1st time driving supercars - UPDATE (Photo Heavy)
Discussion
Sorry - Take 2 - didn't compress the photos so only got 3 on! 
Some of you saw my email a couple of weeks ago asking for advice - well I'm back from probably some of the most amazing 4 days of my life.
A few photos included below, am working to get the 190 onto flickr which i can post a link to later.
The Roads:
The trip started at the Dolder Grand in Zurich, Day 1 saw us drive from Zurich to Pontresina (just outside St Morritz), Day 2 from St Morritz back to Zurich via Austria through some amazing mountain passes including the Susten Pass, Grimsel Pass, Furka Pass, the Rhine Gorge Valley, Albula Pass, Hahntenjoch and the Hochtannberg Pass.
The Cars:
Some people may not class these as true supercars - but for me - they were each a truly stunning supercar in their own right and the experience of driving them will live with me forever. In no particular order;
1. Ferrari 458
2. Ferrari California
3. Maserati Grancabrio Sport
4. Maserati GranTurismo S
5. Aston Martin Vantage S
6. Bentley Continental GTC Speed
7. Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet
8. Mercedes SLS
9. Lamborghini Gallardo SP560-4
Some photos - they don't convey just how awesome this whole trip was - a colleague told me that i looked like an 8year old on christmas morning for 4 days!
Some of you saw my email a couple of weeks ago asking for advice - well I'm back from probably some of the most amazing 4 days of my life.
A few photos included below, am working to get the 190 onto flickr which i can post a link to later.
The Roads:
The trip started at the Dolder Grand in Zurich, Day 1 saw us drive from Zurich to Pontresina (just outside St Morritz), Day 2 from St Morritz back to Zurich via Austria through some amazing mountain passes including the Susten Pass, Grimsel Pass, Furka Pass, the Rhine Gorge Valley, Albula Pass, Hahntenjoch and the Hochtannberg Pass.
The Cars:
Some people may not class these as true supercars - but for me - they were each a truly stunning supercar in their own right and the experience of driving them will live with me forever. In no particular order;
1. Ferrari 458
2. Ferrari California
3. Maserati Grancabrio Sport
4. Maserati GranTurismo S
5. Aston Martin Vantage S
6. Bentley Continental GTC Speed
7. Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet
8. Mercedes SLS
9. Lamborghini Gallardo SP560-4
Some photos - they don't convey just how awesome this whole trip was - a colleague told me that i looked like an 8year old on christmas morning for 4 days!
Edited by mattman on Monday 12th September 12:01
Mastodon2 said:
They certainly look like supercars to me!
Strangely, I really like the love of the Continental Supersport, I'd love a go in that, but if I had to take one for the whole trip it would be the SLS AMG for me
Odd - but the SLS was the one that nobody wanted to drive - it was always last out of the pot.Strangely, I really like the love of the Continental Supersport, I'd love a go in that, but if I had to take one for the whole trip it would be the SLS AMG for me
The Bentley was amazing, but the 458 and Gallardo won the singing contest - every tunnel they got banged down to 2nd and given the lead foot treatment!
iphonedyou said:
Post of the year!
Can you give any more details? Like how did you get to do such a trip!? Any mishaps? Favourite moments?
Thanks for the pictures!
It was the end of year incentive for the sales team for everyone who exceeded their target. Luckily the whole team made it so no one was left behind Can you give any more details? Like how did you get to do such a trip!? Any mishaps? Favourite moments?
Thanks for the pictures!
It was arranged through an event company called Black Tomato who sorted all the details and accompanied us from start to finish. They provided an RS5 and S5 which were used as lead cars so that we didn't have to worry about navigating, just concentrating on keeping it on the black stuff!
There were stops throughout the days so we all swapped cars as everyone felt like it - I was able to drive 8 of the 9 cars, only missing the Granturismo S. Each of the cars were actually amazing, all with their own positives and not really any negatives. (although most of the auto boxes were rubbish in standard mode)
Highlights had to be the 458, blatting through tunnels and attacking the passes. I may have seen slightly north of 215kmh perhaps which was pretty awesome. There was no pressure and we could all go as quick as we wanted. I had a little bit of self preservation involved and think i was probably 3rd or 4th fastest driver over the trip. Every car was amazing, the sun was out all the time as well so I got a bit of a tan as well from the soft tops. We drove some stunning roads, through villages and towns and got loads of attention - i think £1.5 million of supercars tend to get that reaction. It was really a once in a lifetime opportunity and I feel hugely lucky to have been invited
Negatives? it only lasted a few days
other than that noneMishaps? a few of the cars ended up with some kerbing, not great considering the Lambo had a brand new set of wheels! I did try one overtake only to find the car coming the other way was closer than i was expecting - cue a slight lock up of wheels in the aston and a quick dive back behind the traffic and some clean pants. A couple of people got lost so the others had to wait while a lead car went to retrieve them, other than that not a problem.
mattman said:
Odd - but the SLS was the one that nobody wanted to drive - it was always last out of the pot.
Weird - I don't like how they look but I'm intrigued by the stats and the NOISE and I'd want that first of all of em tbhAfter that I'd have taken one of the Masers and just GONE - you can keep the tat
Odd you liked the Bentley - I've driven a couple (2 GTs and a saloon) and whilst they're lovely (and hair-raisingly quick in a straight line - ask the Supra owner who flashed me!!) they just didn't feel quite special enough to me. I've been in, but not driven, a couple of "proper" Bentleys so I have some idea what I'm looking for.
Put another way - I've been in a Gentleman's Club and I know what proper leather and wood is - the Conti felt like a copy of that - an Ikea Gentleman's Club Room setting, if you like
johnpeat said:
p.s. I'm curious - I wonder how many sales you'd NOT have had to make to balance out of the cost of that trip
e.g. if you'd been - say - 2 sales short, would your employer have been dancing on his desk?
Hi John - not sure but I wasn't asking to many details once I had my plane tickets - just happy to be there!e.g. if you'd been - say - 2 sales short, would your employer have been dancing on his desk?
r.e. the Bentley - 1st time i'd driven one and it appeared fully loaded, it was actually the most expensive car there at just over £250k we were told, had the carbon seats and interior. I found that its added weight sometimes helped on the more uneven roads, whereas something like the 911 felt light at the front and didn't inspire as much confidence (for me personally). You had to put it in sport mode to get it to lift its skirts, but I had a great session in it charging up one pass chasing the Aston - and I did keep up.
Oh yeah, and on the flat stuff i felt like royalty and the stereo was awesome!
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff