Porsche Experience

[martine]

This looks like fun...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r4zmSWhqD8&feature=em-uploademail

Anyone been there?

[Carbon Based]

It is a lot of fun!

We've been twice now. The first trip was the one that got us seriously thinking about buying a sports car (lets face it, this is why that place exists).

The different track surfaces, and the water and kick plate gadgets mean that you can cover a lot of driving topics in a fairly small area. It is certainly interesting to drive over a metal plate, knowing that it is going to put you sideways but no idea whether left or right.

You don't see huge speeds on the handling circuit,it is pretty twisty and even the new "longer" straight section will be similar. In the video, from a standing start, he got close to the top of second gear. If you really want to play that game, you can go for the more expensive, full day, sessions that put you on the main Silverstone track.

[Nicola]

I was fortunate enough to win a competition and spent the day there for nothing It was just fantastic - a 911 would be my dream car but you can't fit the grandchildren in the back

[Zebedee]

How do you think it compares to a driving day at Mercedes Benz World at Brooklands?

[Nicola]

How do you think it compares to a driving day at Mercedes Benz World at Brooklands?

Much better by far - The Mercedes track is classed as a 'road' and therefore it's not a track experience as much as a driving experience. Not sure about the Porsche tracks because I don't remember wearing a crash helmet there (it's a legal requirement on a track) - it was much more fun there though

[Zebedee]

Thanks Nicola. How much of a learning experience would you say the Mercedes vs. Porsche days are?

[Nicola]

Thanks Nicola. How much of a learning experience would you say the Mercedes vs. Porsche days are?

Zebedee - for me it was the Porsche day as I only did an hour at Mercedes. The Porsche day was actually sponsored by Michelin so we were testing out the PS2s v the Supersports. We had instructors all the time but they did teach (eg mine took me over the kick plate about 10 times til I got it right ). Mercedes was a lot more 'corporate' - it was much more of a conveyor belt feel.
I may be biased because I love Porsches but I also know one of the instructors at Mercedes who says that people can have whatever they want. Probably for both places you would have to discuss your needs before you booked.
The best place to learn is on a track with free instruction. The BMW car club have a track day season and we do most of the days. Very well run - always emphasising best behaviour and safety with your road car on a track. No need to have a Beemer - we have all sorts coming. Always open pit lane - they are just fantastic days. It's still all about vision, looking through corners, slow in and fast out etc etc. And no speed limits ! (Thought I would get that one in)!

[jameslb101]

Well timed thread - went there yesterday for the 'YouDrive' programme. This is very similar to their normal experiences, but using your own car rather than one of their Porshces. As well as keeping the cost down, this makes it a great way to get a feel for your own car. In terms of the day's format, it was broken into four, 45 minute sessions; two on track and two in the 'classroom'.

As described in the video, there are five circuits:

-2 x medium speed handling circuits. These are at 2nd / 3rd gear speeds (in a normal car) and your "Porsche driving consultant" (or PDC, basically their arsey name for an instructor) helps you focus on steering, cornering and braking techniques. However, their policy means you won't be allowed to turn off your car's driver aids, so your learning is defined by this restriction.

-Low grip circuit. Highly polished surface on tight 2nd gear corners, connected by normally surfaced straights. Here you are allowed to turn of the stability systems, so it's interesting the feel the differences between driving with and without them.

-Kick plate. This is driven over at 20-25mph and, as the rear wheels pass over, it shoots to one side, putting the car into a spin. It's direction of movement is completely random, so not even your PDC knows which way you'll be pushed. Here the difficulty greatly depends on the vehicle in question and read and mid-engined cars (embarrassingly, mostly Porsches) were struggling compared to front engined models (mainly BMWs).

-Ice hill. Possibly my favourite part. Rather than me try and describe this, just have a look on YouTube. Again, you enter at around 20mph, but the fact you're driving down means gravity is working against you and the car wants to run away.

Overall, an interesting morning. If you enjoy going fast on the limit then you might do better elsewhere, but for me the value lay in the unique facilities like the kick place and ice hill. And the food's excellent too!

[Nicola]

Sounds like I might book a half day in my car James I didn't know you could do that.