Das Chin
11-04-2014, 10:11 AM
Finally got the chance to take a couple of customers to the Palmer day and WOW what an experience. I am aching from head to toe but smiling have some great memories.
the drive up in the early morning sun in the CSL was a great start. a nice brekkie and briefing from the ever friendly staff
started with the Palmer Jaguar LM prototype which was a real handful with slicks and down force but great fun. managed top time in the team ;-) real handful in the corners but the slicks and down force meant you really had to hang in there
then onto the single seater with same engine (3 litre v6) but a fair bit lighter. 260 BHP in 600 odd kilos makes for a very very quick car. really noticed it in the steering and turn in but again proper rapid car and good fun. both the LM and single seater were paddle shift so that helped make it a bit easier. I would say the single seater has the edge in terms of lap time by a few seconds and very different with no instructor there!
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u240/NLW73/Nick_Welch_zps2e395046.jpg (http://s169.photobucket.com/user/NLW73/media/Nick_Welch_zps2e395046.jpg.html)
then onto the land rovers for some off roading and calm down a bit.
Caterhams after lunch which were fun but not really my scene.
then the BMW e92 M3 GTS experience which was more like it as loads of grunt but you could so feel the weight under braking and turn in. massive giggle though, red lining everywhere (great they let you do that in all the cars!). power steering and air con was welcome.
then onto the Ariel Atoms which were an absolute riot and so much fun. bonkers fast and massive capability in the corners and again brill with the sequential boxes. very squiggly under braking and very light at the front.
overall an absolutely brilliant day and the whole experience was one to remember. the fact the instructors would take you beyond your limit and learn so much more was great. none of this 'supercar experience' with limits at the red line and day over if you spin.
DC
the drive up in the early morning sun in the CSL was a great start. a nice brekkie and briefing from the ever friendly staff
started with the Palmer Jaguar LM prototype which was a real handful with slicks and down force but great fun. managed top time in the team ;-) real handful in the corners but the slicks and down force meant you really had to hang in there
then onto the single seater with same engine (3 litre v6) but a fair bit lighter. 260 BHP in 600 odd kilos makes for a very very quick car. really noticed it in the steering and turn in but again proper rapid car and good fun. both the LM and single seater were paddle shift so that helped make it a bit easier. I would say the single seater has the edge in terms of lap time by a few seconds and very different with no instructor there!
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u240/NLW73/Nick_Welch_zps2e395046.jpg (http://s169.photobucket.com/user/NLW73/media/Nick_Welch_zps2e395046.jpg.html)
then onto the land rovers for some off roading and calm down a bit.
Caterhams after lunch which were fun but not really my scene.
then the BMW e92 M3 GTS experience which was more like it as loads of grunt but you could so feel the weight under braking and turn in. massive giggle though, red lining everywhere (great they let you do that in all the cars!). power steering and air con was welcome.
then onto the Ariel Atoms which were an absolute riot and so much fun. bonkers fast and massive capability in the corners and again brill with the sequential boxes. very squiggly under braking and very light at the front.
overall an absolutely brilliant day and the whole experience was one to remember. the fact the instructors would take you beyond your limit and learn so much more was great. none of this 'supercar experience' with limits at the red line and day over if you spin.
DC