I went on a track day experience at Rockingham, organised by one of the divers at work. Now personally I didn't enjoy it when driving myself around. However going out on the track with one of the professionals at the wheel was tremendous fun.

I think what slightly tainted it for me. Was at the end of the day when we were all done and dusted, the diver, Steve. Introduced us to his latest acquisition, a brand spanking new Porsche 911 turbo. Turns out he paid all that money for the track day, just so we could sample the kind of car he'll be driving everyday. I always thought he was a tw*t before then, but that confirmed to me he was.

I did a rally driving half day with an instructor and that was great fun, had forgotten what it was like to drive without power steering



But at the end of the day when he sat behind the wheel and showed us how it should be done ... well I missed most of it, what with my eyes being closed and hands over face ...

I've been in a Vantage and a DB9, I personally think for the Aston experience it would be worth making additional arrangements for a DB9 rather than the Vantage. Both undoubtedly lovely cars, but there's just something extra special about the DB9, it's a significant cut above. If there's one there on the day, you may even be able to buy a few laps in it then as well as what you choose.

Another thing I noticed whilst there was that the 911 barely moved (as in, no customers) compared to all the other cars.

Just buy a Mercedes CLS and have the power steering system fail on you. I did.

Anyone been on one of those Land Rover experiences? I pass one on the A65 @ Coniston, and it does look good from what I can see.

550i not on the list?



For my money it depends what you are after. For sheer thrills it would have to be the Atom.

For the super car type experience it would have to be the lambo. The rest of the list you will quite often see knocking around the streets, but spotting a big bad boy Gallardo would be quite rare.

I personally would pick the Ariel. Just make sure your neck muscles are up to it

I've had the benefit of a number of corporate driving experience days in the past and the one that stood out for me was the Land Rover Jungle route. That gave me more confidence in adverse conditions than any race-track experience could (thumbs on top). The other one, for sheer exhilaration was when Rolls Royce arranged with the MoD for us to attend the tank training on Salisbury Plain, driving anything from Chieftains to Ferret Scout cars. We only had around 10 minutes driving the tanks on our own and even then it was a very limited speed. But to be strapped in one when an experienced driver was thrashing it around the test route was a bone-jarring, liver-liquidising experience that will live with me forever. Tank personell are nuts, pure & simple

I've got a family member who got into a lot of trouble once whilst in the army for rolling a tank going too fast around a bend on a hillside.

I've done a couple of these in various cars.

For me the best thing about it was having a professional in the seat next to you pointing out your mistakes and correcting bits of technique.

Ms. Terrorist and I once did one at Donnington together, it included a flying lap in a Caterham at the end. During the briefing we were told to keep an eye out for the Caterham as it would be lapping quicker than us.

On the drive home, Ms. Terrorist remarked to me that she was surprised that on all the laps she'd done she hadn't once seen the catering van...