Performance Driving Day

[krallicious]

My parents were invited to attend a driving day with AM at Millbrook but, as they are not really that interested in track driving, they have given their places to myself and my brother!

Has anyone here been to Millbrook for the AM driving day? What does it entail as the itinery is a little vague. It mentions the bowl and handling circuit. Are you allowed to actually push the cars or is everything taken a a more sedate pace?

I cannot wait unitl the 21st!

Pete

[awg454]

Hi I am going to this as well on the 21st,I have been to Millbrook a few times should be a good day !

[krallicious]

Are you down for the morning or afternoon session? Are you going along with Stratton?

[bogie]

its great ..you are in for some fun for sure

yes you can push the cars ...even take them flat out (nearly)

you get to brake down from high speeds, do the bowl

the Alpine circuit is best - I could spend all day driving around there

...all in your choice of Aston of course....

the 1/2 day is a taster of the full PDC that costs about £1300 for the day

dealers send prospects on the 1/2 day tasters to try to sway their decision

[awg454]

Hi I am going to the morning session how about you?

[krallicious]

awg454 said:

Hi I am going to the morning session how about you?

I'm there for the afternoon session as I'm too lazy to wake up early! Sounds like it will be fun.

[Zod]

The handling circuit is not one on which you can push. It is a difficult test of your car control on a narrow, concrete track. The bowl is a high speed bowl, so you can push on a bit, but not too much. too fast and you'd go over the edge!

The best bit is the hill course.

[bogie]

didnt you go around the bowl at 100mph ish no hands on the wheel?

[Vantagefan]

Yes, woo hoo. I thought the instructor was a mad man. Great day, great food and leg wobblingly fun!!

[Zod]

bogie said:

didnt you go around the bowl at 100mph ish no hands on the wheel?

Yes!

[sjr-997]

i've driven round the bowl at 175 in a 911 on a porsche day. its safe to do close to 200 on it. the porsche instructors get the GT3RS upto 193 ish if you are a GT3 owner. watch out for the bump at the top of the bowl. its magnified the faster you are going of course. the bowl is over 30 year old concrete now so not as smooth as it could be. the longer you go round it though, potentially the more motion sickness you get :-)

[krallicious]

Very much looking forward to the day Just hoping for a sunny day so we can the volante!

Thanks for the information. Looking forward to trying the DBS Volante the most as it would good to compare.

[Zod]

sjr-997 said:

i've driven round the bowl at 175 in a 911 on a porsche day. its safe to do close to 200 on it. the porsche instructors get the GT3RS upto 193 ish if you are a GT3 owner. watch out for the bump at the top of the bowl. its magnified the faster you are going of course. the bowl is over 30 year old concrete now so not as smooth as it could be. the longer you go round it though, potentially the more motion sickness you get :-)

Getting up towards the edge is rather scary though.

[whoami]

krallicious said:

Very much looking forward to the day Just hoping for a sunny day so we can the volante!

Thanks for the information. Looking forward to trying the DBS Volante the most as it would good to compare.

Do check which cars they will have on the day if you have set your heart on driving a particular model.

They will not have all cars in the range there.

[krallicious]

whoami said:

krallicious said:

Very much looking forward to the day Just hoping for a sunny day so we can the volante!

Thanks for the information. Looking forward to trying the DBS Volante the most as it would good to compare.

Do check which cars they will have on the day if you have set your heart on driving a particular model.

They will not have all cars in the range there.

Have been told that the DBS V will be there

[don4l]

Highlights for me were:
doing 3 laps of the bowl at speeds between 80 and 110 with hands on knees.
Car flying through the air after a hump on the Alpine course.
150+ on the one mile straight (could easily have been 170)
Doughnuts on the wet skid pan.

Enormous grin stuck on face for nearly a week after.

It was so good, that I went back for a second day.


Don
--

[sjr-997]

The Alpine course is incredible in any car...though I have to say the 911 GT3 I was driving at the time was buzzing every single aston that was also on the course at the time :-) I think the GT3 is more suitable for those conditions than an Aston. Plus I had a nutter ex copper instructor pushing me on. totally agree about pre-checking the cars. often on events like that they only let you drive an equal car to the one you 'own' - unless a dealer is using it as a sales pitch and then you can often drive anything ! Considering how old the place is, its great to see it can still challenge cars and drivers today.

[sjr-997]

For me its also the best 'real world' place I know of to push roadcars hard. A track (though relatively safe) isn't a realistic experience where you can translate some skills back to road driving with the help of an instructor. The MIRA circuit is unique for a very good reason it simulates real driving conditions.

[lafcadio]

hi
how much does this 1/2 day cost if you pay?
thanks.

[bogie]

lafcadio said:

hi
how much does this 1/2 day cost if you pay?
thanks.

Ive no idea if they do the 1/2 day taster on a pay basis - its usually given away for free by dealers to potential owners

get down your local dealer and build a relationship, as if you are interested in a car change and ask for a place on their next one

I think each dealer has a few places every time they run one....

I was the only person on mine that had actually taken delivery of the car, prior to going there....