ironictwists MX5 - While on the PHN Alpine Tour!
Discussion
Everyone knows about the MX5's round here, well I assume they do!
But I have to confess I never actually ever created a thread for my '5 despite having owned it since March 2010...It's my 2nd one, a UK '5 at that (My 1st was an imported Eunos last summer). My last one left such an impression on me (spent an incredible summer with it!) so the alure of buying another was far too strong after braving the winter in an XJ...I yearned for roof down again!
A full photoshoot done by PH snapper NWVT a few months back! Thanks again Nick
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nwvt/4742043065/in/se...
I bought my '5 at 127,927, £1650...It felt EXACTLY like my old S-Special & thats what did it for me, just as nimble, as fun & as chuckable! The previous owner ran it on weekends & pampered it with 5k miles per year...Prior to September, in 6 months dead, I had completed 17k miles! Prior to the Alpine the car was used as a daily doing 350 miles to work & back (80% country lanes!!) & pootling about all over the country on weekends, running errands, exploring the countryside, with the occasional cosy night spent sleeping in it on a beach somewhere as ya do. It's been kept busy & I find it hard to imagine it having a more harder life prior to it being placed in my hands. In short I love it. & I've hardly had to spend a penny on it prior to the trip.
Here are some details about the actual Petrolhead Nirvana trip -> http://www.petrolheadnirvana.com/tours/2010/alpine...
So this time last month, armed with many pounds I visited Autolink & left many hundreds less but with plenty of kit to ensure the '5 was ready for a 9 day intense driving trip...I did consider supercharging it but decided due to a number of factors it wasnt worth the expense even if I was worried about keeping up with everyone.
It's fair to say I was a little concerned, after all it was the cheapest car by a mile, nearly the eldest, certainly the least powerful, probably had the biggest mileage out of anyone & having to tag along with Lotus's, Ferrari's, 911's! Oh dear!
Could the thing cope?!
So as we ticked over 17,000 miles together, we set off for the Alpine!
To save my waffling, the rest of this post will largely be pictures & videos...
What I will say is though...I adored my car before I left for this trip but there was one thing someone said to me before I left that rung true while I was out there - "You've got to realise that despite the disadvantages in performance, you'll probably have the most fun out of anyone there!"
Ladies & gents...I did! Throwing that car sideways at countless hairpins, keeping up with V8's & Flat 6's through winding stretches through the black forest, following the train of trail lights as we headed up the Col De Turini & driving through the clouds at the top of Stelvio. I think I had more fun than anyone.
Below are some snaps from each of the days - Video footage (There's over 100gb+) shall be posted gradually
Day 1 - The getting there day! Straight through blitz of France to the German border to be on the doorstep of sampling the delights of the Black Forest's roads.
Route
Parked up by the tunnel
Jumping on with a gorgeous 360 & GT3
Our 1st French fuel stop!
Late afternoon regroup by a Toll
More to follow soon
But I have to confess I never actually ever created a thread for my '5 despite having owned it since March 2010...It's my 2nd one, a UK '5 at that (My 1st was an imported Eunos last summer). My last one left such an impression on me (spent an incredible summer with it!) so the alure of buying another was far too strong after braving the winter in an XJ...I yearned for roof down again!
A full photoshoot done by PH snapper NWVT a few months back! Thanks again Nick
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nwvt/4742043065/in/se...
I bought my '5 at 127,927, £1650...It felt EXACTLY like my old S-Special & thats what did it for me, just as nimble, as fun & as chuckable! The previous owner ran it on weekends & pampered it with 5k miles per year...Prior to September, in 6 months dead, I had completed 17k miles! Prior to the Alpine the car was used as a daily doing 350 miles to work & back (80% country lanes!!
) & pootling about all over the country on weekends, running errands, exploring the countryside, with the occasional cosy night spent sleeping in it on a beach somewhere as ya do. It's been kept busy & I find it hard to imagine it having a more harder life prior to it being placed in my hands. In short I love it. & I've hardly had to spend a penny on it prior to the trip.Here are some details about the actual Petrolhead Nirvana trip -> http://www.petrolheadnirvana.com/tours/2010/alpine...
So this time last month, armed with many pounds I visited Autolink & left many hundreds less but with plenty of kit to ensure the '5 was ready for a 9 day intense driving trip...I did consider supercharging it but decided due to a number of factors it wasnt worth the expense even if I was worried about keeping up with everyone.
It's fair to say I was a little concerned, after all it was the cheapest car by a mile, nearly the eldest, certainly the least powerful, probably had the biggest mileage out of anyone & having to tag along with Lotus's, Ferrari's, 911's! Oh dear!
Could the thing cope?!So as we ticked over 17,000 miles together, we set off for the Alpine!
To save my waffling, the rest of this post will largely be pictures & videos...
What I will say is though...I adored my car before I left for this trip but there was one thing someone said to me before I left that rung true while I was out there - "You've got to realise that despite the disadvantages in performance, you'll probably have the most fun out of anyone there!"
Ladies & gents...I did! Throwing that car sideways at countless hairpins, keeping up with V8's & Flat 6's through winding stretches through the black forest, following the train of trail lights as we headed up the Col De Turini & driving through the clouds at the top of Stelvio. I think I had more fun than anyone.
Below are some snaps from each of the days - Video footage (There's over 100gb+) shall be posted gradually
Day 1 - The getting there day! Straight through blitz of France to the German border to be on the doorstep of sampling the delights of the Black Forest's roads.
Route
Parked up by the tunnel
Jumping on with a gorgeous 360 & GT3
Our 1st French fuel stop!
Late afternoon regroup by a Toll
More to follow soon
Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 21st September 20:41
Edited by ironictwist on Saturday 24th September 22:48
Day 2 - Offenbury & onwards through to the Black Forest to eventually end up near the Route Napolean for Day 3. Some awesome twisities on this day which I still need to put together videos of...However I did get 1 video up online which sums it up nicely, it's posted a little further down! 
Route:
The morning after at the hotel
We regularly had an audience whenever we left anywhere!
A wee stop after the twisties in the Black Forest! Desperately needed I can tell you!
& the view the aforementioned wee stop came with.
The normal chaos we created whenever we all stopped for fuel! Locals all hated us I'm sure seeing as no-one else could get to a pump!
Porn.
Late afternoon regroup after a long day!
AND FINALLY A SHORT VIDEO!
Video Clip is here -> http://vimeo.com/15100642
Route:
The morning after at the hotel
We regularly had an audience whenever we left anywhere!
A wee stop after the twisties in the Black Forest! Desperately needed I can tell you!
& the view the aforementioned wee stop came with.
The normal chaos we created whenever we all stopped for fuel! Locals all hated us I'm sure seeing as no-one else could get to a pump!
Porn.
Late afternoon regroup after a long day!
AND FINALLY A SHORT VIDEO!
Video Clip is here -> http://vimeo.com/15100642
Brief description said:
Lined up an overtake thanks to the guys ahead with the help of walky talkies, once completed, waved for the guys behind to fly past seeing as I was recording it all! 
Cue a GT3, 360 & Exige flying by, then all of us going hell for leather before we hit the next town!
Cue a GT3, 360 & Exige flying by, then all of us going hell for leather before we hit the next town!Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 21st September 13:52
Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 21st September 20:43
Excellent! Posting here due to my envy of you doing this trip, and also as a bookmark for further posts
How did you do, or, how did the MX5 hold up against the others? This is the reason I've never looked into doing proper things in the MX5 as I just feel I'll be left behind.
Looks like such a good time!
How did you do, or, how did the MX5 hold up against the others? This is the reason I've never looked into doing proper things in the MX5 as I just feel I'll be left behind.
Looks like such a good time!
Jonny671 said:
How did you do, or, how did the MX5 hold up against the others? This is the reason I've never looked into doing proper things in the MX5 as I just feel I'll be left behind.
It did superb...There were 2 main groups really, the cars capable of serious speeds, & the SLIGHTLY more relaxed group. You could flit between the two & on occasion we all muddled with each group. There were 1-2 days of absolute balls out speed, by which I mean driving the car at it's ragged limit trying to keep up but generally, it did amazing.Trying to keep up with V8's or people with at least twice as powerful cars is always difficult but the terrain suited the '5 so I could still stay in touch if not keep up absolutley fine. Having walkies talkies made a potentially impossible job very easy by knowing when I could overtake if I or anyone else got caught behind slow moving traffic.
The thing is, the trip is supremely well organised with lead & support cars & there are no egos to deal with...The '5 gained a huge amount of respect for punching well above it's weight. I received many compliments as although people could plant there foot on the straights and leave it for dead, not long later I would be back behind them again on the twisties which sums up the '5 in one sentence really
Like many have said...It's not what you drive, but how you drive it
Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 21st September 17:45
ironictwist said:
Jonny671 said:
How did you do, or, how did the MX5 hold up against the others? This is the reason I've never looked into doing proper things in the MX5 as I just feel I'll be left behind.
It did superb...There were 2 main groups really, the cars capable of serious speeds, & the SLIGHTLY more relaxed group. You could flit between the two & on occasion we all muddled with each group. There were 1-2 days of absolute balls out speed, by which I mean driving the car at it's ragged limit trying to keep up but generally, it did amazing.Trying to keep up with V8's or people with at least twice as powerful cars is always difficult but the terrain suited the '5 so I could still stay in touch if not keep up absolutley fine. Having walkies talkies made a potentially impossible job very easy by knowing when I could overtake if I or anyone else got caught behind slow moving traffic.
The thing is, the trip is supremely well organised with lead & support cars & there are no egos to deal with...The '5 gained a huge amount of respect for punching well above it's weight. I received many compliments as although people could plant there foot on the straights and leave it for dead, not long later I would be back behind them again on the twisties which sums up the '5 in one sentence really
Like many have said...It's not what you drive, but how you drive it
Edited by ironictwist on Tuesday 21st September 17:45
I think I need someone to drive it properly so I'm not scared to else I think I'll break it
Looking forward to more pictures
S3_Graham said:
im desperate to do one of these, is it very hard on the cars??
It's hard on everyone & everything to be honest - We're out on the road for about 6/7hrs each day & it was about 5hrs driving time each day with obviously breaks here & there. The cars would do a minimum of 200 each day topping out at around 375-400 miles.The cars that went along were...
Lotus Exige 260
BMW 650
BMW 130i
MINI Cooper S
BMW Z4M coupé
Ferrari 360
Lotus Exige S1
Porsche C4
Aston Martin DB9 Volante
BMW Z3M roadster
Renault R26 Meg
Ferrari 355
Ferrari 360
Honda Civic Type R
Mazda MX5
VW Scirocco R
BMW M3
Audi S4
Ferrari 360
Chevrolet Camaro
Lotus Elise
Porsche 996 GT3
Porsche 997 GT3
Westfield
The casualties we had were on Day 5 - The supercharged Elise's supercharger died! The 996 GT3 clipped something buggering the suspension, the 997 GT3 had a radiator leak. Both GT3's made it back to Britain under there own steam later on in the trip though
Day 8 - The C4 clipped a grass verge picking up stones & killing the radiator & later on the DB9 dropped all it's transmission fluid as we were heading back up France. Everything else made it...No hitches. But it's exhausting stuff
Day 3 snaps to come a little later
Edited by ironictwist on Wednesday 22 September 09:28
Jonny671 said:
Good! Sounds like it was alot of fun.. When you say ragged limit, did you feel the MX5 needed more or was it doing just fine for your driving limit? I sometimes feel the MX5 can do alot more than I personally think it can.
I think I need someone to drive it properly so I'm not scared to else I think I'll break it
Looking forward to more pictures
It was at the edges of my driving limit & definitely at the edges of the cars limit...There were many occasions where I would be completely flat out as the road opens up. But naturally the straight will reach a twisty so as long as you're keeping it in the power band along there, you're right back behind everyone as the bigger/heavier cars aren't carrying as much speed. Twinned with this, because you have the all clear on any potential hazards up ahead you can effectivelly take the racing line ensuring you have every little advantage to catch up I think I need someone to drive it properly so I'm not scared to else I think I'll break it
Looking forward to more pictures
This was on the more "intense" days where we were properly hooning, not every day is like that & it's always done at a pace where if we're really going for it one minute, we take it a little relaxed further along to let the cars cruise & cool down, then go for it again. Superb fun though...There are a few videos I'll be uploading showing what I described previous regarding using every bit of road where I'm sat behind a V8 of some description, they disappear, then 2 minutes later, we're back together again
Edited by ironictwist on Wednesday 22 September 09:42
Great thread. Never fails to impress me how much positive feedback the chaps at PHN get, must get my butt in gear and get booked on one of next years runs to find out for myself!
Kudos to your 5, it looks completely at home mixing it up with the rest of the exotica
Look forward to reading more
Kudos to your 5, it looks completely at home mixing it up with the rest of the exotica
Look forward to reading more
Day 3 - This is where the fun REALLY begins, Day 2 was a small warmup in comparison to the intense thrills & amazing views we had here. Taking on bundles of French Alpine passes finishing up the night at the top of the one & only Col De Turini.
Following a stream of tail lights through the dark along empty winding cliff top roads twinned with the intoxicating noise of V8s bouncing off the rocks is the stuff of dreams gents...This day was my nirvana
More footage will arrive in about a week or so when I can upgrade my Vimeo account seeing as my bank balance hasnt recovered since the thrashing it received on tour...Pictures a plenty though
Our hotel come the morning light!
After a few passes that morning we regrouped, This was opposite...
...our mini regroup point
Tucked away behind cars at the front
We were all however en-route to regroup with EVERYONE here!
& the view without us lot in the way...
Then later on when we had spread out a little, a few of us attracted a bit of attention on a bridge in the centre of town. I think it was about 10 officers in total, closed off 1 lane of traffic on the bridge then they wanted a nosey at the documents for the owners of the Ferrari's & the 650. Although the '5 had it's reg checked, we were spared any sifting through documents, just stuck in the middle of it all instead
Fortunately they stopped us in an ideal spot so we could actually take some decent pictures of this gorgeous town!
A bit of porn...
Then after a bit of hooning, we arrived here...
Who knew the GT3 could pose so well..It is pornography though!
My turn!
Then after some superb cliff top passes! Another regroup!
After we set off from here it was unforgettable & although no photos were nabbed, maybe a tiny bit of video, the best bit was when darkness fell & together we were making progress through the night arriving at a foggy Col De Turni...Nothing like it & something I'll never forget.
Next...Day 4. Tunnel run day along the coast. Through 150+ tunnels.
Following a stream of tail lights through the dark along empty winding cliff top roads twinned with the intoxicating noise of V8s bouncing off the rocks is the stuff of dreams gents...This day was my nirvana
More footage will arrive in about a week or so when I can upgrade my Vimeo account seeing as my bank balance hasnt recovered since the thrashing it received on tour...Pictures a plenty though
Our hotel come the morning light!
After a few passes that morning we regrouped, This was opposite...
...our mini regroup point
Tucked away behind cars at the front
We were all however en-route to regroup with EVERYONE here!
& the view without us lot in the way...
Then later on when we had spread out a little, a few of us attracted a bit of attention on a bridge in the centre of town. I think it was about 10 officers in total, closed off 1 lane of traffic on the bridge then they wanted a nosey at the documents for the owners of the Ferrari's & the 650. Although the '5 had it's reg checked, we were spared any sifting through documents, just stuck in the middle of it all instead
Fortunately they stopped us in an ideal spot so we could actually take some decent pictures of this gorgeous town!
A bit of porn...
Then after a bit of hooning, we arrived here...
Who knew the GT3 could pose so well..It is pornography though!
My turn!
Then after some superb cliff top passes! Another regroup!
After we set off from here it was unforgettable & although no photos were nabbed, maybe a tiny bit of video, the best bit was when darkness fell & together we were making progress through the night arriving at a foggy Col De Turni...Nothing like it & something I'll never forget.
Next...Day 4. Tunnel run day along the coast. Through 150+ tunnels.
Edited by ironictwist on Wednesday 22 September 21:26
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff