VXR Track Day - Brands Hatch

[MOSE]

Had a fantastic day out today at Brands Hatch, courtesy of Vaux and those nice ppl from the VXR team. Each VXR Model was there to drive, but a bit more about that later. It was cold, it was windy and it slashed it down all day long, but it made for some superb track driving. The instructors were superb, apart from one old fart in the Monaro who was teaching me how to suck eggs. Although it was wet and every car gave its fair share of sideways fun, I was amazed at how well they all coped at speed in the pissing rain.

Besides being able to drive the whole range of cars around the track, the main highlight for me was the idiots guide to advanced driving thing they organised, which involved guiding yourself around a course of colour coded cones at silly speeds. This was mainly to show off the ABS braking and ESP mode on each car, apart from the Monaro. I was amazed at how well the ESP worked, not having owned a car with such a facility. I dont normally drive at a wall of cones at a silly speed, throw the car right and immediate left, while letting the ESP do all the work for me, so this particular activity I enjoyed immensely. So I made sure that I had plenty of goes at seeing how many cones I could flatten, sadly I only hit one. Am sure if I did the same in the Monaro then I would have flattened them all.

The second Highlight of the day was meeting Tom Chilton and being driven around the track for a few laps in a "seriously" modified Astra VXR. Flying arounds Druids at whatever crazy speed he was driving was absolutely sensational, I loved every minute of it. Shame we werent allowed to have the Video in the car, would have made some interesting viewing. He's a great bloke, younger than I thought he was, but I valued listening to his commentary on his driving technique as he flew around Brands. Great stuff.

The other good laugh was the BTCC Astra, which was actually a shell of a car kitted out as a Simulator. Needless to say if the car was real and I was in a real race with other BTCC cars, I woulndt have lasted very long. All good fun.

So the cars.....

VXR Zafira

Dont ask me why, but with my hair net () and lid in place, I made a B line for the Zafira. It felt so bloody wierd getting into an MPV thats growls just like the Astra and driving it like a go kart for a few laps of Brands. The car handled phenominally well given its size and shape, and all the goodies were there to control the acceleration round the bends, the ESP was particularly good. I enjoyed the Zafira so much I went round again for a second helping. Wonderful to be instructed on how to take an MPV sideways around Druids. Great stuff.

VXR Minervy thing

OK the of the Vaux world. Feck me was this a good laugh, not as much fun and nowhere near as much poke as the Zafira, but it handled so well as I became more confident at taking bends at silly speeds. Not a car I would have chosen to drive around a track, but given that it belonged to Vaux, was their petrol, their tyres and their insurance paying for everything, why the hell not!!

VXR Astra

I personally consider the VXR Astra to be a considerably underestimated car, it is a definate wolf in sheep's clothing, specially while abused about the track. Loved the constant woosh of the Turbo kicking in, but it was the acceleration and control that I loved about it. OK, this wasnt modded up to the eyeballs like the car that Tom Chilton was thrashing about the place all day, but it was amazing fun to drive, so much so I took it round three times. The only real Criticism I had about the car was the positioning of the steering whel, and while I like to drive a car with the wheel more or less in my lap, the depth of the seats made it impossible for me to get the height of the wheel the way I really wanted it. I could have messed about with adjusting the seats, but would have been wasting valuable track time. I was also suprised at how tame the car sounded inside, quite muted, but stood in the paddocks, they actually made quite a significant noise. More noise than the stock Manors made as they purred about the place. Braking power was phenominal and the ABS and ESP showed its true colours as the car was opened up along the Paddock Straight and into Paddock hill, total control before opening the throttle again to blast it through to Druids. I loved every minute of the Astra.

VXR Vectra

Not sure where to begin trying to explain the experience in this car. A Vectra is a Vectra in my eyes, but bloody hell, it was a superb drive and even more enjoyable than the Astra. The Vectra sports a 2.8 V6 Turbo, a Holden engine at that and it sounds incredible for the car that it is. Power is suprising and stability was more impressive than the Astra. I had several goes in the Vectra and Vectra Estate and was my favourite play of the day.

VXR Monaro

OK.....as I drive one of these daily, slightly modded, I wasnt all for going round the track all day in a stock Monaro, but I did take it round the track several times and drove it as if I would be driving it as I do everyday. I was amazed at the difference in power between the stock car and my own car, there was something missing. Mainly oodles more torque missing and all that noise. But I had so much fun using every available piece of track I could to throw the beasty about. Its difficult to learn to drift on ours roads, without taking out somebody else, but given the whole track to play with, I enjoyed every minute of taking a black, a red and a silver Monaro round all the corners as sideways as I could possibly get it. Thanks to the instructors for their tuition. Not quite the standard of tuition given by the D1 Drifters, these guys spoke English and explained the process very easily. Not sure I am going to use those new skills on the roads mind, will have to wait for another track day where I can use my own car.

Am thoroughly enjoying all of this Vaux hospitality. VIP entry to Brands in April for the BTCC, the track daytoday and another BTCC race at Donnington later in the year. Vaux do know how to look after their customers

Will post some pics and some short video soon....when I can be botherd to get it onto the PC.

[Avus_Bub]

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VXR Astra

I personally consider the VXR Astra to be a considerably underestimated car, it is a definate wolf in sheep's clothing, specially while abused about the track. Loved the constant woosh of the Turbo kicking in, but it was the acceleration and control that I loved about it. OK, this wasnt modded up to the eyeballs like the car that Tom Chilton was thrashing about the place all day, but it was amazing fun to drive, so much so I took it round three times. The only real Criticism I had about the car was the positioning of the steering whel, and while I like to drive a car with the wheel more or less in my lap, the depth of the seats made it impossible for me to get the height of the wheel the way I really wanted it. I could have messed about with adjusting the seats, but would have been wasting valuable track time. I was also suprised at how tame the car sounded inside, quite muted, but stood in the paddocks, they actually made quite a significant noise. More noise than the stock Manors made as they purred about the place. Braking power was phenominal and the ABS and ESP showed its true colours as the car was opened up along the Paddock Straight and into Paddock hill, total control before opening the throttle again to blast it through to Druids. I loved every minute of the Astra.

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Sounds like you had a great day Mose! I loved my drive of the Astra VXR as you say not as bad as the press make out. I thought the exhaust had quite a roar!

Now, I must get a drive of the Monaro.........

BUB