What Track Day Car for £27k?
Discussion
I am biased but as you want to be able to drive it on road too- I would definitely go for a supercharged 2.2 VX220, <900kgs and supercharger is GM component (fitted aftermarket) designed for that engine giving anywhere between 200-380bhp depending on set up. This will be a handful at 10/10ths but is such a capable car that you should be very quick even at 8/10ths. Quite a few were fitted but doesn't seem to give the sale price much of a bump up from a standard car.
Decky_Q said:
I am biased but as you want to be able to drive it on road too- I would definitely go for a supercharged 2.2 VX220, <900kgs and supercharger is GM component (fitted aftermarket) designed for that engine giving anywhere between 200-380bhp depending on set up. This will be a handful at 10/10ths but is such a capable car that you should be very quick even at 8/10ths. Quite a few were fitted but doesn't seem to give the sale price much of a bump up from a standard car.
This. Or Elise / exige.
I'd go for an atom
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
I didn't like the Caterham at all when I tried a few different models at a Palmersport day, but may be because I'm 6ft and (powerfully built
) 16st and I just couldn't get comfortable in it.
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
I didn't like the Caterham at all when I tried a few different models at a Palmersport day, but may be because I'm 6ft and (powerfully built
) 16st and I just couldn't get comfortable in it.RossP said:
And another £20k bill at least for doing said season...
My first season cost me £10k and that was due to a big off in a race at Silverstone leading to a long front and a rear rebuild (plus ancillaries!).A very reasonable budget for a years Caterham Academy is £5k. You can stay in lovely hotels, do every test day but the camaraderie and experience are as good at the £5k end as anyone gets spending £20k!
Unless you're already a racing driver, may I suggest some 1:1 tuition to make the most from your new toy. At a recent track day at Bedford there was no shortage of 'all the gear, no idea' types in Caterhams etc.
K20 Elise or Exige is a good shout if you want some comfort on the road, Radical is a good option if you want something more extreme. You're a bit spoilt for choice at the £27k budget.
K20 Elise or Exige is a good shout if you want some comfort on the road, Radical is a good option if you want something more extreme. You're a bit spoilt for choice at the £27k budget.
I've owned a 2-Eleven and two Caterhams. The 2-Eleven is much faster and a more precise composed drive, whereas Caterhams are huge old school fun managing all the slip and slide. Running costs are much higher on the 2-Eleven (everything: tyres, fuel, servicing and insurance. I can't overstate how much fuel mine went through!). Caterhams are better on the road with much better visibility and more ground clearance, plus they have a boot to put your helmet and lunch in (the 2-ELeven has no storage at all). Both are fantastic for track days and in an ideal world I'd have both.
CABC said:
if Elises are snappy on the limit, Atoms are in a different league. huge fun but not ideal for regular track hoonage.
That's not entirely true. Any lightweight car ia hugely sensitive to suspension setup, tyres and the way they are driven. I've had both and a badly setup Cateham is no worse than a badly setup Atom tbh. yonex said:
That's not entirely true. Any lightweight car ia hugely sensitive to suspension setup, tyres and the way they are driven. I've had both and a badly setup Cateham is no worse than a badly setup Atom tbh.
i've only driven a few 2l variants. you have the 3.5 (profile?) and some credible journos say that the gen2 3.5 was much better set up. have you driven other Atoms?
i agree about set up, and in fact judging any car by driving just one example, especially an older one, is not wise.
Is the wife actually going to be ok with being exposed to the elements/wearing a helmet? How important is it that she's happy to go in it?
If the wife element is a serious consideration I don't think the caterhams/atoms are going to do the job. But it does depend on the lady.
I'd be looking at a MK2 Exige I think. (Not that I expect to ever have that amount of cash to blow on a track car.)
If the wife element is a serious consideration I don't think the caterhams/atoms are going to do the job. But it does depend on the lady.
I'd be looking at a MK2 Exige I think. (Not that I expect to ever have that amount of cash to blow on a track car.)
yonex said:
CABC said:
if Elises are snappy on the limit, Atoms are in a different league. huge fun but not ideal for regular track hoonage.
That's not entirely true. Any lightweight car ia hugely sensitive to suspension setup, tyres and the way they are driven. I've had both and a badly setup Cateham is no worse than a badly setup Atom tbh. RobM77 said:
Genuine question, but how do good versions of each compare? I've spoken to a lot of people who say the Atom is a bad handling car, but I've never tried one myself. I have a lot of experience with other lightweights though.
Usually from people people who've not owned them tbh. They're obviously a different layout and require a different approach. For me having owned a few cars I found it ok. Any 300HP 500 kg car is going to bite when provoked and the Atom with the right tyres etc is quite neutral. If you're hamfisted it'll punish you for sure but 'bad handling' is way off the mark. If you're ever in my neck of the woods feel free to take it out. Personally, I'd go for a Lotus 2-Eleven. My brother had one for a while (with JPS decals) and was kind enough to lend it to me for the weekend and for a track day - the thing was just epic! So much so that I went out and got myself a 3-Eleven. Can't stop smiling 
Okay, there's no real storage space apart from the passenger footwell, you have to wear a lid on the road (well, I do at least) and you get wet if it rains but by the sounds of it these inconveniences don't seem to be an issue for you either. On the flip-side you have a truly pure driving machine and certainly one of the quicker cars on track days.
That said, I don't think you can go wrong with a Caterham R300 or R400 either, but I just preferred the driving experience of the Lotus.
Both seem to hold their value pretty well which is an added bonus.
Okay, there's no real storage space apart from the passenger footwell, you have to wear a lid on the road (well, I do at least) and you get wet if it rains but by the sounds of it these inconveniences don't seem to be an issue for you either. On the flip-side you have a truly pure driving machine and certainly one of the quicker cars on track days.
That said, I don't think you can go wrong with a Caterham R300 or R400 either, but I just preferred the driving experience of the Lotus.
Both seem to hold their value pretty well which is an added bonus.
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