RE: PH 2016 - Most memorable drives
Saturday 24th December 2016
2016 has been a good year for cars, it has to be said. But they're no use to anyone as static exhibits so here we're going to look back on our best drives in them. The invitation off the back of this would be to hear what you've been up to this year too so by all means share your own memorable drives with us in the thread to follow. We'd love to hear where you've been, in what and with whom!
Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio versus the Alps
The launch of the Alfa Giulia was the usual Italian bun fight, and three laps on the track at Balocco didn't give me the chance to make more than passing acquaintance with the Quadrifoglio. So I was extremely lucky to get a second opportunity to drive it in Italy, free from PR minders and with a route that took in the country's five highest passes over three days. For the most part it's fully deserving of the hype - after five minutes driving there's no doubting the investment of money and development resource on the platform and, for my money, its snarling turbo engine is the best-sounding Italian V6 since the Lancia Stratos. Parts of it are still wobbly: some of the interior trim feels like it was ordered on Alibaba and the manual gearbox of the left-hooker I drove grew steadily graunchier over 900 miles, 150 hairpins and around 33,000 vertical feet of ascending and descending passes. Fortunate, then, that we're only going to get the auto. It's definitely not perfect, but it is exciting and brimming with character. Isn't that what Alfas are meant to be all about?
(Mike Duff)
Yamaha MT-10 launch
The launch of the Yamaha MT-10 in Spain was certainly memorable for Yamaha, the local police and all journalists involved. Let loose on a bike whose front wheel seems to have an aversion to tarmac, the British journalists soon decided to embark on a game of who could pull the longest wheelie, culminating in about eight bikes simultaneously doing so along a dual carriageway at 'enthusiastic' speed. The resulting onboard videos inevitably made their way into the public domain and at every subsequent launch, Yamaha people gently reminded us to turn any video equipment off - or at least not upload the evidence, as the local police were somewhat rattled. The ultimate irony was that by the end of the launch, when we were led to an airfield for closed-road wheelies, most riders were too wheelied-out to perform and the bikes were empty of fuel...
(Jon Urry)
Mercedes-AMG E63 at Portimao
Always a tough one. I loved the Focus RS on Spanish roads and at Jerez. Tag-team Caterham laps chasing James at Anglesey was mega, as was the whole track day. But I'll let him talk about that! Every drive in an M2 was a giggle. But the sheer lunacy of the speeds we were doing round Portimao in the E63 attempting to keep pace with Bernd Schneider's loose interpretation of ducks and drakes is a stand-out. Three evenly matched hacks in E63s, one multiple DTM champ in an AMG GT S and a 'warm-up lap' that demonstrated we were going to need every one of those 612hp to even keep him in sight. A cool-down lap with Drift Mode selected and formation powerslides from our giggling chase trio was the perfect conclusion.
(Dan Trent)
Duelling Caterhams
A bright blue sky, a quiet Anglesey Circuit and a twin test between a Caterham 620 R and a 620 S. Yep, that was one of those days that I had to work really hard to keep a straight face when I got home and my wife asked me how my day at work had been. The cars performed perfectly, lapping the circuit with furious speed and endless enthusiasm. Not only was this my most memorable drive of the year, but it is up there as one of the best of all time. However, whilst deciding what to write about I was torn between the Caterhams at Anglesey and my European road trip to the Mountain Bike World Championships in my Skoda Octavia long termer. I guess that having to choose between such memorable experiences just shows what an action packed - and diverse - year 2016 has been!
Ferrari 488 Spider on the B1117
Agh, tricky one. The Latigo Canyon Road in a Mini Convertible was great fun (look at the bends!), as was the privilege of lapping Kyalami in a 911 Turbo. But getting up early to drive a Ferrari 488 Spider on a clear, crisp winter's morning, roof down and sun coming up, has to take it. The car is flawed, and yet as an experience that's one that will linger for a while. Not only is it a car to be enjoyed at realistic road speeds, to be able to do it with the roof lowered and barely anybody around made it all the more rewarding. Shift lights are even brighter at dawn! I doubt anyone with a 488 Spider will drive it on a road like the B1117 at seven on a Saturday morning any time soon, but I really hope they do - it's tremendous.
(Matt Bird)
167mph in BMW M2 on the Autobahn
It was difficult choosing between this and another drive on the same trip involving the MY17 Nissan GT-R at Spa Francorchamps. But I was never going to beat a lap record, no matter how many times I have driven the track on games consoles. Therefore, driving a BMW M2 to an indicated 167mph on the autobahn was more memorable. Everything you have been told since learning to drive is that getting into triple digit speeds is very, very silly, but in Germany that speed is liberating. On my first run nerves got the better of me; however, with some more confidence, awareness and the headlights turned on, the M2 shot past its supposed 155mph limiter and reached 167mph on the speedo. What remains most remarkable is just how much ground you cover at this speed - I need another go soon!
(Nikolai Attard)
PH 2016 - Most memorable drives
We hope you've had some fun in your cars this year - here are some our highlights!
The launch of the Alfa Giulia was the usual Italian bun fight, and three laps on the track at Balocco didn't give me the chance to make more than passing acquaintance with the Quadrifoglio. So I was extremely lucky to get a second opportunity to drive it in Italy, free from PR minders and with a route that took in the country's five highest passes over three days. For the most part it's fully deserving of the hype - after five minutes driving there's no doubting the investment of money and development resource on the platform and, for my money, its snarling turbo engine is the best-sounding Italian V6 since the Lancia Stratos. Parts of it are still wobbly: some of the interior trim feels like it was ordered on Alibaba and the manual gearbox of the left-hooker I drove grew steadily graunchier over 900 miles, 150 hairpins and around 33,000 vertical feet of ascending and descending passes. Fortunate, then, that we're only going to get the auto. It's definitely not perfect, but it is exciting and brimming with character. Isn't that what Alfas are meant to be all about?
(Mike Duff)
The launch of the Yamaha MT-10 in Spain was certainly memorable for Yamaha, the local police and all journalists involved. Let loose on a bike whose front wheel seems to have an aversion to tarmac, the British journalists soon decided to embark on a game of who could pull the longest wheelie, culminating in about eight bikes simultaneously doing so along a dual carriageway at 'enthusiastic' speed. The resulting onboard videos inevitably made their way into the public domain and at every subsequent launch, Yamaha people gently reminded us to turn any video equipment off - or at least not upload the evidence, as the local police were somewhat rattled. The ultimate irony was that by the end of the launch, when we were led to an airfield for closed-road wheelies, most riders were too wheelied-out to perform and the bikes were empty of fuel...
(Jon Urry)
Always a tough one. I loved the Focus RS on Spanish roads and at Jerez. Tag-team Caterham laps chasing James at Anglesey was mega, as was the whole track day. But I'll let him talk about that! Every drive in an M2 was a giggle. But the sheer lunacy of the speeds we were doing round Portimao in the E63 attempting to keep pace with Bernd Schneider's loose interpretation of ducks and drakes is a stand-out. Three evenly matched hacks in E63s, one multiple DTM champ in an AMG GT S and a 'warm-up lap' that demonstrated we were going to need every one of those 612hp to even keep him in sight. A cool-down lap with Drift Mode selected and formation powerslides from our giggling chase trio was the perfect conclusion.
(Dan Trent)
A bright blue sky, a quiet Anglesey Circuit and a twin test between a Caterham 620 R and a 620 S. Yep, that was one of those days that I had to work really hard to keep a straight face when I got home and my wife asked me how my day at work had been. The cars performed perfectly, lapping the circuit with furious speed and endless enthusiasm. Not only was this my most memorable drive of the year, but it is up there as one of the best of all time. However, whilst deciding what to write about I was torn between the Caterhams at Anglesey and my European road trip to the Mountain Bike World Championships in my Skoda Octavia long termer. I guess that having to choose between such memorable experiences just shows what an action packed - and diverse - year 2016 has been!
Watch the video here.
(James Drake)
Agh, tricky one. The Latigo Canyon Road in a Mini Convertible was great fun (look at the bends!), as was the privilege of lapping Kyalami in a 911 Turbo. But getting up early to drive a Ferrari 488 Spider on a clear, crisp winter's morning, roof down and sun coming up, has to take it. The car is flawed, and yet as an experience that's one that will linger for a while. Not only is it a car to be enjoyed at realistic road speeds, to be able to do it with the roof lowered and barely anybody around made it all the more rewarding. Shift lights are even brighter at dawn! I doubt anyone with a 488 Spider will drive it on a road like the B1117 at seven on a Saturday morning any time soon, but I really hope they do - it's tremendous.
(Matt Bird)
It was difficult choosing between this and another drive on the same trip involving the MY17 Nissan GT-R at Spa Francorchamps. But I was never going to beat a lap record, no matter how many times I have driven the track on games consoles. Therefore, driving a BMW M2 to an indicated 167mph on the autobahn was more memorable. Everything you have been told since learning to drive is that getting into triple digit speeds is very, very silly, but in Germany that speed is liberating. On my first run nerves got the better of me; however, with some more confidence, awareness and the headlights turned on, the M2 shot past its supposed 155mph limiter and reached 167mph on the speedo. What remains most remarkable is just how much ground you cover at this speed - I need another go soon!
(Nikolai Attard)
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