Wednesday 12th November 2014

Rain doesn't stop play: PH Blog

Why real men don't tuck the overpowered RWD weekend toy away just because winter has arrived

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On average, the UK experiences 140 days of rainfall per year. Which is quite a lot. Due to some sort of cosmic imbalance, it is also more or less guaranteed that none of the 225 'dry' days are likely to fall on a weekend. Or be particularly dry. Welcome to Great Britain.

James, being manly at Sunday Service

But for a nation of car lovers dwelling in such a climate we're surprisingly lacking in enthusiasm when it comes to wet weather driving. A brief glance at the forums before any Sunday Service will reinforce this, with many people muttering "I might bring the tin top if the weather is bad."

But to me though it's a waste to keep a fast car locked up in the garage. Doubly so because, put simply, driving in the wet can be fun.

Jaguar recently loaned us an F-Type R coupe ahead of our Sunday Service with them at Gaydon and I was the lucky so-and-so responsible for driving it to Warwickshire. Inevitably it was also raining for the entire time I had it. The reality of course is that almost any modern car will deliver you safely to your destination if you respect it and leave the driver aids turned on. But if you do press a few buttons, take a few brave pills and approach it sensibly then there is some genuine fun to be had and, with it, a closer bond with your car.

Just get out and drive, whatever the weather

I know I'm not alone in feeling this way, the PHer who turned up at Gaydon in a Porsche Carrera GT proving the point also and in considerably more style. I'm struggling to think of a vehicle accepted wisdom dictates would be as intimidating to drive in the wet, not just because of the car's nature but also courtesy of its value. But the owner arrived grinning and happy, and didn't exactly seem reticent or hard done by as he set off for the journey home either.

This mindset was forced upon me when I worked for Caterham, where I'd be required to drive some extremely high powered, very light and not always very friendly cars whatever the weather. Sadly these sometimes lacked doors and often a roof but, as they say, there is no such thing as bad weather, only poor clothing choices. In a Caterham the only driver aids are the windscreen wipers and indicators, so you're on your own if you like it or not.

These PHers aren't afraid of a drop of rain

But once you get over the initial trepidation you start to relish the challenge, adapt to your environment and rapidly understand where the car's strengths and weaknesses lie. With the limits on a wet road being far lower any 'moments' tend to happen slower than in the dry, giving you a bit longer to correct them and learn how the car reacts. Basically if you can tame a car in the wet, not only will you quickly learn to enjoy it when you get finally drive the car on a dry and sunny day you'll also be able to get the most out of it.

Well, that's the theory anyway.

James

Photos: Ben Lowden, Stewart Writtle

[V8 FOU]

Totally agree. When I had the Esprit V8, traction control consisted of 3rd gear instead of 2nd coming out of turns or roundabouts.

Any RWD will be fun with a modicum of care in the wet. Even my F350 truck will drift in the wet!