Driving other people's cool cars

Cash Davidson · **Posted:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 10:37 pm

Unlike our esteemed President, I tend to keep cars for decades. So its nice to have friends (I'll count Rodney among them) that buy cool cars, let me drive them, and quickly tire of them.

A good friend bought a Shelby GT500. After having it tweaked at Fastlane, to the tune of 650rwhp, I got to drive back in August. OMG, it was awesome, primeval, raw and a bit scary.

This same friend just bought a Nissan GTR and let me drive it last Friday. OMFG, AWD, 500hp, 0-60 in under 3sec - insanity. The car demanded every ounce of focus and courage I could muster - it was truly frightening. I haven't been able to get the experience out of my head or the grin off my face.

I can't wait for him to call again. :mrgreen:

JamesShort · **Posted:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 10:44 pm

Did you attempt to turn the steering wheel on either of those cars?.......didn't think so

JasonWatts · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:12 am

Who needs to turn a steering wheel when you can just push the gas pedal a bit harder to make the car turn. :sing:

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

I've driven a GTR at a setup day at Sanford back to back with my STi. I'd say my STi was more crazy/frightening than the GTR. :lol:

The GTR felt like a heavier, much more expensive, and laggy version of the STi. It was pretty fun once the power got to the wheels, though. Did some interesting things when I got it sideways, kinda like it was driving itself.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 3:32 am

Kevin Allen wrote:

I've driven a GTR at a setup day at Sanford back to back with my STi. I'd say my STi was more crazy/frightening than the GTR. :lol:

The GTR felt like a heavier, much more expensive, and laggy version of the STi. It was pretty fun once the power got to the wheels, though. Did some interesting things when I got it sideways, kinda like it was driving itself.

yeh, that seems to be the funny thing about straight stretches of road that happen to be more than 150 feet long Kevin. some cars actually strive to run down the road versus just gas, brake, turn, shift to second gear, turn, brake, brake, push the gas, brake, turn, turn, turn , brake, oooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh i think i just came............ wow, 52 seconds......... I AM A GAWD..........

it isn't just cones that suck.....................

Bernie Baake · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:15 am

Kevin,
The GTR just isn't at home on an autocross course, put it on the track and see which one is scary!!!!!

my favorite ride was the ford GT 40 I couldn't really push it but on VIR it was obvious that this car wasn't built for a Sunday drive.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:13 am

Kevin Allen wrote:

I've driven a GTR at a setup day at Sanford back to back with my STi. I'd say my STi was more crazy/frightening than the GTR. :lol:

The GTR felt like a heavier, much more expensive, and laggy version of the STi. It was pretty fun once the power got to the wheels, though. Did some interesting things when I got it sideways, kinda like it was driving itself.

Nothing is better than an STi. :roll:

Having a GTR pass you at speed and almost suck the paint off your car whilst you were already doing over 100MPH is something to behold. I'd like to see you catch one in your STi on a race track.

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

Vincent Keene wrote:

Kevin Allen wrote:

I've driven a GTR at a setup day at Sanford back to back with my STi. I'd say my STi was more crazy/frightening than the GTR. :lol:

The GTR felt like a heavier, much more expensive, and laggy version of the STi. It was pretty fun once the power got to the wheels, though. Did some interesting things when I got it sideways, kinda like it was driving itself.

Nothing is better than an STi. :roll:

Having a GTR pass you at speed and almost suck the paint off your car whilst you were already doing over 100MPH is something to behold. I'd like to see you catch one in your STi on a race track.

You said "whilst"!

I recall being really proud of myself for exiting the last turn at Roebling Road at an indicated 100 mph in my (then stock) '90 5.0, then immediately giving a point-by to 17-year old driving his daddy's Ferrari 333SP. That V12 made quite a rip whilst it went by!

JasonWatts · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:13 pm

seems to be pretty even to me (STI vs GTR). Check the results here. Class to look for is class 6 super car's. Take special note of Sunday. the STI dominates EVERYTHING that showed up except 1 car. http://www.sportscardigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011-Results.pdf

And more talk about the event instead of just raw results. http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2011/07/subaru-cosworth-impreza-sti-cs400-annihilates-supercars-at-cholmondeley-pageant-of-power.html

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

I don't judge scariness by how fast it will go in a straight line once the turbos "kick in" - I judge it by how hard the passenger has to hold on to avoid being thrown out the window. So excuse me for not being a drag racer. :roll:

Tarmac rally > road racing any day.

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 3:42 pm

I hear exceeding the speed limit in a GTR will void the warranty. :lol:

/sarcasm
//envious of folks who can afford those cars
///actually envious of the garajmajals in which those cars are kept....

Les Davis · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:04 pm **Posts:** 2059

Coolest other person's car I've driven is Bernie's beastly C5, with merely 405 whp, which isn't too far from 500 crank hp. That thing once rolling with enough tire for traction is probably quicker than a GTR, though the GTR has a stronger 1/4 ET, the trap speed is similar, so that is all from the AWD launch. It has been great fun wheeling that thing about the past couple years, so much fun in fact, it inspired me to drain my bank account significantly to build a beast of my own. Thanks Bernie!

As for the 650whp Mustang, that's just inconceivable to me, I don't know how you would use that power in any of the first three gears on street tires. I know with my mere 413whp, first and second aren't much use on street tires, especially in cooler weather. Even with 335 race rubber one must use much judgment with the right foot.

SimonWright · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:14 pm

A friend of my son from school (Anand of anandtech fame) stopped by one Christmas day a few years ago in his brand new Ferrari Modena 360 and let me take it for a drive. He said not to shift before 8K (I don't think I had the courage for that) and I never got the thing beyond 3rd gear. Sweet ride though - he said to leave the windows open to hear it inhaling through the air intake which is just behind the B pillar. Had fun.

Simon

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