XCAR Awards 2013 - Best Drive: Nick
It's not easy picking one definitive driving experience from my time at XCAR, but here are some of them I'll never forget.
I've been fortunate enough to get behind the wheel of some truly superb machines. Racing cars, supercars, classics, I've driven them all, cars I would have only dreamed of driving previous to my time at XCAR. I am truly privileged to have driven a few of my heroes, and although so many experiences have been unforgettable, here are the ones that really stand out.
The Aston Martin 1975 V8 is a dream car. It sounds and looks perfect, I definitely take plenty of flak for this opinion, but to me it's the coolest Aston Martin. The car I drove wasn't in the best of conditions, but to take it through an empty London at night was something special.
The Rage Comet R was mad in every way, and to have a go at throwing it around on the track was immense fun. It's tiny wheelbase and mad superbike power made it a truly unique experience.
Or the Toyota Supra. Having a racing legend for the weekend was a treat, and although this car wasn't quite the highest standard of Supra, it was a LOT of fun.
The Caterham SP300.R is a monster, and to drive something that race-focused had been a dream of mine for a long time. I may have not left Rockingham covered in glory, but I certainly fulfilled a boyhood dream of taking a real racing car out on the track.
The E30 M3 is a hero of mine, and to take that hero home for the night prior to the shoot, parking it on my drive and peeking through the window and seeing it there was just surreal. I just wish I'd had an audiocassette for the tape deck.
But the winner can only be the Caterham 7. It may seem like a safe choice, but it really sets the men from the boys. Its lack of driver aids and the purity of the car, the way you have to drive it to get the best out of it, really grab it by the scruff of the neck. I've had several track experiences with that car and can say with confidence there is no greater thrill than mastering it. It is undoubtedly my favourite driving experience to date.
