[nickcuprar]

Might get knocked for this but the one car that's made me laugh out loud whilst driving it was an Abarth 595C equipped with an MTA gearbox and a Monza exhaust.

180bhp in a car that makes a mini feel big. Put your foot down and the torque steer is horrendous but through the twistys you can just use all the power all the time because it just handles on rails! Hit the Rev limiter and then you get the pops and bangs which on the monza exhaust sounded fantastic.

The MTA box is crap in automatic but put it into manual and with the paddle shift it makes you feel properly in control and you need to keep your hands on the wheel because of the torque steer. Keep your foot planted whilst changing up and you get a terrible gear change where you feel yourself decelerate enough to make you lurch forward in your seat and so you have to lift off as you change up.

Get it all right though and the outcome is a big grin and the only car to make me laugh out loud! The only car I've driven where you actually make a difference behind the wheel. Literally feels like a go kart.

Straight line it won't win any race. Through the corners tho I reckon it's up there with the best.

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by Armaan

You winding up other drivers...I would have never have thought!

I've had a few drives even in my remapped 320i, perfectly reasonable overtakes, safe, no oncoming traffic and had a few flashes. Have to say, the manual box adds to the fun.

I just carry on with my day or if they can't let it go, just build up some distance as normally they can't actually do anything about it and just want an ego boost. If you want to go faster, try upgrading your Citroen DS3 1.2 ( no offence to those who drove them, but doesn't shout car enthusiast).

Armaan

Au Contraire .. I’ve got a very ‘don't fuck with me, I won’t fuck with you’ attitude actually.. if you look over my posts on the forum they support this fact

I agree that generally it is best to just ignore the people who flash you as you safely overtake them though.. it’s just occasionally they do it when I’m not in a good mood or something

[335dMSport+]

Roads are too congested and too poorly maintained these days, that's why I sold my real speed/thrill seeker - Suzuki GSX-R1000 - it would destroy any car either in a straight line or around the twisties.

Another added benefit of the bike is not having the Mrs next to you nagging about.....well pretty much anything these days!

[Armaan]

Originally Posted by Hooded

Au Contraire .. I've got a very 'don't fuck with me, I won't fuck with you' attitude actually.. if you look over my posts on the forum they support this fact

I agree that generally it is best to just ignore the people who flash you as you safely overtake them though.. it's just occasionally they do it when I'm not in a good mood or something

Very much the same approach here...recently adopted the 'oh you're driving like a ****, but I'd rather not damage my car in driving like you are, so please, carry on'

I can have a spirited drive without being an idiot and within keeping myself and my pride and joy safe. And when the Mrs is in the car, as you've eluded to and I get an earful.

Armaan

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by Armaan

Very much the same approach here...recently adopted the 'oh you're driving like a ****, but I'd rather not damage my car in driving like you are, so please, carry on'

I can have a spirited drive without being an idiot and within keeping myself and my pride and joy safe. And when the Mrs is in the car, as you've eluded to and I get an earful.

Armaan

Agree, I do think about not damaging my car as well.

Now if I’m driving my old beater Focus Mk2 it’s not a good idea to try fucking with me at a merge in turn or something .. Its my mad max car

[TiredGeek]

Originally Posted by Hooded

Now if I’m driving my old beater Focus Mk2 it’s not a good idea to try fucking with me at a merge in turn or something .. Its my mad max car

LOL, can you imagine what I'm like in the firms van then Not even my insurance

In the BM I just ignore people who flash. It's usually the last time I see them anyway.....
I've noticed recently that most drivers don't have a clue what the limit is - most seem to drive at 58 on dual and 48 on single and then stamp on the brakes when they see a camera van.

Best thing for fun I've ever had was an old leaf sprung, drum braked, 3.2 race tuned V6 Landrover. Sideways everywhere at 40mph

[gangzoom]

I have to say my road bike is giving me so much more fun on B roads than any car. Steering feel, wind in your hair, 'connected' to the road, and the adrenaline rush knowing even one unseen pothole will send you flying into a hedge, not a single car I've ever driven gives me the same pleasure of man + machine versus the road.

Its a shame we don't have longer down hills in the UK, but certainly on a 5% down kill and trying to stay in the slip stream of traffic on a twisty B road section really keeps you awake .

The Cayman driver at 50 seconds should feel some shame though.

[Broncho]

Originally Posted by TiredGeek

Best thing for fun I've ever had was an old leaf sprung, drum braked, 3.2 race tuned V6 Landrover. Sideways everywhere at 40mph

My dad owns a series 1 Landrover, 1956 I think, he reckons it’s a skill to get it to 40mph and then the fun starts trying to keep as much of the momentum as possible

[kzg1969]

I bought an X3M thinking this would be the single car to replace both the 335d and Focus RS......while space ship fast, it just isnt that "fun" to drive and you certainly cant throw it around like a hot chip.

RS in for a service yesterday and tested a MX-5. Loved it. But then on the drive home through Glenshee, the Focus was just perfect. The MX-5 would have been just as much fun i thing but at about 30mph on average slower.

[Cootie]

I’m in a similar boat to Nick - think small hot hatches can be an absolute hoot. Mini GP (1st Gen) on a run through the borders was probably the best fun I’ve had in a car, probably because it was just fast enough and required you to hustle it to get the best out of it.

Was driving my Dad’s Golf Gti Performance last week and was thinking it really has all the performance you need for 95% of driving in the UK. Only at the top end of the rev range does it feel like it’s giving anything away to my Golf R.

In truth I reckon 350bhp and 1500kg is probably the sweet spot in terms of pace and handling for UK roads.

Much beyond that it really depends on having access to the right roads (we’re quite lucky up here in that regard) and then having that 5% of occasions where it is both quiet and safe/responsible enough to open the taps. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been a passenger a number of times in a tuned McLaren on Cup tyres and in that small window and on the right roads it is simply hilarious - certainly remember a few fast bikes trying to keep up...

I suspect if I had the spare cash (and a two seater worked) a GTS4.0 Boxster or Cayman is all the performance I’d ever crave.

[G50]

Originally Posted by Hooded

Au Contraire .. I’ve got a very ‘don't fuck with me, I won’t fuck with you’ attitude actually.. if you look over my posts on the forum they support this fact

I agree that generally it is best to just ignore the people who flash you as you safely overtake them though.. it’s just occasionally they do it when I’m not in a good mood or something

Flashing your hazards just looks like you're apologising though!

[Armaan]

Originally Posted by G50

Flashing your hazards just looks like you're apologising though!

Very true, but if diffuses a bout of dangerous driving and unrequired tit-for-tat, they can think what they want.

Just my view.

Armaan

[ZedsRedBaby]

Originally Posted by Hooded

The combination of performance and economy has to be the sweet spot if you don’t require any small penis compensating exhaust pops and bangs like the boy racers require.

Sorry mate, can't hear you over that tractor engine

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by ZedsRedBaby

Sorry mate, can't hear you over that tractor engine

Did you say something pal?, Couldn’t hear you over the boy racer pops and bangs

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by G50

Flashing your hazards just looks like you're apologising though!

Forgive me.. next time I’ll do better, I’ll block off the road with my car and get out and ask them why they flashed me

[DaveA]

As said earlier, not just power but size, also…

I live on the edge of the North York Moors… I have a 245 hp Golf GTI Performance and that’s more than plenty around here to have a lot of fun without getting illegal or irresponsible etc… (you have to be careful around the sheep, would not want to hit one of them..)…

Plus, when you want to do a leisurely motorway run, you can get 50 mpg…

The previous 340 wasn’t in any way as capable on these roads as the GTI and I struggle to think it was using much of it’s 300 odd hp before it felt out of its depth (with me as driver, anyway)… The GTI is much better sorted on the ride/handling stakes than the 3-er was (IMHO)… The 3-er had its good bits, of course… smooth and an easy cruiser.. refined.. etc…

In my past, I had a 435hp Gen 2 997 3.8 GT3… Way too quick for the public highway… and too “large” to be as much fun as the GTI on the twisty’s… Every drive in the car was an occasion, mind you… and as a track day car… phew-eee…. Was also pretty good in the snow, with winter tyres (lots of traction at the rear)…

My only complaint now with the GTI, having lived with it for 14/15 months, is that mine has developed a few too many extra noises in the cabin… But that’s another matter… But maybe a 135 next…

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by 335dMSport+

Roads are too congested and too poorly maintained these days, that's why I sold my real speed/thrill seeker - Suzuki GSX-R1000 - it would destroy any car either in a straight line or around the twisties.

Another added benefit of the bike is not having the Mrs next to you nagging about.....well pretty much anything these days!

Says the back of your bike jacket. If you can see this the missus fell off.

[TiredGeek]

Originally Posted by DaveA

My only complaint now with the GTI, having lived with it for 14/15 months, is that mine has developed a few too many extra noises in the cabin… But that’s another matter… But maybe a 135 next…

Those were the days eh?

[KTE]

Originally Posted by DaveA

As said earlier, not just power but size, also…

I live on the edge of the North York Moors… I have a 245 hp Golf GTI Performance and that’s more than plenty around here to have a lot of fun without getting illegal or irresponsible etc… (you have to be careful around the sheep, would not want to hit one of them..)…

Plus, when you want to do a leisurely motorway run, you can get 50 mpg…

The previous 340 wasn’t in any way as capable on these roads as the GTI and I struggle to think it was using much of it’s 300 odd hp before it felt out of its depth (with me as driver, anyway)… The GTI is much better sorted on the ride/handling stakes than the 3-er was (IMHO)… The 3-er had its good bits, of course… smooth and an easy cruiser.. refined.. etc…

In my past, I had a 435hp Gen 2 997 3.8 GT3… Way too quick for the public highway… and too “large” to be as much fun as the GTI on the twisty’s… Every drive in the car was an occasion, mind you… and as a track day car… phew-eee…. Was also pretty good in the snow, with winter tyres (lots of traction at the rear)…

My only complaint now with the GTI, having lived with it for 14/15 months, is that mine has developed a few too many extra noises in the cabin… But that’s another matter… But maybe a 135 next…

Friend of mine wanted to show me a really nice view point which also came with some really nice B roads. 40-60MPH just outside of London. Fairly busy, the left wing mirror was near enough always clipping bushes/hedges and eventually a panic driver swerved out after passing my friend and clipped my other wing mirror.

Where I’m going with this is anything bigger than a 1/2 series feels big and in reality is too big for B roads with traffic both ways (at least the ones I was driving on). Quite hard to push on a bit, not even talking about limits here.

3/4/5/6/7/8 series are good motorway cruisers and passenger carriers (bar coupes), with more boot space. If I didn’t occasionally need 4 seats and some good boot space, I’d rewind and buy a M235/240. Hatchbacks no matter how powerful lack the poise of coupes and class - though they are undoubtedly practical on more fronts.

[ZedsRedBaby]

Originally Posted by TiredGeek

Those were the days eh?

What an iconic ad that was.

Funnily enough, OH mentioned it the other day. We were driving along, top down (not OH obvs) and there was a funny rhythmic squeaking sound which turned out to be a pub sign. It was the Rose and Crown at Ratley if anyone feels the need to know.

"It's like that old VW ad" says OH.

"Yeah, that was a classic" says I.

And here it is again. Uncanny.

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by TiredGeek

Those were the days eh?

Aye...

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by KTE

Friend of mine wanted to show me a really nice view point which also came with some really nice B roads. 40-60MPH just outside of London. Fairly busy, the left wing mirror was near enough always clipping bushes/hedges and eventually a panic driver swerved out after passing my friend and clipped my other wing mirror.

Where I’m going with this is anything bigger than a 1/2 series feels big and in reality is too big for B roads with traffic both ways (at least the ones I was driving on). Quite hard to push on a bit, not even talking about limits here.

3/4/5/6/7/8 series are good motorway cruisers and passenger carriers (bar coupes), with more boot space. If I didn’t occasionally need 4 seats and some good boot space, I’d rewind and buy a M235/240.

Yeah, cars these days have grown considerably in size but many roads (and parking spaces) have not, so a BMW 3 now feels rather large on your typical Moorland B Road (often single track)..

Even something like a Boxster would struggle to pace a hot hatch on some of the roads up here... (actually, 2004 Boxster S has less power than some of the hatches have now)...

Originally Posted by KTE

Hatchbacks no matter how powerful lack the poise of coupes and class - though they are undoubtedly practical on more fronts.

I actually quite like the fact that they are classless, in the sense that they don't say anything about who you are etc etc.. They are not really out to make a statement... and they do all you need them to... I have blended into the crowd far more in my Golf than the BMW's...

.. and I would contend that my GTI has more poise on some of those roads than my previous 3-ers (in terms of handling etc etc)...