What car has surprised you?
Discussion
Imagine theres plenty on here with what they regard as fast barges executive expresses even mundane saloons and hot hatches but how honest can you be in front of this audience about the time you went to blow away the car next to you at the lights and ended up with the fright of your life ?
What do you or did you drive and what was the machine that you couldnt keep up with?
This could be quite revealing...no psycho analysis required.just something a bit different.
What do you or did you drive and what was the machine that you couldnt keep up with?
This could be quite revealing...no psycho analysis required.just something a bit different.
Edited by ToothbrushMan on Saturday 15th November 16:24
I was in an M3 E46 behind a VW Jetta in the pit lane at Goodwood. (I'd done about 50 track days). Thought I'd get past him in a couple of corners, and then have a clear track. Never ever caught him. The car was as light as a fly, proper track prepped, and he was twice the track driver I was.
57Ford said:
One of those miniature Audi TFSI (A1?) things set off like a rocket and left me behind between traffic lights. The old 2.7d XF takes a little bit to get going but generally I don't fall so far behind what I thought was a posh little shopping trolley.
There is/was a 185bhp version of the 1.4 couple that with an stronic box and it makes for a quick car.Clio Trophy.. I had a Caterham HPC with a Swindon Red Top in producing 220 BHP... I followed a Trophy one day and struggled to keep up! He was a great driver and knew the road, but it was a VERY quick car.
A couple of years later I bought one, great little car, I absolutely loved it... But it made my wife sick to be in it, and drive it! I was sorry to sell it...
I see it's in EVO's top ten cars of all time, and I can see why...
A couple of years later I bought one, great little car, I absolutely loved it... But it made my wife sick to be in it, and drive it! I was sorry to sell it...
I see it's in EVO's top ten cars of all time, and I can see why...
Nice to see the haters have showed restraint and just kept it buttoned for once!!
The A1 tfsi 189 i think is quoted as 6.9s to 60 so a bit of a sleeper....
amazed the Caterham was dropped by the Clio given the power to weights. Im sure the Trophy has great road manners but even so id be wondering where it had gone myself.....
The A1 tfsi 189 i think is quoted as 6.9s to 60 so a bit of a sleeper....
amazed the Caterham was dropped by the Clio given the power to weights. Im sure the Trophy has great road manners but even so id be wondering where it had gone myself.....
ToothbrushMan said:
Nice to see the haters have showed restraint and just kept it buttoned for once!!
The A1 tfsi 189 i think is quoted as 6.9s to 60 so a bit of a sleeper....
amazed the Caterham was dropped by the Clio given the power to weights. Im sure the Trophy has great road manners but even so id be wondering where it had gone myself.....
Bottom line is he was a far better driver than me.... I did however find the Clio was easy to drive fast.... It's the ONLY car my wife has ever told me to slow down in !The A1 tfsi 189 i think is quoted as 6.9s to 60 so a bit of a sleeper....
amazed the Caterham was dropped by the Clio given the power to weights. Im sure the Trophy has great road manners but even so id be wondering where it had gone myself.....
A few months ago, I was out for a fast drive in the mountains and got stuck behind a Dacia Logan 1.5 diesel, which was itself stuck behind a lorry. Once the road opened up, we both went for the overtake, but I decided there wasn't enough time to pass the Dacia as well so I slotted in behind him. It took him a while to build up speed, but he soon wound it up to what must have been the car's maximum speed. He was doing at least 90 through the wider sweeping bends, and on the tighter corners you could see the rear wheel almost lifting off the ground.
I was in an MR2 and managed to keep up, but it certainly gave me a surprise and showed me what it's possible to do in even the most non-sporty cars.
Another occasion I can think of is when I was with my friend in his 330CI. He wasn't driving flat out, but was still pretty committed, so I didn't expect anything to be able to catch us. However, something came up very quickly behind, passed us, and shot of into the distance - we couldn't keep up at all. The car in question was a first generation Zafira which looked stock from the outside, but clearly had something quite special under the bonnet!
I was in an MR2 and managed to keep up, but it certainly gave me a surprise and showed me what it's possible to do in even the most non-sporty cars.
Another occasion I can think of is when I was with my friend in his 330CI. He wasn't driving flat out, but was still pretty committed, so I didn't expect anything to be able to catch us. However, something came up very quickly behind, passed us, and shot of into the distance - we couldn't keep up at all. The car in question was a first generation Zafira which looked stock from the outside, but clearly had something quite special under the bonnet!
Two skodas.
The first was an ugly hire car we got in tenerife. Lovely engine and a good drive. The car felt light and powerful like a proper hot hatch should. I drive a lot of hire cars, and this stood out as a good car.
The second was a taxi. It was dark when I got in so I didn't spot the make. The trim was leather and the car felt solid and quiet. I was guessing BMW. When we got out I checked the boot badge and it was a skoda
The first was an ugly hire car we got in tenerife. Lovely engine and a good drive. The car felt light and powerful like a proper hot hatch should. I drive a lot of hire cars, and this stood out as a good car.
The second was a taxi. It was dark when I got in so I didn't spot the make. The trim was leather and the car felt solid and quiet. I was guessing BMW. When we got out I checked the boot badge and it was a skoda
Another tale of TVR woe.
Coming back down to England after visiting our youngest daughter up in Edinburgh in our TVR Tuscan we were caught up and followed closely by an Audi RS8 V10 convertible with the roof down. Of course when that section of the A1 changed back to M'way status I thought we could have a play. Long story short I dropped into 3rd gear as the lanes changed from one carriage way to two shot up to 150 ish only to look into my rear view and see said driver flashing headlights for me to move over !!! My wife screaming besides me as if in child birth, his wife smiling as he passed. Still licking the wounds to this day. Hides head in shame.
Coming back down to England after visiting our youngest daughter up in Edinburgh in our TVR Tuscan we were caught up and followed closely by an Audi RS8 V10 convertible with the roof down. Of course when that section of the A1 changed back to M'way status I thought we could have a play. Long story short I dropped into 3rd gear as the lanes changed from one carriage way to two shot up to 150 ish only to look into my rear view and see said driver flashing headlights for me to move over !!! My wife screaming besides me as if in child birth, his wife smiling as he passed. Still licking the wounds to this day. Hides head in shame.
Geekman said:
Another occasion I can think of is when I was with my friend in his 330CI. He wasn't driving flat out, but was still pretty committed, so I didn't expect anything to be able to catch us. However, something came up very quickly behind, passed us, and shot of into the distance - we couldn't keep up at all. The car in question was a first generation Zafira which looked stock from the outside, but clearly had something quite special under the bonnet!
Was just about to post this! Was definitely not an ordinary Zafira.Quite a few years back, I had a good country B road commute and knew every wrinkle and pock of that road. I used to get the most my skill level could extract out of my Alfasud Ti cloverleaf
on that quiet lane, but one evening one of those new-fangled E30 325i came bounding up behind me and away like I wasn't moving. It was like being mugged.
on that quiet lane, but one evening one of those new-fangled E30 325i came bounding up behind me and away like I wasn't moving. It was like being mugged.
A couple of odd ones for me...
Driving down to Cornwall a couple of years ago in my Clio V6, was following a diesel Primera for a couple of miles on the motorway. He was going at a decent rate, so felt no need to pass him, until I got closer and the smell of the fumes was getting on my nerves. Next roundabout he exited on the inside lane, myself in the middle, in second gear, at about 40. All the way up to 7500rpm in second, third, fourth, just into fifth where I guess the Primula ran out of legs, I edged past... That gave me a shock, a true sleeper that car!
Another was when I was going on a day trip to Norfolk, driving along the A47 I was stuck behind a P38 Range Rover, after a roundabout the road opened up to a dual carriageway so I came off in the outside lane, pinned the throttle in second, to see the damned thing making ground on me! It was only when we had achieved speeds I thought impossible for a RR that I got past. It did sound quite meaty though, clearly a bit special.
Another that isn't quite so absurd bit still surprised me, I was driving along the A6003 between Uppingham and corby, and a celica gt was behind me when I was in my alpina. I know that road immaculately, but despite that I was having a great deal of trouble leaving the guy. I was impressed. Pulled into the fuel station in Corby and matey followed me in, we had a good chat. Turns out the car wasn't standard but I was still very much endeared to those cars from that point.
Driving down to Cornwall a couple of years ago in my Clio V6, was following a diesel Primera for a couple of miles on the motorway. He was going at a decent rate, so felt no need to pass him, until I got closer and the smell of the fumes was getting on my nerves. Next roundabout he exited on the inside lane, myself in the middle, in second gear, at about 40. All the way up to 7500rpm in second, third, fourth, just into fifth where I guess the Primula ran out of legs, I edged past... That gave me a shock, a true sleeper that car!
Another was when I was going on a day trip to Norfolk, driving along the A47 I was stuck behind a P38 Range Rover, after a roundabout the road opened up to a dual carriageway so I came off in the outside lane, pinned the throttle in second, to see the damned thing making ground on me! It was only when we had achieved speeds I thought impossible for a RR that I got past. It did sound quite meaty though, clearly a bit special.
Another that isn't quite so absurd bit still surprised me, I was driving along the A6003 between Uppingham and corby, and a celica gt was behind me when I was in my alpina. I know that road immaculately, but despite that I was having a great deal of trouble leaving the guy. I was impressed. Pulled into the fuel station in Corby and matey followed me in, we had a good chat. Turns out the car wasn't standard but I was still very much endeared to those cars from that point.
Porsche cayenne turbo s , mullered me from the lights while I was in my e46 m3. I did fluff the gear change from 1st to 2nd though..lol
I was once behind a Renault 5 turbo at a set of lights. That thing went off like a rocket, I didn't want to embarrass myself trying to keep up with it...
I was once behind a Renault 5 turbo at a set of lights. That thing went off like a rocket, I didn't want to embarrass myself trying to keep up with it...
Cooper Green said:
Another tale of TVR woe.
Coming back down to England after visiting our youngest daughter up in Edinburgh in our TVR Tuscan we were caught up and followed closely by an Audi RS8 V10 convertible with the roof down. Of course when that section of the A1 changed back to M'way status I thought we could have a play. Long story short I dropped into 3rd gear as the lanes changed from one carriage way to two shot up to 150 ish only to look into my rear view and see said driver flashing headlights for me to move over !!! My wife screaming besides me as if in child birth, his wife smiling as he passed. Still licking the wounds to this day. Hides head in shame.
A small consolation, you probably gave him the closest run for his money he's had yet.Coming back down to England after visiting our youngest daughter up in Edinburgh in our TVR Tuscan we were caught up and followed closely by an Audi RS8 V10 convertible with the roof down. Of course when that section of the A1 changed back to M'way status I thought we could have a play. Long story short I dropped into 3rd gear as the lanes changed from one carriage way to two shot up to 150 ish only to look into my rear view and see said driver flashing headlights for me to move over !!! My wife screaming besides me as if in child birth, his wife smiling as he passed. Still licking the wounds to this day. Hides head in shame.
Edited by fausTVR on Saturday 15th November 18:14
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