I'm off!!

[C8PPO]

But not for ever!!

Just about set & ready for my big Euro stag trip, setting off tomorrow.

Route plan is:

Friday: Calais - Millau, via the viaduct, staying in Millau overnight

Saturday AM: Millau to Monaco, lunch outside the Casino, lap of the GP circuit
Saturday PM: drive up into the Italian Lakes area, stay in a castle overnight

Sunday: head into the Swiss Alps, planning 4-5 alpine passes, provided they're open, then stay in Davos overnight

Monday: Into Germany, VMAX on the autobahn, arrive Nurburgring PM for a couple of celebratory laps then a late-evening dash acros Belgium back to Calais, home some time after midnight.

2200 miles, give or take. 6 cars, but only one Monaro!! The 911 Turbo might give me some gyp on the VMAX I guess!

Pics & stuff to follow next week.

[StimBosc]

hope u have a great time and i'll have a word with the "big guy upstairs" and see that u get some glorious weather too
save journey and uve got my email addy if u need need to make bail

[vxr8mate]

Sounds awsome. Have a good time.

[MyM8V8]

Wouldn't have minded doing that one meself. Have a good time mate and stay safe!

[Well_Fans]

sounds amazing if somewhat exhausting trip! enjoy yourself and make sure you get back intact for the wedding, few cans of red bull before tackling the ring to wake you up might be a good idea

[SimonV8ster]

Yep - have a great time.

Are you going through Gorge Du Tarn on your way from Milau to Monaco ?? Be worth it, nice drive through the gorge and would make a nice rumble through there !!

[stigmundfreud]

might see you on Monday!!!

[C8PPO]

Trip is going fantastically, have got lots of video and pics, will share with you as soon as I get a chance. Between us we've broken a 355 and a 911 Turbo but the Ro marches on undaunted! Stig, if I can PM from a PDA i'l PM you my number, otherwise look for my car, black, near the Grunholle late PM. Will be with a 993, 996 Turbo, 355, and, er, an MR2 and most embarrassingly, a remapped 335d. No, really!

oops, OBVIOUSLY I meant 335 not 355 diesel!!

Edited by C8PPO on Monday 4th May 06:45

[Bonnie and Clyde]

Glad your having fun mate. Please take loads of pics I love pics

[C8PPO]

Here's a little sample:



I'll have to get round to putting more up somewhere and some of the video footage when I've edited it.

Trip was fantastic and the car just didn't put a foot wrong anywhere. I was particularly impressed with it in the Alps, I must confess to some very high speed runs through certain parts and it stuck like glue even when thrown at bends pretty quickly.

Of the 6 cars which went, the three most expensive - 911 Turbo, 335d and the Fez - all had problems, with the Fez having to be towed the last 60 miles to Calais, minus a clutch. The Ro didn't miss a single beat though!

There's loads more to come and some video too - quite a few on Facebook already so if you're on there and want a look, PM me for details!

[k15tox]

how did the monaro hold up against the others? im still pretty fasinated with the 335d, must have not cost him much in fuel and they can certainly hold there own.........sound poo though!

[stigmundfreud]

didnt make it! We were going to Salzburg but the weather forecast was ste so we're down in Carcassonne instead

[C8PPO]

k15tox said:

how did the monaro hold up against the others? im still pretty fasinated with the 335d, must have not cost him much in fuel and they can certainly hold there own.........sound poo though!

Interesting question. The Ro certainly didn't embarrass itself in any way. In the mountains it charged very well, although obviously the sports cars could have outhandled it but as I said in the post above, I was VERY pleased with the way it went. The Turbo demolished everything in a straight line. The 335d, despite the fact that we're not supposed to discuss them on PH is quite a tool in many ways. The acceleration is on a par with the VXR, and the owner claims a top end of 170-ish as the speed limiter was removed with the remap. Certainly a very capable car with as much practicality as you can throw a stick at, and I think it was averaging in the 40s fuel-wise, against my overall 22. Would you want one? I don't know.....every time I drive a BMW I just find them soul-less, even though they shouldn't be (well, not all of them). Then again, I do keep finding myself glancing sideways at the M6, but I'm not sure I'd ever be able to bring myself to actually do it!

[J. J.]

Been over that bridge and went to the bridge exhibition - tremendous! But still think that the bridge near Honfleur is the best. Seems like you had a great trip!

[stigmundfreud]

IF you just drove down that little road instead of the visitors center you get much better views

just got back from there

[Well_Fans]

pity about the hairdryer parked in the road spoiling the photo of the bridge

[bigwheel]

Where's the hairstylist hiding?

Actually, before my Monaro, I tried on a new S2000 for size but it was too neat a fit for a 6'4" person. I particularly noticed the stregthening cross-member in front of the seat, catching my heels on entry.

[Paul.H.]

Stig - I'm off there in August...whereabouts did you go for the pic you took? Mine won't be as artistic as yours though!!

[rocklandboy]

Cool, let us know how you get on as we are planning on doing the Monaco run next year, would be good to keep it exclusively to Monaro owners... Looking for about 10 in total staying in Holiday Inns en-route finishing off at the Intercontinental Nice for for 2 nights, Monaco one day and Cannes the other (excellent HI rates gaurenteed!!!)

Any one interested, drop me a line for the full SP...

[stigmundfreud]

Paul.H. said:

Stig - I'm off there in August...whereabouts did you go for the pic you took? Mine won't be as artistic as yours though!!

If you head through Creissels and head up towards the bridge (away from Millau) you will eventually come to a round about which if you turn right is the visitors center. Instead of then turning left into the car park just follow the (fantastic) road down. Eventually you will hit a 180 degree bend on the right of which is a turning. That is where I took that pic.

BTW crossing the bridge is fantastic, howeer, do that on your way back. If you go back to Millau via Creissels instead of turning into the town just follow the road, this will take you the old route to the motorway. Fantastic road.