Joined
·
243 Posts
Attended this on Wednesday, complimentary half day experience for buying my 718.
Drove down Tuesday and stayed overnight about 20 miles away, then drove to the track the next morning. Plan was either to stay another night or drive home afterwards. Experience finished about 4pm so decided to bite the bullet and drive home, so almost 750 miles in two days plus the experience itself meant I was pretty shattered when back home. 4 major sets of roadworks with average spped cameras did not help.
On entering Silverstone there is a large building project going on so I had to go left instead of right and most of the way round the circuit to get to Porsche. Arrived about 90 minutes early, managed to get parked right outside despite a very busy car park, license checked and lanyard issued which you get to keep. A bit like an OPC inside, though less cars. Wandered around and took a few pics, then headed upstairs to the restaurant/lounge. Coffee and soft drinks were free, so passed the time in the lounge with a coffee then upstairs at the outside viewing area, though there were not many cars out in the morning.
Given a numbered card on arrival and told to choose at able in the restaurant at 12.30, display the card, and the instructor would find me which he duly did. Instructor, Neil, introduced me to his morning pupil who had won a 911 experience in a facebook competition. 3 course lunch, which was very nice albeit a limited choice. Neil explained there would be a briefing, quick road drive, then onto the experience.
As it turned out, briefings were done in the cars and the road drive not deemed necessary as I was familiar with the 718.
So, onto the actual experience itself. First onto one of the two tracks. Explained no overtaking allowed unless we were "invited" to pass. A lap to see the track then allowed to go for it for a few laps with Neil pointing out braking points, turn ins etc. Neil then had me park up and talked me through entering and exiting the corners correctly. Quite frankly, with the instruction, the difference was incredible. Smoother and obviously therefore faster round the track and Neil not being thrown about nearly as much in the passenger seat. A good few laps of the first track, then onto the second. I was in the equivalent of my own car, a base 718 and the only other cars on the 2 tracks were 911s. Smug moment, 4 times I was "invited" past and never had to yield myself. (So saying, I believe there was a corporate day on and one of the women I could have passed on foot at a brisk walk��
At the end of this I was thoroughly enjoying myself.
Next, the ice hill, water onto a resin track to simulate ice. Challenge was to slalom to the top through the 2 sets of water being put down and reach the top doing 25mph. A LOT harder than it sounds. Reached the top at 18mph the first run. Next it was sports mode on, again reached the top around the same speed. Now TC off and go again, another have dozen times. Never spun or failed to reach the top and achieved 24mph with TC off on last run.
Next, what I had been really looking forward to, the kick plate. Watching the 911s was fun, though they were at a disadvantage obviously. Aim for the cone at the end was Neil's advice, hit the kick plate at 18mph, constant throttle and DO NOT LIFT OFF the throttle when you start to skid. First attempt, all over the place, spun it. Was not watching the cone and yes, lifted off the throttle. Next two attempts, caught and held it. Sports on, TC off, spun again.�� Next few attempts, spot on. Time to up the speed. A few more embarrassing spins, then started to hold it. Best speed I managed was 26mph at the kick plate, later on when we returned Neil could only match it, spun out at 27 and 28 mph much to his chagrin.��
After that it was just straight line acceleration, Braking, and maneuvering whilst breaking. No launch control as such on the base 718 without sports chrono, but you can put your foot on the brake, floor the accelerator and the revs will rise to 5K for 5 seconds. Release the brake and it is very similar to launch control. A few maneuvers simulating stopping and also swerving/changing lanes. Bit of time left so Neil asked what I wanted to do again. My first instinct was one of the tracks, however the kick plate was so much fun and also probably more educational we headed back there.
Experience was then over, I declined the tea and biscuits to try and get ahead of the traffic. Car I was in had 800 miles on it and it certainly got abused which gives you a lot of confidence in the build quality. Overall it was a great afternoon. Would I do it again? Probably not, certainly not with the distance I had to travel. Would I recommend it? 100% yes, especially if you have never had any tuition of this sort.
Drove down Tuesday and stayed overnight about 20 miles away, then drove to the track the next morning. Plan was either to stay another night or drive home afterwards. Experience finished about 4pm so decided to bite the bullet and drive home, so almost 750 miles in two days plus the experience itself meant I was pretty shattered when back home. 4 major sets of roadworks with average spped cameras did not help.
On entering Silverstone there is a large building project going on so I had to go left instead of right and most of the way round the circuit to get to Porsche. Arrived about 90 minutes early, managed to get parked right outside despite a very busy car park, license checked and lanyard issued which you get to keep. A bit like an OPC inside, though less cars. Wandered around and took a few pics, then headed upstairs to the restaurant/lounge. Coffee and soft drinks were free, so passed the time in the lounge with a coffee then upstairs at the outside viewing area, though there were not many cars out in the morning.
Given a numbered card on arrival and told to choose at able in the restaurant at 12.30, display the card, and the instructor would find me which he duly did. Instructor, Neil, introduced me to his morning pupil who had won a 911 experience in a facebook competition. 3 course lunch, which was very nice albeit a limited choice. Neil explained there would be a briefing, quick road drive, then onto the experience.
As it turned out, briefings were done in the cars and the road drive not deemed necessary as I was familiar with the 718.
So, onto the actual experience itself. First onto one of the two tracks. Explained no overtaking allowed unless we were "invited" to pass. A lap to see the track then allowed to go for it for a few laps with Neil pointing out braking points, turn ins etc. Neil then had me park up and talked me through entering and exiting the corners correctly. Quite frankly, with the instruction, the difference was incredible. Smoother and obviously therefore faster round the track and Neil not being thrown about nearly as much in the passenger seat. A good few laps of the first track, then onto the second. I was in the equivalent of my own car, a base 718 and the only other cars on the 2 tracks were 911s. Smug moment, 4 times I was "invited" past and never had to yield myself. (So saying, I believe there was a corporate day on and one of the women I could have passed on foot at a brisk walk��
At the end of this I was thoroughly enjoying myself.Next, the ice hill, water onto a resin track to simulate ice. Challenge was to slalom to the top through the 2 sets of water being put down and reach the top doing 25mph. A LOT harder than it sounds. Reached the top at 18mph the first run. Next it was sports mode on, again reached the top around the same speed. Now TC off and go again, another have dozen times. Never spun or failed to reach the top and achieved 24mph with TC off on last run.
Next, what I had been really looking forward to, the kick plate. Watching the 911s was fun, though they were at a disadvantage obviously. Aim for the cone at the end was Neil's advice, hit the kick plate at 18mph, constant throttle and DO NOT LIFT OFF the throttle when you start to skid. First attempt, all over the place, spun it. Was not watching the cone and yes, lifted off the throttle. Next two attempts, caught and held it. Sports on, TC off, spun again.�� Next few attempts, spot on. Time to up the speed. A few more embarrassing spins, then started to hold it. Best speed I managed was 26mph at the kick plate, later on when we returned Neil could only match it, spun out at 27 and 28 mph much to his chagrin.��
After that it was just straight line acceleration, Braking, and maneuvering whilst breaking. No launch control as such on the base 718 without sports chrono, but you can put your foot on the brake, floor the accelerator and the revs will rise to 5K for 5 seconds. Release the brake and it is very similar to launch control. A few maneuvers simulating stopping and also swerving/changing lanes. Bit of time left so Neil asked what I wanted to do again. My first instinct was one of the tracks, however the kick plate was so much fun and also probably more educational we headed back there.
Experience was then over, I declined the tea and biscuits to try and get ahead of the traffic. Car I was in had 800 miles on it and it certainly got abused which gives you a lot of confidence in the build quality. Overall it was a great afternoon. Would I do it again? Probably not, certainly not with the distance I had to travel. Would I recommend it? 100% yes, especially if you have never had any tuition of this sort.
