Do you actually drive your supercar to the limit?
Discussion
Some people really do, although in this day and age those people who do so consistently on the road are relieved of their licences in short order (or come unstuck in other ways). Magazine review bravado nonsense isn't real-world and hasn't been for a very long time IMO.
Modern supercars are so insanely capable that to get anywhere near the limits you need to be driving far, far harder/faster than is likely ever appropriate on the roads of the UK.
I dare say the majority of owners have never safely explored the limits of what they can do as a driver let alone their cars.
Modern supercars are so insanely capable that to get anywhere near the limits you need to be driving far, far harder/faster than is likely ever appropriate on the roads of the UK.
I dare say the majority of owners have never safely explored the limits of what they can do as a driver let alone their cars.
In my case no, absolutely not. I gave up at a very silly speed last summer when it was still pulling like a train, then realised very quickly the car was capable of braking and cornering about 10 times better than I could ever cope with unless I passed out and now just enjoy driving it to my limits on occasion.
I hope to do a track day or two this summer and see if I am brave enough to stretch it's legs a bit.
I'm sure the next owner will have a bigger set of man sacks.
I hope to do a track day or two this summer and see if I am brave enough to stretch it's legs a bit.
I'm sure the next owner will have a bigger set of man sacks.
px1980 said:
Read car reviews and they always mention handling on the limit, things like neutral balance or oversteer etc.
Do people actually do that with their supercars, ever?
Not on the road if my R8 V10 is anything to go by. I pushed it hard enough on a corner to get a low oil warning the other day and it was very, very fast, and pushing hard against the seat side. Brutal grip and G-force. Empty motorway exit roundabout and I really went for it, and I was still not "on the edge". I know this as I've had the back break free a few times and you have to push harder again, or let the road surface "interfere" (camber change on roundabout exits).Do people actually do that with their supercars, ever?
To drive my car "on the limit" of its handling you really would have to be on a track. Same for finding its "balance".
On the other hand, my Griffith 500 was extremely easy to drive on the limit, and far past it :-) and the balance was extremely "obvious" and easy to manage at moderate speeds.
full acceleration ? yes, the noise is a drug
full deceleration ? i thought so as the brakes get squealy after a dozen nsl roundabouts, but i've only found the abs once ( during a genuine emergency )
full laterals ? once when i cocked it up ( "sharp left after crest" ), many times until i found a slow puncture !
full deceleration ? i thought so as the brakes get squealy after a dozen nsl roundabouts, but i've only found the abs once ( during a genuine emergency )
full laterals ? once when i cocked it up ( "sharp left after crest" ), many times until i found a slow puncture !
My car's limit is way, way short of what a modern supercar can manage. Even then I would never try to approach it's limit for more than a few seconds at a time, and only when conditions are perfect. The idea of driving even my lowly F430 at it's limit, where it is the car's outright capability holding me back, for any length of time is crazy. I would rightly have my license removed in short order.
I have driven some more modern, and much faster, supercars and I just ended up having to drive even further below their limit. I plan to upgrade to such a car in the next year, there are a lot of things I want from my next one, but the ability to deliver more outright speed on the road doesn't really factor into it. One thing I would like though is something that can handle track days a little better, because then I could drive it as hard as I liked.
I have driven some more modern, and much faster, supercars and I just ended up having to drive even further below their limit. I plan to upgrade to such a car in the next year, there are a lot of things I want from my next one, but the ability to deliver more outright speed on the road doesn't really factor into it. One thing I would like though is something that can handle track days a little better, because then I could drive it as hard as I liked.
Griffith4ever said:
Not on the road if my R8 V10 is anything to go by. I pushed it hard enough on a corner to get a low oil warning the other day and it was very, very fast, and pushing hard against the seat side. Brutal grip and G-force. Empty motorway exit roundabout and I really went for it, and I was still not "on the edge". I know this as I've had the back break free a few times and you have to push harder again, or let the road surface "interfere" (camber change on roundabout exits).
To drive my car "on the limit" of its handling you really would have to be on a track. Same for finding its "balance".
On the other hand, my Griffith 500 was extremely easy to drive on the limit, and far past it :-) and the balance was extremely "obvious" and easy to manage at moderate speeds.
You certainly must have been cornering very hard because that engine is dry sumped to avoid that vey issue. I'm surprised you didn't lose it before you got the oil warning light, unless it was low anyway of course To drive my car "on the limit" of its handling you really would have to be on a track. Same for finding its "balance".
On the other hand, my Griffith 500 was extremely easy to drive on the limit, and far past it :-) and the balance was extremely "obvious" and easy to manage at moderate speeds.
Fast Eddie said:
Griffith4ever said:
Not on the road if my R8 V10 is anything to go by. I pushed it hard enough on a corner to get a low oil warning the other day and it was very, very fast, and pushing hard against the seat side. Brutal grip and G-force. Empty motorway exit roundabout and I really went for it, and I was still not "on the edge". I know this as I've had the back break free a few times and you have to push harder again, or let the road surface "interfere" (camber change on roundabout exits).
To drive my car "on the limit" of its handling you really would have to be on a track. Same for finding its "balance".
On the other hand, my Griffith 500 was extremely easy to drive on the limit, and far past it :-) and the balance was extremely "obvious" and easy to manage at moderate speeds.
You certainly must have been cornering very hard because that engine is dry sumped to avoid that vey issue. I'm surprised you didn't lose it before you got the oil warning light, unless it was low anyway of course To drive my car "on the limit" of its handling you really would have to be on a track. Same for finding its "balance".
On the other hand, my Griffith 500 was extremely easy to drive on the limit, and far past it :-) and the balance was extremely "obvious" and easy to manage at moderate speeds.
Last time I had a top up warning it took about 1 litre back to full.
To be clear when I wrote about „the limit” I mostly meant limit of grip.
I only ever do it on track. Then when I drive in North Wales etc it’s good fun but nowhere near that limit. On a trackday it would barely be sighting lap level of commitment. And it makes me wonder if people actually slide their 400+ bhp cars through B road corners like in magazines… Even with clearest sightlines, the thick tyres&narrow roads mean you have to be really confident of your skills to do it in a car like that. It’s impressive to know there are people with skill to actually do this on public roads
I only ever do it on track. Then when I drive in North Wales etc it’s good fun but nowhere near that limit. On a trackday it would barely be sighting lap level of commitment. And it makes me wonder if people actually slide their 400+ bhp cars through B road corners like in magazines… Even with clearest sightlines, the thick tyres&narrow roads mean you have to be really confident of your skills to do it in a car like that. It’s impressive to know there are people with skill to actually do this on public roads
px1980 said:
To be clear when I wrote about „the limit” I mostly meant limit of grip.
I only ever do it on track. Then when I drive in North Wales etc it’s good fun but nowhere near that limit. On a trackday it would barely be sighting lap level of commitment. And it makes me wonder if people actually slide their 400+ bhp cars through B road corners like in magazines… Even with clearest sightlines, the thick tyres&narrow roads mean you have to be really confident of your skills to do it in a car like that. It’s impressive to know there are people with skill to actually do this on public roads
Even the driving god road testers who you’re in awe of don’t bend it like Beckham. Take a look at the tarmac of the corner in the photo or video and the tyre rubber that’s already on there. The testers build up speed, confidence and angle to eventually get ‘that’ awesome photo or video in the can. Nobody short of a rally driver is going to be able to string together a series of corners on a fast road in one go. And even then, they aren’t going for fancy angles, just the fastest way through the corner (and hint, it isn’t necessarily sideways). I only ever do it on track. Then when I drive in North Wales etc it’s good fun but nowhere near that limit. On a trackday it would barely be sighting lap level of commitment. And it makes me wonder if people actually slide their 400+ bhp cars through B road corners like in magazines… Even with clearest sightlines, the thick tyres&narrow roads mean you have to be really confident of your skills to do it in a car like that. It’s impressive to know there are people with skill to actually do this on public roads
Gassing Station | Supercar General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff