day..... I wished I could have started it all over again.
A great day out and has made me decide to get involved in more track days in my car.
!) The Lambo was out of action by mid-morning, so it may end up not being there tomorrow, unless they have managed to get it fixed pretty quickly 
).
!
Understandable... but seriously jonny pictures are pants.. You really got to see it in flesh. It's got privacy glass and the alloys are powdercoated white too... except by don't really look it in THAT picture.
