Moments of Motoring Nirvana...
Discussion
Whilst some of you might think this is an odd choice, one of things I'd always wanted to do was drive across London in the middle of the night. Last year I got the perfect excuse, due to a hotel room's air conditioner deciding to spray my good lady and me with water at 2:30 AM we were both wide awake and mighitily pissed off.
After we'd vented our anger at the reception staff my wife said "I've had enough, lets go home, are you up for that" and a little frisson of excitement washed over me. Greenwich to Devon in my Monaro - Needless to say to get to the Great West Road was a mere 40 mins, the M4 & M5 drag afterwards worth it. Only stopping for Red lights, Actually doing 30 along the Embankment, all an utter Delight.
This Beats my other piece of Motoring Nirvana - Newquay to Torquay in an hour and 10 minutes, many many years ago in a 924 Turbo in the dark and the rain, leaving Newquay at 5:30 PM, going via Plymouth, with a Sierra Cosworth matching me overtake for overtake but that's a different story.
After we'd vented our anger at the reception staff my wife said "I've had enough, lets go home, are you up for that" and a little frisson of excitement washed over me. Greenwich to Devon in my Monaro - Needless to say to get to the Great West Road was a mere 40 mins, the M4 & M5 drag afterwards worth it. Only stopping for Red lights, Actually doing 30 along the Embankment, all an utter Delight.
This Beats my other piece of Motoring Nirvana - Newquay to Torquay in an hour and 10 minutes, many many years ago in a 924 Turbo in the dark and the rain, leaving Newquay at 5:30 PM, going via Plymouth, with a Sierra Cosworth matching me overtake for overtake but that's a different story.
I set off monday morning to head to collect some cleaning products for my car from hazel grove in stockport heading out towards buxton/derbyshire dales etc. Collected said products and then decided to carry on heading down the A6 and take the subaru for a blast - turned off when we got to disley and headed to bakewell through the b roads connecting back up with the A6, stopped to admire chatsworth estate and then turned and headed for the cat&fiddle before taking 10 there and then completing the loop back through alderley edge!
I didnt see anything special, the roads actually ended up quiet but there was snow up on the hills around the fiddle and it was just a brilliant drive out - something i should do alot more!
I didnt see anything special, the roads actually ended up quiet but there was snow up on the hills around the fiddle and it was just a brilliant drive out - something i should do alot more!
I was sat waiting to come out of a junction one day and a jag e-type pootles past. I pulled out behind it expecting the usual 50mph jaunt of the classic car.....oh hell no.....soon as the 30 zone went he was off, I followed in my M3 for about 10 miles of b-road as this boy (roof down, he and passenger clearly enjoying themselves) blasted along at sometimes licence losing speeds. Watching the back end of that old jag twitch and dance was amazing. Or it may have been today following a radical along the dual carriageway by silverstone. Offfft.
On holiday with the family in the Brecon Beacons this week, never been before but it is a beautiful part of the world, especially with snow on the mountains. On Tuesday I got out on my own for an hour and explored some truly stunning roads around where I am staying near Brecon. I have had my Cupra 280 for about 20 months now but found out it was even capable of more than I realised, sounds a bit corny but getting it all hooked up correctly was a mind blowing experience for me, almost religious! Swapping it for a Cupra 290 when the lease is up in July and planning a return visit next year already.
I have a very similar story to the OP, Last year coming back from RIAT at RAF Fairford, I take the A roads for a fun drive back to Birmingham, in between Burford & Stow-on-the-wold I spotted a wide, red low slung machine with xenon lights, as we closed in I realised I was looking at an Enzo, to my amazement it was being followed by an F-40 which was followed by another Ferrari, Think it was an FF but was too busy looking at the other 2, those few brief seconds will stay with me for a very long while.
A few days later I managed to see an XJ220 & A delta integrale too (K20 WRC)
Was a good week for fast machinery for me!
A few days later I managed to see an XJ220 & A delta integrale too (K20 WRC)
Was a good week for fast machinery for me!
Thank you, PH.
I was sitting here, just over an hour ago, feeling a bit miserable to be honest. The wife and kids are away, I'm stuck here working, and I'm not quite over a nasty cold. Was considering going to bed with a book, truth be told.
Then I read this thread. Nice. So I got up, grabbed the keys to the 911, and went out for a spin. Just because I could.
Didn't see any F40s, E-types or frankly anybody at all. Just lovely empty B-roads, and me. Nirvana? Maybe not, but I'm sure as hell not miserable any more. Like I said, thank you PH
I was sitting here, just over an hour ago, feeling a bit miserable to be honest. The wife and kids are away, I'm stuck here working, and I'm not quite over a nasty cold. Was considering going to bed with a book, truth be told.
Then I read this thread. Nice. So I got up, grabbed the keys to the 911, and went out for a spin. Just because I could.
Didn't see any F40s, E-types or frankly anybody at all. Just lovely empty B-roads, and me. Nirvana? Maybe not, but I'm sure as hell not miserable any more. Like I said, thank you PH
Two come to mind:
Driving an Elise round Castle Combe on one of their driving experience days. We'd been told in the briefing that the instructors would allow us to go as fast as they were comfortable with us going, so when I was being told the best lines to overtake the Formula Ford 1600's on track and having the track exit ignored after the allotted laps were up to stay out "one or two more laps because you've pretty much got this", it's safe to say I was a very happy boy indeed!
More recently, and a bit more sedately, picked up my XF and drove it 130 miles home, some motorway and rainy (not bad, used the time to get comfortable with the car), then came out of the bad weather as I kept going west. Onto some of the quieter roads approaching Bristol (Salisbury plain I remember going past) as the sun was setting, windows down, and a V8 soundtrack on some nice, flowing roads. Then remembering that this was my very own V8 soundtrack now...lovely.
Driving an Elise round Castle Combe on one of their driving experience days. We'd been told in the briefing that the instructors would allow us to go as fast as they were comfortable with us going, so when I was being told the best lines to overtake the Formula Ford 1600's on track and having the track exit ignored after the allotted laps were up to stay out "one or two more laps because you've pretty much got this", it's safe to say I was a very happy boy indeed!
More recently, and a bit more sedately, picked up my XF and drove it 130 miles home, some motorway and rainy (not bad, used the time to get comfortable with the car), then came out of the bad weather as I kept going west. Onto some of the quieter roads approaching Bristol (Salisbury plain I remember going past) as the sun was setting, windows down, and a V8 soundtrack on some nice, flowing roads. Then remembering that this was my very own V8 soundtrack now...lovely.
deckster said:
Thank you, PH.
I was sitting here, just over an hour ago, feeling a bit miserable to be honest. The wife and kids are away, I'm stuck here working, and I'm not quite over a nasty cold. Was considering going to bed with a book, truth be told.
Then I read this thread. Nice. So I got up, grabbed the keys to the 911, and went out for a spin. Just because I could.
Didn't see any F40s, E-types or frankly anybody at all. Just lovely empty B-roads, and me. Nirvana? Maybe not, but I'm sure as hell not miserable any more. Like I said, thank you PH
That! It is why we are all here, I guess. Car is such a mood booster for us. (And not being able to drive is such a downer). I was sitting here, just over an hour ago, feeling a bit miserable to be honest. The wife and kids are away, I'm stuck here working, and I'm not quite over a nasty cold. Was considering going to bed with a book, truth be told.
Then I read this thread. Nice. So I got up, grabbed the keys to the 911, and went out for a spin. Just because I could.
Didn't see any F40s, E-types or frankly anybody at all. Just lovely empty B-roads, and me. Nirvana? Maybe not, but I'm sure as hell not miserable any more. Like I said, thank you PH
In my youth I used to live in Switzerland and always not too far from some B-roads and with a 2001 MINI Cooper as my pride and joy (didn't eat for couple of months so as to afford it!) and was lucky to go up to the mountains every other weekend during the ski season.
About 2-3 years into its ownership, I knew the car like I knew my thumb. I went up the road to Avoriaz across France once with a mate, got stuck behind a load of very slow moving contraptions (distinctly recall an 80s 300TD Estate, and probably a tractor) which nobody wanted to over take for kilometers on end. Just before the interesting bits of road, I decided to do the deed. Drop a couple of gears and went for it. I was rewarded with a totally empty road ahead and behind, clipping a lot of open corner apexes (with a "dropped" gravel bit like in rallies) with the MINI just totally hooked up and flying up the road in total control.
Mate was impressed until, down a straight I was overtaken by a 4x4 V6 VW Transporter van on local plates.....he couldn't stop laughing for days.
Nevertheless that was a stunning drive.
Had a few more on more slippery conditions and the MINI just felt like an extension of myself, back end sliding in the most progressive way (intended and also unintended)...
Still the best car I have had to date, handling wise.
Last October, wee run up the west coast from Gairloch. Came across evo magazine doing their car of the year (or whatever they call it) at kylesku. Chased a 488 from the twisty bit after the lochinver turn off all the way to the car park at the bridge. So much exotica there, I didn't know where to look. Chased an evora 400 from there north for 3 or 4 miles.
Or chasing an xj220 through fife to st. Andrews many years ago in an old capri. I knew the road well and could catch him in the twisty bits, then got to watch him dissappear like a low flying ufo whenever it straightened out. So low and so wide, he took up virtually the whole width of the road.
Or chasing an xj220 through fife to st. Andrews many years ago in an old capri. I knew the road well and could catch him in the twisty bits, then got to watch him dissappear like a low flying ufo whenever it straightened out. So low and so wide, he took up virtually the whole width of the road.
Been lucky enough to have a few, all in Ireland as I'm Irish, first was a blast around the empty twisting roads of North Mayo in my Elise, epic scenery great weather, my then girlfriend (now wife) by my side
Next was my first trackday in my Suzuki Ignis sport at Mondello Park, I knew I'd have fun, I didn't realise I'd have anything like as much fun as I had, I went through a set of brake pads in the morning and had to do a dash to the local motor factors at lunchtime to buy another set, fitted them with borrowed tools from people I'd never met before and just drove until the sun set. But the best thing was that I spent that day with my brother (sadly recently deceased). We had so many laughs that day.
The third was a spin down to West Kerry, an awesome place, it was my first big drive in the Mazda, this was 4 hours from where I live and as I wanted to beat the traffic that there can be in the area I set off at 4.00 am roof down, wooly hat on, the blast down was fun, but to have this little slice of paradise to yourself for a couple of hours was just amazing, it was a long day but so worth it. Might do it again this year, good for the soul
Next was my first trackday in my Suzuki Ignis sport at Mondello Park, I knew I'd have fun, I didn't realise I'd have anything like as much fun as I had, I went through a set of brake pads in the morning and had to do a dash to the local motor factors at lunchtime to buy another set, fitted them with borrowed tools from people I'd never met before and just drove until the sun set. But the best thing was that I spent that day with my brother (sadly recently deceased). We had so many laughs that day.
The third was a spin down to West Kerry, an awesome place, it was my first big drive in the Mazda, this was 4 hours from where I live and as I wanted to beat the traffic that there can be in the area I set off at 4.00 am roof down, wooly hat on, the blast down was fun, but to have this little slice of paradise to yourself for a couple of hours was just amazing, it was a long day but so worth it. Might do it again this year, good for the soul
Absolutely brilliant thread. Cheered up my morning sitting here in the office with not much on. Honestly loved every single story equally, but especially the OP and his F40 driver popping in to say hello.
I haven't owned any fancy cars really. But not long after passing my test I bought myself my first Toyota MR2. It was a UK car, NA, tbar. Nothing fancy but clean as a whistle and red. I'd had a bad break up recently, but had met somebody shortly after. Picked her up late one night, got the roof off and had an almost surreal drive through dark, empty B roads, enjoying the sky above as much as the road ahead, and she smiling and laughing as the revs climbed and the road unraveled.
Good times. Think i'll go for a drive tonight.
I haven't owned any fancy cars really. But not long after passing my test I bought myself my first Toyota MR2. It was a UK car, NA, tbar. Nothing fancy but clean as a whistle and red. I'd had a bad break up recently, but had met somebody shortly after. Picked her up late one night, got the roof off and had an almost surreal drive through dark, empty B roads, enjoying the sky above as much as the road ahead, and she smiling and laughing as the revs climbed and the road unraveled.
Good times. Think i'll go for a drive tonight.
So great to read a 100% positive, happy thread like this.
I'll never forget a drive up to Norfolk in a borrowed Audi S1.
I was on my own and driving up to meet my family for a short holiday.
It was 10pm, and I was making time on some glorious empty,twisty roads.
Then from nowhere some bright xenons flashed past me. It was a Tesla, and the driver was making very good progress.
I slotted in behind and we drove for the next 30 mins in perfect unison. The Tesla with it's instant, monster torque would pull away on the exit of the slower corners but the little Audi would make it up on the brakes.
When it was time to finally part ways I pulled alongside at a roundabout and a brief nod was exchanged.
I was buzzing for the rest of the journey.
Great little car that S1. When used values become a little more sensible I could be sorely tempted.
Loving all the stories - keep 'em coming.
I'll never forget a drive up to Norfolk in a borrowed Audi S1.
I was on my own and driving up to meet my family for a short holiday.
It was 10pm, and I was making time on some glorious empty,twisty roads.
Then from nowhere some bright xenons flashed past me. It was a Tesla, and the driver was making very good progress.
I slotted in behind and we drove for the next 30 mins in perfect unison. The Tesla with it's instant, monster torque would pull away on the exit of the slower corners but the little Audi would make it up on the brakes.
When it was time to finally part ways I pulled alongside at a roundabout and a brief nod was exchanged.
I was buzzing for the rest of the journey.
Great little car that S1. When used values become a little more sensible I could be sorely tempted.
Loving all the stories - keep 'em coming.
Yep, great thread!
I sadly can't say that i've driven anything exotic (well, i have done, but not 'driven, properly' on the road kinda thing.
Most of my good drives involve going from my home in co durham up to Hartside Cafe, about 45 miles each way up some great roads,( then onward down into the Lake District sometimes too). Get up nice and early to avoid the traffic.
One of the best drives more recently was actually when i WASNT pressing on. It was in my 9-5 Aero (now sold, regrettably!). I absolutely hooned it up to Hartside which was good fun, but on the way back down, i took it slow. It was a lovely clear sunny day, the landscape is beautiful up in the dales and i just cruised back, all windows open, taking in the fresh air, smell of the trees etc, sounds of birdsong....all very greenpeace but so nice
Another good time i can think of was back in Rhodes in 2006. Was there with my GF, we hired a Renault Twingo with a canvas roof. Just had so much fun in the day, zipping around up terrible roads and stupid speeds (relatively) amazing scenery, no idea where we were going or how we would get back, utter bliss! Then on the night we got to a beach/shore. Parked up, roof all the way open, seats reclined looking up at the stars with the waves washing nearby. Just magic.
Another time, used my mams Smart Roadster - me and a mate (probably looked like right idiots but who cares) absolutely hooned it up to my mams caravan in the scottish borders. Roof down, little engine buzzing fizzing away, absolutely going for it through the twisties music blasting...superb.
I think what i may be saying is....you dont need to have the absolutely amazing car to have a great time....(but obviously, that will help!)
I sadly can't say that i've driven anything exotic (well, i have done, but not 'driven, properly' on the road kinda thing.
Most of my good drives involve going from my home in co durham up to Hartside Cafe, about 45 miles each way up some great roads,( then onward down into the Lake District sometimes too). Get up nice and early to avoid the traffic.
One of the best drives more recently was actually when i WASNT pressing on. It was in my 9-5 Aero (now sold, regrettably!). I absolutely hooned it up to Hartside which was good fun, but on the way back down, i took it slow. It was a lovely clear sunny day, the landscape is beautiful up in the dales and i just cruised back, all windows open, taking in the fresh air, smell of the trees etc, sounds of birdsong....all very greenpeace but so nice
Another good time i can think of was back in Rhodes in 2006. Was there with my GF, we hired a Renault Twingo with a canvas roof. Just had so much fun in the day, zipping around up terrible roads and stupid speeds (relatively) amazing scenery, no idea where we were going or how we would get back, utter bliss! Then on the night we got to a beach/shore. Parked up, roof all the way open, seats reclined looking up at the stars with the waves washing nearby. Just magic.
Another time, used my mams Smart Roadster - me and a mate (probably looked like right idiots but who cares) absolutely hooned it up to my mams caravan in the scottish borders. Roof down, little engine buzzing fizzing away, absolutely going for it through the twisties music blasting...superb.
I think what i may be saying is....you dont need to have the absolutely amazing car to have a great time....(but obviously, that will help!)
A moment of Nirvana for me happened in 2004 at the first Le Mans Classic, sitting behind the marshalling post at the start of the Mulsanne in the early hours of Sunday morning, listening to a 917 coming round Tertre Rouge and blasting off into the distance, that beautiful, hollow wail slowly diminishing into the night.
I'm old enough and lucky enough to have started going to Le Mans in the late 60's and seen our golden age of long distance racing first hand, never thinking at the time that I would be able, decades later, to hear these fabulous cars run in anger again, especially at night and at the Sarthe.
I'm old enough and lucky enough to have started going to Le Mans in the late 60's and seen our golden age of long distance racing first hand, never thinking at the time that I would be able, decades later, to hear these fabulous cars run in anger again, especially at night and at the Sarthe.
F40 related would be spotting something red and low in my rear view mirror on the Leeds ring road heading towards Bradford. Then within a blink it is alongside me and its an F40. Drop my window down to hear what I assume is the turbos spooling up and then bang he was gone. Awesome sound. Some of my formative years were spent drooling at F40s in the window of a place on Scothall Road in Leeds which then morphed into the BMW dealership (was it called Barr and Barr?) and to see one in action was a bit of a moment. I have also had the pleasure of being a passenger in one via a charity super car day I was made aware of via PH and that was an experience I will never forget.
Driving my own car would be the Buttertubs pass in a Jaguar XJ of all things - it was a big old girl but had the 4.2 V8 and by heck did it feel like a machine. I had the day to myself, nothing to do and thought I would go for a drive, no planned route, no sat nav directions, just left Leeds in the vague direction of North Yorks on the search for some good roads. Did that same stretch last year in my XFR with some other PH folk in a convoy that included an R8, Viper, 911 Cab of some flavour and a 500bhp Impreza, which shot flames out of the exhaust when pressing on - now that is an experience that will live long in the memory...
Driving my own car would be the Buttertubs pass in a Jaguar XJ of all things - it was a big old girl but had the 4.2 V8 and by heck did it feel like a machine. I had the day to myself, nothing to do and thought I would go for a drive, no planned route, no sat nav directions, just left Leeds in the vague direction of North Yorks on the search for some good roads. Did that same stretch last year in my XFR with some other PH folk in a convoy that included an R8, Viper, 911 Cab of some flavour and a 500bhp Impreza, which shot flames out of the exhaust when pressing on - now that is an experience that will live long in the memory...
Edited by ali_XFR on Thursday 31st March 11:11
Four years and one week ago, I picked up the Ferrari 328 GTS that I had bought in Bath and drove it home across the Cotswolds on a beautiful crisp day (a bit like today where I am) with the roof off. The only non-Nirvana-ey bit was that I had trouble getting used to the fly-off handbrake and couldn't get it off when the lights turned green just outside Stow-on-the Wold. The lights went back to red before I managed. I can only imagine what the people behind thought. I particularly remember seeing buzzards flying overhead which I wouldn't have seen with the roof on (rather wierdly - sitting in my office, I just heard a buzzard!).
For me, it was early in the morning of July last year when a friend in a supercharged S1 Elise and me in mx-5 trackcar were setting off fo a drive through Les Vosges, on day2 of a trip that would later take in the best of the Swiss passes, Italy, Germany, Austria finishing with a trackday at Spa.
It was on that morning that as we were building up the pace, we picked up a local mountain biker who was making his way up the hill for a day of downhill and trails. He clearly knew the roads and what followed was a memorable game of cat and mouse driving as he plunged along the mountain road with us following. He was wringing the neck of the poor old A3 but his work late on the brakes made up for our lack of knowledge of the road and it was a thrilling drive. A cheery wave at the end when he pulled off at a ski lift confirmed he enjoyed it as well. We were both buzzing so much when we made the top that rather than push on into Switzerland my mate and I had to stop for a coffee and re-live the whole episode in detail!!
Turns it it was one of the best drives of the whole trip. Apart from being overtaken on the inside by a GT3RS when going through Eau Rouge flat in an over gripped and under powered MX5. That will live with me forever!
It was on that morning that as we were building up the pace, we picked up a local mountain biker who was making his way up the hill for a day of downhill and trails. He clearly knew the roads and what followed was a memorable game of cat and mouse driving as he plunged along the mountain road with us following. He was wringing the neck of the poor old A3 but his work late on the brakes made up for our lack of knowledge of the road and it was a thrilling drive. A cheery wave at the end when he pulled off at a ski lift confirmed he enjoyed it as well. We were both buzzing so much when we made the top that rather than push on into Switzerland my mate and I had to stop for a coffee and re-live the whole episode in detail!!
Turns it it was one of the best drives of the whole trip. Apart from being overtaken on the inside by a GT3RS when going through Eau Rouge flat in an over gripped and under powered MX5. That will live with me forever!
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