Destination anxiety

[_Al_]

Late again.

I can't blame myself, it's freezing outside and the flat is drafty. The bed is warm and forcing myself to leave it and head out in 2degree temperatures was never going to be easy. Can't be helped though - I went and signed myself up for a six-event karting race series and I definitely need the practice.

Problem here.. The track is ~40minutes away and I don't have that long. As I move slowly through the traffic heading north I find myself getting edgy and I'm looking at the clock more than the speedo. As I pass the next junction and the traffic eases up this waiting game becomes a battle of wills. 50mph limit in force, constant desire to press the pedal harder. Willpower sorely tested, and the minutes keep marching by. Finally my exit arrives, the limit steps up to NSL and I can give the car a free run up to the traffic island. A brief shot at full throttle helps release the tension, but it's over too soon as I'm back on the brakes as there's traffic approaching from the right.

Finally, when the road is clear, we can get a move on. The car launches well on the damp tarmac and settles into the tight right hand turn, leaning heavily on its outside tyres and accelerating as hard as the open-diff allows. The third exit rolls into view, triggering me to gently ease the throttle out, unload the lateral forces from the tyres ready for the direction change, then flick the car back the other way and open the throttle. Smoothly at first but harder as the tyres load up and the car stabilises then far harder as the road opens out.

The car is waking up now. The engine note which has been gently rising and falling all journey is now soaring up the scale, dashing for the red line with the induction noise pouring into the cab. Second runs out and third engages, the noise deepens in tone as the engine loads up against the higher gear.

A short sequence of corners here block the needle's quest for the redline, but that doesn't mean the fun is over, we're back to balancing forces. This time it's a combination of engine braking, real braking, steering and camber effects. Unlike my previous '2s this one demands sustained in-gear revs and precise throttle inputs to get the best from it. With tiny throttle inputs you adjust the attitude of the car, sending grip front/rear as required and finely adjusting your line with barely any steering inputs - it's a fascinating challenge, one I was barely aware of previously.

The road straightens now, enough to get back on the power, holding wide open throttle for 5-10 seconds through a couple of gentle kinks before a tighter turn presents itself on a steeper downhill. With 4-way ABS to lean on the car is happy to dive deeper into the corner, grabbing a pair of downshifts, gears engaging with a blip of the throttle each time to smooth it all out. The road is clear (the joy of early starts!) so we're back on the power for another howling assault on the rev limiter, each one utterly magical.

The car is a keen companion through all this, the willing responses from the throttle help with every aspect of "making progress". The engine is lively, instant and, thanks to that induction, loud. The low-inertia, undamped engine response makes rev-matched gear changes faster than I'd ever thought possible. The steering is more accurate, better weighted yet smoother than any I've driven before. It's impossible to ignore how "alive" it feels when you're pushing it.

Finally the destination appears, a town, some mini-roundabouts, many speed bumps. We trundle through these, allowing the car to cool off before pulling up at the circuit, where another, totally different, style of driving awaits. I'm feeling relaxed and refreshed, looking forward to it.


Oh yes I was late wasn't I?

Sorry.

Forgot all about it!

[chris]

Nice

[baileydom]

Al, you truly are a master of driving description. Love it.

Sent from my GT-I9100

[peteV6R5]

sometimes words fail me - Al they don't fail you

[_Al_]

Cheers gents. It's strange, I go for a good drive and I have this "internal narrator" which seems to kick in afterwards, describing it to me time after time. Writing these posts and sharing the experience with fellow OC members who understand these cars and appreciate them is similar to sharing the drive itself. It brings more excitement, more anticipation, more reward.

This car is just astonishing. The post is not exaggerated at all, I genuinely forgot that I was late, that I was anxious, that I had paid a lot of money etc. the drive just swallows you up - leaving no space for stresses or worries.

Strangely the NA does this better than the turbo ever did. With the turbo you launched, pinned the throttle down hard, then hit the speed limit, backed off, waited for a corner to arrive, over-braked on purpose then enjoyed that loony power again (briefly).

In the NASP you're not immediately threatening the speed limit, so you get to focus on the drive. You can pay attention to the car, and work with it to work the road in a way that you can only do with the turbo when you're on track.

I absolutely adore this car. The devil on my shoulder keeps telling me to buy another turbo, but every time I drive it that devil falls briefly silent, then starts laughing along with the rest of me.

If only Toyota had given the mk2 NA an LSD....





And a v6...

[peteV6R5]

And a v6...

[_Al_]

I was in the pub this evening with some work colleagues. One of them comes karting with me and last weekend I offered him a drive in the MR2. My other workmates / drinking buddies have often heard me praise the '2 and were keen to quiz him on the experience.

He loved it, and is considering buying one himself. When asked why (speed, handling, comfort, ergonomics) he cited just one thing;

"It's the noise! I can still hear it now!"

Wonder what he'd make of the V6...

[peteV6R5]

Wonder what he'd make of the V6...

I knowingly gave up the power of turbo for the NA disability and NOISE of the V6

to not start another V6 Turbo debate - I would also like to have a Tubby on my drive, probably at >300bhp

[Howlin_Mad]

Another Epic write up Al

There was a road into work this morning that was 30mph into a NSL and when you boot it in the Auto at 30 it grabs 1st. It was a little slippery but hooned it anyway as I had a rep mobile Audi behind me about a metre off my back bumper.

The box kicked down, grabbed first, and shot me forward. Unfortunately the back broke loose in a straight line, fishtailed the back end about a few times left to right at 50 or 60mph but was easy to control in a straight line. Point hard and keep on the throttle!

The Audi driver was long gone, but he didn't stay on my bumper when he was at the next set of traffic lights!

HM

[Howlin_Mad]

I was in the pub this evening with some work colleagues. One of them comes karting with me and last weekend I offered him a drive in the MR2. My other workmates / drinking buddies have often heard me praise the '2 and were keen to quiz him on the experience.

He loved it, and is considering buying one himself. When asked why (speed, handling, comfort, ergonomics) he cited just one thing;

"It's the noise! I can still hear it now!"

Wonder what he'd make of the V6...

He'd be "censored" deaf if he went in mine

HM

[TonyleFrog]

I would also like to have a Tubby on my drive, probably at >300bhp

I have one that ticks the box Pete and it's the same colour too...

[peteV6R5]

I would also like to have a Tubby on my drive, probably at >300bhp

I have one that ticks the box Pete and it's the same colour too...

Lol Tony I would love to be next owner of T2- if only mate -if only

[TonyleFrog]

I would also like to have a Tubby on my drive, probably at >300bhp

I have one that ticks the box Pete and it's the same colour too...

Lol Tony I would love to be next owner of T2- if only mate -if only

If only - what?

I would definitely want it to go to someone who I know would look after it properly.
That means a somewhat restricted gene pool!

It was my early retirement present (thanks to being given a generous financial incentive to ride off into the sunset!)

Remind me how long it is before you give up work...

[GazRev1Tubby]

Excellent write up Al, such a good way with words



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