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Best car you’ve ever driven (27 posts)

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Don Mateo said 1 year, 7 months ago:

I imagine that being fans of F1 and probably other types of motorsport as well that there are a fair few people on here who have an interest in cars and driving in general. So the question I’d like to put out there is: what’s the best car you’ve ever driven?

For me it’d have to be a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5 group N rally car I got to try on a rally experience day. It felt incredibly quick, I couldn’t feel any turbo lag at all, there was no body roll through the corners and the steering was very direct. It made the Impreza WRX road car I’d got to try previously feel wallowy and slow.

I only got 5 laps round a short circuit marked out on an old airfield, but still it left its mark.

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Mouse_Nightshirt said 1 year, 7 months ago:

The pseudo Formula Ford cars they have at Silverstone. Comfortably fastest on the day. Phenomenal acceleration and cornering. 18 minutes of pure joy.

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Girts said 1 year, 7 months ago:

I’m not indifferent to cars and driving in general but I treat road cars differently than racing cars. For instance, comfort and safety are important aspects. The best car I have ever driven is a Volkswagen Passat CC (year 2011 I think). It’s a big car with nice design and a lot of room inside; the panel was great and it was easy to drive.

That said, I would love to try driving a race car myself some day or at least a quick road car on some racing circuit.

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ajokay said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Unfortunately I’ve never been on a track day or driving experience. I’ve been karting a few times, so that was certainly the most fun, competing against others on track.

Best car I’ve drven (not many to choose from) is my new Fiesta Zetec S. She’s lovely.

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GeeMac said 1 year, 7 months ago:

My R32 is the best car I’ve ever driven. Huge grip, loads of power (said I’m my best Clarkson voice) and the best exhaust note this side of a Ferrari. I wish it was a manual though, the DSG is great in “Sport” mode, but in the normal “Drive” setting is really sluggish.

I have to give an honourable mention to the Land Rover Defender, because they are such a giggle to drive!

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W-K said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Owned a Dino 246 from 71 till 75 but then married life made it impractical and too costly.

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raymondu999 said 1 year, 7 months ago:

If I take my earlier career as a race engineer out of the equation; I’ve done track days in an Audi R8; and a Ferrari Italia. Absolutely fantastic cars to drive.

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Dan Thorn said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Well, my Alfa 156 is just a joy. I banger raced an old Mini years ago too and that was huge fun.

As for the best I’ve ever driven though, that would have to go to a Land Rover Series II Lightweight – with a whacking great V8 under the bonnet. My best mates Dad used to own one (well, he still does, but he got halfway through restoring it and then gave up) and I’d go round there quite a bit so I could drive it round the fields. We’d leave the hubs disengaged so it’d be rear wheel drive only and spend ages just sliding around on a short oval course we constructed around some telegraph poles. And, with a gear change akin to stirring a pot of coal with a drinking straw, it was just epic fun. I’ve had quite a lot of experience with Land Rovers and they’re all brilliant. Off roading in general is just massively fun.

I’ve also had a go in a front loading dumper with hydraulic central steering, which was fun, and an old Ford 5000 tractor – which understeered massively unless you used the skid steering system.

Yes, I grew up in Cornwall and spent a bit of time on farms ;)

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Don Mateo said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Some really interesting stuff coming through on here. If I talk about cars I’ve actually driven on the road, I’ve had a go in a Skyline GTR R33, but it was literally around town for about a mile at low speed, so doesn’t really count, although the controls all felt good and I could tell that it had massive power in reserve.

Apart from that, it has to be my Dad’s previous company car, a Mercedes C220 CDI auto. Not an amazing driver’s car, but very comfortable and effortlessly quick on the motorway.

Sadly the history of cars I’ve actually owned myself hasn’t been very good …

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Antony Butler said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Toyota Yaris? I think thats what i did my lessons in, it was years ago, not driven since :D

Oh and a Sega Rally arcade machine.

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raymondu999 said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Also; I think the new Nissan Godzilla needs a shout. Absolutely fantastic machine.

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MuzzleFlash said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Ex-WRC Impreza rally car, CLK-AMG Black Series (the same model as was used as the safety car for a few years), Ferrari 355, some weird imported ’94 Impreza which some Japanese fellows had completely done. Old school Porsche 911 turbo. R32 GT-R.

I didn’t own any of these, my uncle runs a mechanic and body repair business, and I’ve had a play while they were waiting to go and be repainted after repairs. The noise of the CLK with no exhaust was particularly astonishing.

Most fun I’ve had in a car where I could have some fun and not have to be careful would just be a Focus ST or MG ZR, fantastic handling cars, though I rolled the ZR.

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Joey-Poey said 1 year, 7 months ago:

Despite being a race fan my whole life, I haven’t had much opportunity to drive great cars. My favorite that comes to mind is my Mom’s 2000 Mustang. If only it wasn’t an automatic…

Of cars that I’ve owned, though, my current 2008 Yaris is lightweight, agile and pretty fun, but pathetically underpowered. Were it not for the fact that it was used and I was strapped for cash, I’d have gotten it in a manual so that going up steep hills didn’t feel like I’m in a go-kart.

I’m also itching to drive my Dad’s ’67 MGB Roadster that he’s co-owned with a friend for years. They recently finally got it running again and it’s been calling out to me, but I’ll need to convince him to let me have a go in it… (and yes, I blame my Dad for instilling a love of British cars in me since I was little)

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midgrid said 1 year, 7 months ago:

I’ve had two driving experience sessions at Croft. In the first one, the track was very wet and I drove a Porsche 911 and a Ginetta G20. The second one was in dry weather, and this time I drove a Porsche Cayman, a Ferrari F355 and the Ginetta G20 again. Although sitting in the drivers’ seat of a Ferrari, starting the engine, pulling onto the track and running up the gears for the first time was an incredible experience, my favourite was the Ginetta, because its features – small, light and with an open top – reminded me of an oversized kart.

On the road I’ve only ever driven a Vauxhall Corsa C (BSM learners’ car) and a VW Golf Mk3. Both decent enough, but no comparison to the track cars.

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midgrid said 1 year, 7 months ago:

I should also say that I very much recommend taking part in driving experience at a proper racetrack, as even though you’re travelling at reduced speed compared to a professional driver, it’s still far faster (and of course safer) than trying to be a daredevil on public roads, and it does give you a small insight into what full-scale circuit racing is like.

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