F-Type Spirited Driving Is Wonderful
F-Type Spirited Driving Is Wonderful
Went on a drive this weekend with a number of other clubcars. In the group was a new MacLaren, AustinMartin, race prepped Lotus Elise, Cobra Replica (one of the good ones), Ferrari430 (I think), and a GT500 Mustang. Wedrove through the Northern California Hills towards the coast and with theAustin in the lead followed by the MacLaren I had no issues keeping up but whenthe Lotus took over I was working hard and the damn Cobra stuck to my butt likeglue. To be fair the Lotus driver racesthat car and the Cobra driver is a racing instructor and I clearly need a tonmore track time so wasn’t pushing the Jag like they were their cars. The car has easy understeer which can be translatedinto oversteer with a tad bit of throttle. What I mean by easy understeer is the tires start making noise longbefore they let go and that lets you push the car pretty hard but it does takepractice I didn’t have yet. Watch the frontair dam and the center because both can hit hard if you aren’t watching forroad irregularities (I bounced the center and my wife grounded the front airdam hard, nothing broken, but I wouldn’t make a habit of it).
Now if it wasn’t for the tension of having a race instructoron my *** for much of the drive, I’d have had a ton of fun. Actually I did and the cool thing was evenwhen we got stuck behind a truck I just turned up the stereo and enjoyed thetunes, something that nether the Lotus or the Cobra could do (they make way toomuch noise). The car wants to be pushedand with it is dynamic, sport, and with the active exhaust on you don’t reallyhave to going that fast to feel like you are racing, the sound is simplyglorious. If you only get one option,get the active exhaust. It is likehaving two sound systems.
On really tight turns you do notice this isn’t really asmall car and for a moment I envied the Lotus (Elise) but the couple in thatcar looked beat at the lunch stop and us not so much. That is a wonderful track car and the Cobralooked to be fun as well but for a weekend drive in the hills both are a bittoo rough for my taste. Funny thing wasthe guy that owned the Cobra was actually driving the MacLaren, which sounds incredibleby the way but I’d still pick an open top over a coup for California.
Funny how few like the Austin Martin though, folks(including me) hated the club DB-9 and this was the Vantage. I actually haven’t driven it myself yet buteveryone tells me I’ll hate it, particularly with the top up. It is such a pretty car but, apparently, itisn’t comfortable at all. It is also anautomatic and I think that car needs the manual, we just don’t have a manual inthe stable.
Passed another F-Type also with a group of exotics, drivinghard, it goes without saying the driver had a huge grin on his face. Passed 3 Tesla S cars on the drive, didn’tlook like the drivers were having as much fun. Think it is just too big for those roads and without the engine noise,what’s the point really?
Anyway figured I’d share, this is what I did for my Birthdaythis year and it was a great way to spend the day.
Here are a couple shots from my Nokia 1020 phone (wonderful camera) there was a chase car with a photographer but I don't have access to those pictures yet. Will post when that changes.
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