50th birthday present / Testarossa drive / BMW M drive
Discussion
Gonna be 50 in a couple of months. Keep getting asked what I want and I’ve no idea.
Always been in love with the Ferrari Testarossa and thought about a drive in one but can’t find anything.
But also thinking that if I did find something would it shatter my dreams if it doesn’t live up to my hype.
Would a bmw m drive experience be good as I am into them too. Totally different cars but trying to think of something to remember.
Always been in love with the Ferrari Testarossa and thought about a drive in one but can’t find anything.
But also thinking that if I did find something would it shatter my dreams if it doesn’t live up to my hype.
Would a bmw m drive experience be good as I am into them too. Totally different cars but trying to think of something to remember.
Depends what your expectations are - that era of car will feel slow, be tricky to drive, noisy and smelly and everything that classics are.
If you go in expecting something to be on the same level as any modern you'll be disappointed. Prepare yourself for it to be "characterful" instead and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I love driving old cars, but you have to be in the right frame of mind.
If you go in expecting something to be on the same level as any modern you'll be disappointed. Prepare yourself for it to be "characterful" instead and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I love driving old cars, but you have to be in the right frame of mind.
I'm 50 later this year and would also love to drive a Testarossa. Sadly I can't find an experience company that does older supercars. I'm not under any illusions about its dynamic capabilities (or lack thereof) - I just really want to drive one. It's been my dream car since its launch at the Paris Motor Show, a few weeks after my tenth birthday.
MitchT said:
I'm 50 later this year and would also love to drive a Testarossa. Sadly I can't find an experience company that does older supercars. I'm not under any illusions about its dynamic capabilities (or lack thereof) - I just really want to drive one. It's been my dream car since its launch at the Paris Motor Show, a few weeks after my tenth birthday.
Same for me, fell in love as soon as I saw one. Looks like it’ll have to stay a dream.
unsure what your budget is, but something like a palmersport day or the Porsche stuff at Silverstone are good options where you 'really get to drive' the cars 
ferrari testarossa - £2k per day! https://www.bookaclassic.co.uk/ferrari-testarossa-...
ferrari testarossa - £2k per day! https://www.bookaclassic.co.uk/ferrari-testarossa-...
Edited by PlywoodPascal on Monday 19th February 21:56
I know its quite a different car but I'd always fancied an R8, so bought one of the driving experience days which had R8's available. Well, it was awful. Maybe it was just a s
tty, poorly maintained example, but it was so disappointing. Then drove a Mclaren (can't remember which) which was excellent then a single seater. I've driven R8's subsequently, and they've been really good. However, I say all this just to highlight that, even if you find the opportunity to drive the car you've always wanted, it might be a disappointment if it's a poor example.
tty, poorly maintained example, but it was so disappointing. Then drove a Mclaren (can't remember which) which was excellent then a single seater. I've driven R8's subsequently, and they've been really good. However, I say all this just to highlight that, even if you find the opportunity to drive the car you've always wanted, it might be a disappointment if it's a poor example. My recommendation would be to do something where the age / condition of what you are driving is irrelevant: snow driving experience in Sweden, rally driving in Wales, off road at Eastnor Castle... that sort of thing. If it has to be a car on the road, Caterham weekend in the summer...
Ezra said:
I know its quite a different car but I'd always fancied an R8, so bought one of the driving experience days which had R8's available. Well, it was awful. Maybe it was just a stty, poorly maintained example, but it was so disappointing. Then drove a Mclaren (can't remember which) which was excellent then a single seater. I've driven R8's subsequently, and they've been really good. However, I say all this just to highlight that, even if you find the opportunity to drive the car you've always wanted, it might be a disappointment if it's a poor example.
In what ways did the R8 from the experience differ from the ones you drove after?tty, poorly maintained example, but it was so disappointing. Then drove a Mclaren (can't remember which) which was excellent then a single seater. I've driven R8's subsequently, and they've been really good. However, I say all this just to highlight that, even if you find the opportunity to drive the car you've always wanted, it might be a disappointment if it's a poor example. Robster said:
In what ways did the R8 from the experience differ from the ones you drove after?
The experience day car felt very loose, bit barge like, harsh manual gearbox, felt as though it would lose traction easily, didn't feel planted and just didn't inspire confidence. Don't know exactly what model it was, but it was V8 not V10. Others I've driven (test drives, those of 2 friends) felt exactly the opposite. Tight, secure, nimble, very responsive, very confident with the traction/grip etc. I drove to that specific experience day in my 2006 Cayman S and thought this little thing is just in a different league compared to the R8.Edited by Ezra on Monday 19th February 22:38
PlywoodPascal said:
unsure what your budget is, but something like a palmersport day or the Porsche stuff at Silverstone are good options where you 'really get to drive' the cars
ferrari testarossa - £2k per day! https://www.bookaclassic.co.uk/ferrari-testarossa-...
If only I had £2k to spare. ferrari testarossa - £2k per day! https://www.bookaclassic.co.uk/ferrari-testarossa-...
Edited by PlywoodPascal on Monday 19th February 21:56
Dapster said:
My recommendation would be to do something where the age / condition of what you are driving is irrelevant: snow driving experience in Sweden, rally driving in Wales, off road at Eastnor Castle... that sort of thing. If it has to be a car on the road, Caterham weekend in the summer...
Rally driving in wales sounds good and I’ll look into that. The snow driving would be good but maybe out of budget.
PlywoodPascal said:
ferrari testarossa - £2k per day! https://www.bookaclassic.co.uk/ferrari-testarossa-...
That's £2k per day to look at a Testarossa though, not to drive it. (i.e. to have it on display at a Fair or Exhibition).samoht said:
PlywoodPascal said:
ferrari testarossa - £2k per day! https://www.bookaclassic.co.uk/ferrari-testarossa-...
That's £2k per day to look at a Testarossa though, not to drive it. (i.e. to have it on display at a Fair or Exhibition).Athlon said:
Testarossa is one of the better older supercars I have driven. Don't dismiss them until you have driven one, you may be surprised!!
I would love to have a go of one but that doesn’t seem to be an option anywhere unfortunately. Even taken out in one would be good, but doesn’t seem to be anything about. Geffg said:
CraigyMc said:
Do a palmersport day. https://www.palmersport.com/dates
Gonna look into this aswell. I managed to make myself sick in a BMW!
Palmersport isn’t a cheap option, but it is a great experience. Not many experience days actively encourage you to get the absolute maximum out of the cars, but Palmersport do. The cars are immaculately prepared, the instructors are all very talented and the catering is very good.
You can also take someone else along to watch for a modest cost, or you could take me and pay for a full day for us both!!
You can also take someone else along to watch for a modest cost, or you could take me and pay for a full day for us both!!
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