[Naman_Ferrari]

Hello Everyone

Three days ago, I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to do something that I have dreamt of every single day of my life (at least, as far as I can remember. I drove a
Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder Performante
Ferrari 458 Italia
Porsche 911
Ariel Atom
Nissan GTR

It has been three days but it still hasn't sunk in that I have actually driven these cars, which is why I keep looking at these pictures all day long

So how did I manage to drive these cars?

I am currently pursuing my masters in the UK and there is a company here called Everymanracing that offers 'Supercar Track Day Experiences' for car nuts like us. They have almost every supercar one can dream of. Aventador, DB11, Huracan, 458 Italia, GTR, 911 and the list goes on and on. The only major supercar they do not have is probably a Bugatti.

I reached Prestwood Racing Centre at 8am and saw just three things - a small office building, a racetrack and most importantly, a LOT of sports cars. I think I just stood and looked at the cars for a good 10 minutes before heading inside the office to complete my registration and safety briefing. The experience was divided into 6 parts (2 laps each) -

1. Demo Lap
I was sat in the passenger seat of a modified 500 BHP Vauxhall Sedan for a demo lap in which the driver explained the braking points, acceleration points, racing line and other tips to make the most out of the experience.

2. Car 1: Lambo
The feeling I got while driving the first car is indescribable (I shall try my best). I was a little disappointed because it was raining. But as soon as I sat in the car, the excitement came rushing in and so did the nervousness. I asked the instructor sitting next to me if the rain was a problem. He told me that I was lucky because the Lambo had AWD so I didn't have to worry. 'Go as fast as you want' he said. So we open the rear window to hear the 575 BHP V10 roar to life as I powered up the car. A few seconds later, I had myself pinned against the seat in part throttle. I cannot describe that feeling. Since it was my first lap on the track, I took it relatively easy as the instructor gave me a lot of useful tips. As soon as we entered the first straight of second lap, I floored the throttle and the way the car accelerated was unreal. Every upshift caused a huge jerk and felt amazing. The sheer rawness and discomfort that the Lambo offers (or doesn't offer) is what makes it so special and fun. Very soon, the Lambo experience was over and I couldn't wait for the rest of them.

3. Car 2: Ferrariiiiiiii
The rain was suddenly gone and it was sunny again (typical British weather). The 458 is my all time favourite car! I got goosebumps as soon as I sat in it because this is the car I hope to buy one day. One thing I would like to point out here is that when you actually get to drive these cars, the interior and features is the last thing you care about. All I wanted to do is drive the thing. Didn't pay much attention to anything else. Now that I was familiar with the track, I could go all out from lap 1. Also note that it is not dangerous as there is always an instructor who helps you with when to brake etc. The shift lights on the steering wheel when the rpm went too high was insanely cool. However the 458 felt a little soft after driving the Performante. It is still my favourite car and insanely powerful but maybe I felt this because I expected too much. Still, it was A LOT of fun to drive this car.

4. Car 3: 911
The 911 was the most comfortable car by a huge margin. But the one they had was very old and not nearly as powerful as the other cars I drove. It was also the easiest car to handle and drive around the track. However, this particular 911 was not as much fun as the others and left me a bit disappointed. This is mainly because it was in bad shape, not because to was old.

5. Car 4: Ariel Atom
The power in this one is hard to describe. The experience of driving one is just amazing. It has a six speed manual transmission that is a bit hard to operate to be honest. But the acceleration and handling on this cannot be matched by the others. I was warned that it had no ABS, EPS etc. so I had to be careful, but it felt more stable than all of the other cars (not that they didn't feel stable by any standard).

5. Car 6: Nissan GTR
This car really surprised me. I always knew it was good but this was beyond my expectation. The sound, the power, the handling - Just amazing. Since it was the last car I drove, I knew the track well by then and feel like I really drove well in this one. The instructor told me that I was the fastest driver he had had in days. I don't think I've gotten a better compliment in my life

What I learnt from this experience

I've had countless dreams where I imagined myself driving a Ferrari (basically a sports car). To my surprise, the experience met my expectations and even exceeded it. This brings me to the purpose of me writing (sorry typing) this post. Most of us who have time to go through this forum are complete car nuts. We value very few things more than going out for a long drive in our car. These ridiculously expensive cars that I drove take that experience to the next level. I would like to say again. They exceeded my expectations. They are that good!

I am currently living in the UK and have noticed that having an exotic sports car here does not necessarily mean that you are a very rich person. I met this person in Manchester who drives a GTR but lives in a small rented apartment. He said that the GTR made him more happy than any big house could. He sacrifices a lot for it, but it is WORTH IT. This got me thinking. Why are these cars limited to only the uber-rich in India. Sure they are more expensive in our country. But I feel like it is also because of how we perceive these cars. Is it possible that a change in perception towards these cars can make them more accessible to more Indians?

I know I'm just a student, who is crazy for cars talking and I don't know if what I'm saying makes sense but I would love to know your opinions on this.

Note: Mods please merge with any related existing thread. I couldn't find any.

[sudev]

Envy.

The main reason why in India you will not see this happening is because of the road infrastructure and chaotic traffic with no sense of safety. Even if you do have a car I do not think you can have fun driving it anywhere in the country.

So the average car guy will not buy such a car and give meanigless sacrifices elsewhere in his life.

[Naman_Ferrari]

Originally Posted by sudev

Envy.

The main reason why in India you will not see this happening is because of the road infrastructure and chaotic traffic with no sense of safety. Even if you do have a car I do not think you can have fun driving it anywhere in the country.

So the average car guy will not buy such a car and give meanigless sacrifices elsewhere in his life.

You're completely right that the road infrastructure is not as good as it should be. But I still feel like there are certain roads where it is possible to enjoy these cars. It is not ideal but it is something. Also as you said, I think envy is a bigger factor

[A.K]

Originally Posted by sudev

Envy.

The main reason why in India you will not see this happening is because of the road infrastructure and chaotic traffic with no sense of safety. Even if you do have a car I do not think you can have fun driving it anywhere in the country.

So the average car guy will not buy such a car and give meaningless sacrifices elsewhere in his life.

The ones who have the means to buy and enjoy such cars in India are buying them and using them just well enough while the rest complain from behind screens
And no, I don't anything such just as yet but this is what I pick up from being active in the supercar circles and interacting with these enthusiastic gentlemen.

[sharktale]

Query Post :

Does the BIC have an organization serving it, where one could go around the track in Supercars?

I know about the Bring Your Own Supercar events, but am unaware of any professional setup of giving chances to supercar-noobs, to handle the mean machines!

If not, it could be a good business proposition for many of these exquisite creatures, lying in garages neglected.

[ruzbehxyz]

Hey Naman Ferrari.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful post and your experience in UK.
I too stayed in UK for a long time but was unaware of this racing thing. Hope to do it next time.

[ChiragM]

Hi Naman

Nice post. It looks like you had a lot of fun. Do elaborate on the experience of driving an Atom as your completely exposed to all the elements than the other cars.

Your post reminded me of the time I went to drive a supercar in California. I couldn't drive them all. I had to choose between a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari 360CS, Ferrari 430, and the Porsche 911 997 Turbo. I went ahead with the 430. The experience was something else. The drive was in a big empty parking lot with a small course laid out. The instructor never provided any braking points as such and I had to learn everything on my own initially.

I was in the UK as well last year for my masters. I did go for a track day event but never drove any supercar during my time there. Probably next time.

[Naman_Ferrari]

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Hi Naman

Nice post. It looks like you had a lot of fun. Do elaborate on the experience of driving an Atom as your completely exposed to all the elements than the other cars.

Your post reminded me of the time I went to drive a supercar in California. I couldn't drive them all. I had to choose between a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari 360CS, Ferrari 430, and the Porsche 911 997 Turbo. I went ahead with the 430. The experience was something else. The drive was in a big empty parking lot with a small course laid out. The instructor never provided any braking points as such and I had to learn everything on my own initially.

I was in the UK as well last year for my masters. I did go for a track day event but never drove any supercar during my time there. Probably next time.

Hi Chirag,

The Atom was the most authentic race car experience I've ever had. It's a struggle to climb into the car. It's uncomfortable and it's amazing. The clutch is extremely sensitive. However, the acceleration, especially in the early gears is unreal. It just shoots. Inspite of not having any safety features, the car inspires a lot of confidence because to just sticks to the road. It's like driving the fastest go-kart in the world

[Rudra Sen]

Mod note: Thread moved to The International Automotive Scene.

[GTO]

Great thread, Naman! Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by A.K

The ones who have the means to buy and enjoy such cars in India are buying them and using them just well enough

I so agree. Give me a Porsche on an Igatpuri ghat with no speed limits than American hills with 35 mph speed limits that are strongly enforced (fine, driving licence points, insurance premiums going up and more).

No that I'm advocating over-speeding or driving rashly, but neither am I saying you should drive a Porsche at 35 MPH either.

Originally Posted by sharktale

Does the BIC have an organization serving it, where one could go around the track in Supercars?

The German luxury car manufacturers have track days @ BIC where anyone can pay & drive. Some reports are already there on the forum. Do search.

[pedrolourenco]

I always planned to do this when I was in UK. Never actually got down to doing it. Besides using the cars on track, there's also the option to use them on the roads. I wanted to come to college on the last day in a rented Ferrari.