RE: PH 2014 - Most memorable drives
Thursday 25th December 2014
Talking about cars has pretty much endless fascination. But it's important to also recognise and appreciate the things you can do with them! From epic roadtrips to on-track battles the adventures behind the wheel the car itself is but a supporting actor in the adventure.
Mazda MX-5 Tsukuba race
The sight of Tsukuba's start finish straight, an orange sky above and track full of weird and wonderful JDM machinery powering up it, is one seared in my brain from formative years playing Gran Turismo. Years that have shaped my driving world, virtual and real. So a chance to go to Japan and do a real race at Tsukuba as part of celebrations for 25 years of the Mazda MX-5 and see the new fourth generation car unveiled on home soil was a proper dream come true. A few days fully immersed in JDM car culture, a slight run-in with the Yakuza and seeing the new MX-5 were a fabulous build-up but finding myself living, for real, a proper race at Tsukuba was beyond amazing. Great track, friendly folk and a weird collision of virtual and real I'm still trying to unscramble months on.
(Dan Trent)
Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG in Germany
I did a story about the Autobahn which meant lapping Germany, travelling 2,200 miles in just four days. I scored an S63 AMG for the journey, and spent hours travelling safely (and legally) north of 120mph. Can't think of a better car to do it in, 15mpg aside.
(Mike Duff)
Caterhams to the Nurburgring
Madness looking back on it. Somewhere in the region of 800 miles, three days, three Caterhams and just five laps of the place. But what a weekend. The roofs never went on at any point, new friends were made at every petrol stop and I drove my first laps of the 'ring in a Caterham! We got lost (a lot), we nearly ran out of fuel (a lot) and we were probably amongst the slowest cars out there. A truly fantastic place though (with some magnificent local roads) that I must visit again soon, albeit in a normal car perhaps. That record-holding Megane Trophy-R perhaps?
(Matt Bird)
Racing the McLaren 650S Sprint
My feet didn't touch the floor for two weeks this summer after receiving the call up to represent our own dear PistonHeads in the world debut race of the brand-new McLaren 650S Sprint. The venue was Donington Park and it was a dream ticket. McLaren GT was running the oily side and my teammate was none other than factory driver and fellow northerner Rob Bell. As most club racers in the PH forums will tell you, actually driving the car is probably the easiest part of a racing weekend. To have all of the stress and worry of car preparations, pitstops and paperwork removed was both amazing and humbling. We finished that weekend with three class podiums and three trophies to take home. The walking-on-air feeling continued for another couple of weeks afterwards. Onboard vid here
(Dale Lomas)
Michael Dunlop at the TT
It wasn't me behind the bars, but the commitment and sheer determination that Michael Dunlop displayed at the TT this year was terrifying and awe-inspiring in equal measures. Taking an unproven bike with a team that hadn't been to the TT for years and still making the best road riders in the world look pedestrian was insane. And during one race he even managed to block out the thought of what could be and still ride flat out when he saw his brother William's smashed up bike. Bruce Anstey's 132.298mph lap was also very special. (Jon Urry)
PH 2014 - Most memorable drives
The PH team recall their best drives of 2014 - let's hear yours!
Here then members of the PH team share some of their favourite moments at the wheel in 2014. We're sure you've had plenty yourselves too - share them with everyone in the comments thread below and don't be shy with the pics or vids. We'd love to hear what you've been up to!
The sight of Tsukuba's start finish straight, an orange sky above and track full of weird and wonderful JDM machinery powering up it, is one seared in my brain from formative years playing Gran Turismo. Years that have shaped my driving world, virtual and real. So a chance to go to Japan and do a real race at Tsukuba as part of celebrations for 25 years of the Mazda MX-5 and see the new fourth generation car unveiled on home soil was a proper dream come true. A few days fully immersed in JDM car culture, a slight run-in with the Yakuza and seeing the new MX-5 were a fabulous build-up but finding myself living, for real, a proper race at Tsukuba was beyond amazing. Great track, friendly folk and a weird collision of virtual and real I'm still trying to unscramble months on.
(Dan Trent)
I did a story about the Autobahn which meant lapping Germany, travelling 2,200 miles in just four days. I scored an S63 AMG for the journey, and spent hours travelling safely (and legally) north of 120mph. Can't think of a better car to do it in, 15mpg aside.
(Mike Duff)
Madness looking back on it. Somewhere in the region of 800 miles, three days, three Caterhams and just five laps of the place. But what a weekend. The roofs never went on at any point, new friends were made at every petrol stop and I drove my first laps of the 'ring in a Caterham! We got lost (a lot), we nearly ran out of fuel (a lot) and we were probably amongst the slowest cars out there. A truly fantastic place though (with some magnificent local roads) that I must visit again soon, albeit in a normal car perhaps. That record-holding Megane Trophy-R perhaps?
(Matt Bird)
My feet didn't touch the floor for two weeks this summer after receiving the call up to represent our own dear PistonHeads in the world debut race of the brand-new McLaren 650S Sprint. The venue was Donington Park and it was a dream ticket. McLaren GT was running the oily side and my teammate was none other than factory driver and fellow northerner Rob Bell. As most club racers in the PH forums will tell you, actually driving the car is probably the easiest part of a racing weekend. To have all of the stress and worry of car preparations, pitstops and paperwork removed was both amazing and humbling. We finished that weekend with three class podiums and three trophies to take home. The walking-on-air feeling continued for another couple of weeks afterwards. Onboard vid here
(Dale Lomas)
It wasn't me behind the bars, but the commitment and sheer determination that Michael Dunlop displayed at the TT this year was terrifying and awe-inspiring in equal measures. Taking an unproven bike with a team that hadn't been to the TT for years and still making the best road riders in the world look pedestrian was insane. And during one race he even managed to block out the thought of what could be and still ride flat out when he saw his brother William's smashed up bike. Bruce Anstey's 132.298mph lap was also very special. (Jon Urry)
Discussion
Collecting my (new to me) Morgan Aero 8 would have to be the most memorable road trip this year. I could not place the corners, it was rush hour in a city some 200 miles from home on a friday evening, the fuel light was on and the tyre pressure monitor was just endlessly beeping at me. To say i was nervous was an understatement with the roof down and everyone looking at me, concentrating so hard and simply failing to relax. Still 1 tank of Optimax later, beeping silenced and with the first 10 miles passed a growing confidence that the car and I would be fine together. 20 mins into my 4 hour run home cross country I completed my first overtake and the buzz was amazing. I know it is not the fastest accelerating thing on the planet, but it is quicker than most and backed up by a proper V8 noise, I think I even laughter out load to myself. I don't really recall the next 3 or so hours but do remember taking the extra long way home just to take in some Cotswold roads along the way…..simply because i could.
My first full proper road trip from Bristol - Monaco taking in the N85 Route Napoleon was a proper highlight for me. Pics and Vid can be found on this thread http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Took my 350Z up to Scotland for a week in November. Driving up through the borders from Kielder in the misty was fun, ditto Loch Ness and meeting the most petrolhead road repair guy ever who wanted to talk about *everything*, or the road from Inverness to Ullapool, but the highlight? Definitely driving through the Cairngorms south from Elgin towards Dundee in the dark. Huge, long, twisting, turning, rising and falling rally stage of a road with nothing to do but concentrate on the small patch of light from my headlights and drive. Wish I'd videoed it, just brilliant. Will have to repeat it one day.
Driving home from Glasgow in September with my new Jaguar XJ8. The sun was shining and I was happy to be driving the car I'd dreamed of owning since I was a lad.
The best ride of the year, probably a couple of hours just doing local Northumberland B roads on my CG125. The sun was bright and instensely hot, the hedgerows were green and the lanes pretty much my own. It was a great time.
The best ride of the year, probably a couple of hours just doing local Northumberland B roads on my CG125. The sun was bright and instensely hot, the hedgerows were green and the lanes pretty much my own. It was a great time.
I know thanks to Moving Motor Show, nearly anyone can do it but taking a Mazda Mx-5 up the hill at Goodwood on the Thursday was a true bucket list moment. The roof was off and the "whoosh" as I went under the bridge will stay with me for a long time. As a massive fan of Lord Marchs garden party and a regular for 14 years, it was a major bucket list ticked off and probably the best thing that happened for me all year.
Maybe I'm getting to be easy to please in my old age but it meant a lot. Now if I could get a passenger ride with someone who knows what they are doing on the Friday....
Maybe I'm getting to be easy to please in my old age but it meant a lot. Now if I could get a passenger ride with someone who knows what they are doing on the Friday....
515 miles in one day in the Corvette this June - Edinburgh to Applecross and back with my little club (now not as little), the Edinburgh sports cars club. Incredible trip and excellent weather mostly, before setting off home from Inverness at 9pm! In the pissing rain and deep highland blackness.
The particular highlights on that route were the Duke's Pass near Callander and the 'Scotsburgring' near Glencoe, both of which have been done several times since and before. But what a day.
The particular highlights on that route were the Duke's Pass near Callander and the 'Scotsburgring' near Glencoe, both of which have been done several times since and before. But what a day.
For me it was a day in a hired Fraser Sports car (Lotus 7 Replica) driving around roads above and around Auckland. A surprise birthday treat for my 30th from my now finance, who unfortunately was too short to have a drive in it herself! The best part was SH 16 which was a great road to get to grips with the Fraser's impressive handling on. This was the most pure driving experience I have had and now means a similar car has a guaranteed spot in my dream garage.
re-locating to the US and picking up my 2014 Mustang 5.0 and then blasting from Milwaukee to Detroit to go and check out some car culture and the amazing ruins of some the factories there. Did the Henry Ford, tour of the Renaissance Center and even managed to get to Flat Rock where my car was born. Awesome thing to do and i'd always dreamed of it after Robbie Coltrane did similar back in the early 90s.
Me and the girlfriend randomly decided to go to Maryborough (Vic, Aus) one day after lunch, and I got to drive my car on either the Reefton or Black Spur road (or possibly both, I was grinning to much to pay attention) and drove up to the ski resort at Lake Mountain. Even in my base model Mazda 323, it was heaven, and arguably better than my previous favorite road, the Kinglake - St Andrews Road. For those who haven't been, think corner after corner of tightish narrowish but well sealed roads going through cool hilly forested passes.
Has to be my first lap of the Nurburgring this year. Total newbie to the track, and the heavens opened up! Even at the slowest of speeds the car would slide - but I am definitely hooked and will be back in 2015!
2nd would be my friend letting me drive his Focus ST over the moors one night- hair raising stuff and that 5 pot sound is still stuck with me!
2nd would be my friend letting me drive his Focus ST over the moors one night- hair raising stuff and that 5 pot sound is still stuck with me!
My best trip 2014 was 1.5 weeks in sept-oct. in my 340hp Fiat Coupe 1998.
Gothenburg/Sweden - Spa in Belgium for the yearly SpaItalia, fantastic: http://youtu.be/VgkArJYEwpQ
Spa - Nürburgring for some great food, great company and great tracktime: http://youtu.be/afolAJoIZQc
Nürburgring - Mosel for a batch of great Riesling wine
Mosel - Champagne for even more great batches of fluids and a great stay in Hermonville
Hermonville - Paris for Paris Motorshow
Paris - Liege/Belgium for the Guy Moerenhout Abarth museum, just great
Liege - Amsterdam for friends
Amsterdam - Gothenburg/Sweden.
Travelled alone with some good music as company, could be the best one yet!
4000km and the poor mans Ferrari GT did not miss a beat.
Gothenburg/Sweden - Spa in Belgium for the yearly SpaItalia, fantastic: http://youtu.be/VgkArJYEwpQ
Spa - Nürburgring for some great food, great company and great tracktime: http://youtu.be/afolAJoIZQc
Nürburgring - Mosel for a batch of great Riesling wine
Mosel - Champagne for even more great batches of fluids and a great stay in Hermonville
Hermonville - Paris for Paris Motorshow
Paris - Liege/Belgium for the Guy Moerenhout Abarth museum, just great
Liege - Amsterdam for friends
Amsterdam - Gothenburg/Sweden.
Travelled alone with some good music as company, could be the best one yet!
4000km and the poor mans Ferrari GT did not miss a beat.
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