With kids suitably monosyllabic and tired after a full weekend, and the good lady wife entertaining some friends, I pushed my luck and went out for the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] blat in a weekend. It was about 2pm as I headed for Dartmoor (Open Moorland area in turnip crunching Devon, generally covered in Coaches during the 6 Sunny days we get a year). In the winter it’s less busy with trippers, and it’s either Farmers Pick Ups travelling at warp speed 2 running on red diesel and bald tyres, walkers out to stomp about and get chased by cattle or people enjoying their motors. The constant possibility of a suicidal Shetland Donkey or future Lamb Chop crossing the road as you round a corner keeps the juices flowing! There are however some brilliant roads with great series of corners, well tarmacked smooth sections and other parts that were covered and dressed, by a bloke from South West Highways who was having an off day to say the least. It is therefore a cracking test for a car and the scenery’s not bad either I learnt my lesson from my last post about a drive without any photos, so managed to stop a few times and get a couple. ##WARNING## If you only like clean cars look away or don't read the rest, as #116 is not very shiny I'm afraid, Sorry. The eagle eyed amongst you will have clocked the presence of a smattering of snow on the ground, this along with the temperature at about 2 degrees are conditions not best suited to Toyo 888's. The roads from home to Dartmoor are a mix of single and dual A roads, bit of M5 and about 7 miles of twisty A/B roads up onto Dartmoor. 7 miles of proper Hot Hatch fun and although a bit congested it was bl***y pulse quickening fun. Once clear of the obligatory parking areas with an unsurprisingly quite Ice Cream van, the traffic cleared and the roads opened up. Beneath HayTor is a section of road that includes a simply brilliant corner, well sighted in both directions it’s wide and quick. I must have gone through it 20 times, spinning around in one of the lay-by’s on either side. These cars are something else, no wonder they have such a following. Approach in 3[SUP]rd[/SUP], braking late and trail breaking right up to the apex, car rotating as the back goes light, then onto the power and it just fired up the road. The turn in is something else and it just digs in as you get on the throttle. It’s a long time since I have spent so much time going back and forward through the same corner, just so much fun. So much so I had to head home without getting any further onto Dartmoor as time was pushing on. The A38 is the main road back and as you pass Chudleigh, there is a section of dual carriageway that climbs up onto the top of the hills next to Exeter Racecourse. It comprises about 7 fast corners that if the road is clear are huge fun. It’s rare to find it empty, but apart from an SLK that was intent on inhabiting the outside lane and took offense of me wanting to go past, it was a great end to the blat. I do find it surprising that the vast majority of drivers find it so offensive that you may want to travel quicker than them. It’s got to the point that overtaking people is antisocial, even when done on open roads with clear gaps. Mr SLK flashed his lights and shook a fist even though he wasn’t overtaking anyone and I wasn’t breaking the speed limit before anyone says anything. Sorry rant over…………..bloody love this car.
Awesome. Having read your earlier post about your 5am departure and subsequent awesome drive, along with relating very closely to another members post about experiencing a shaking sensation after a truly good blat, I decided to take the 15mile twisty road route to check if my sons watch that he lost in the last 24hrs was at the leisure centre where his swimming lessons take place on a Saturday morning. My wife had suggested it may have been easier / safer / less fun to call the leisure centre to check they had the watch before departing for afore mentioned 30mile round trip. Needless to say, that suggestion was suitably scoffed at before popping out to the garage to switch the beast on to warm up before departure. A great drive ensued. Well done on a great post that no doubt has inspired a few to have a great drive today, that they may not otherwise have had. And the car looks stunning in Lunar, despite the dirt ;-)
I'm incandescent with jealousy at the minute, I've not driven mine for a month and I'm lusting for a drive like this right now. You have two in a weekend and it's a car of pornographic stature. I doff mine cap, sir.
Another good read and some cracking pics, especially the last one. I'm replacing my bonnet and decals this year and seeing yours naked I'm tempted not to bother with the decals and take the rest of them off lol.
I have to totally agree with this post, to the point where if I read anymore I will be coming on one of these blasts real soon lol
They do look good naked don't they Rob, you 1st , I'm not brave enough without seeing one in white 1st .
Looks great. Nice read aswell. does look stunning without decals. Steve. I'd leave yours on though mate.
Absolutely fantastic! :cool: Naked lunar grey looks just great, personally, I've never been big on decals, I had them removed on my old white R26 It is of course a completely personal decision and lets be honest, an .R looks great with or without decals
Hear hear. I go through this every single day without fail. I like to think I'm not an antisocial driver, however the way some people react to me when I complete a perfectly safe overtake baffles me 99% of the time. All I can think is that the 250 may be seen as a boy racer car to those who don't know, or that the sheer acceleration of my overtake(s) takes them by surprise.
Brilliant read again, Thanks for taking the time and for getting some photos! It looks incredible with no decals and dirty. Best R26.R on here and in the UK by a mile. Please make this a regular thing, Although don't limit us to just the .R
Awesome read, just like the last one. Good work. IMO cars always look better dirty, shows they've been used properly. Mine only gets washed when it rains!
You should sent both blat blogs in to autocar, autoexpress etc im sure theyd offer you a job, sensational
I'm really quite impressed with the KW's, the car rides very well and isn't crashy or harsh. It is obviously no S Class Merc ride but considering the track focus of them they perform well on the road. Down a bumpy A Road that would have the Westfield skipping about, the .R feels really planted and the damping and re-bound is first class and really inspires confidence. I would love to meet up with another R26 and R26.R to make some comparisons, what system are you running on yours? I do want to get the wheels off the car and go over the system to confirm exactly what it is, as I've been told on this forum that KW only do V3's for the phase 2, but the motorsport guys that looked after my car in the past reckon that they are Clubsports that have been adapted. I'll let you know when I find out.
Always keen to have company on a blat mate.......and you're only in Newport. Roads up from Cardiff towards Brecon are always smile inducing, can feel a morning run over the toll bridge on the horizon
Very pleased that my blat prattling is being enjoyed, as I love writing about them. I spotted that there is a "Other Automotive Brands" section of the forum, non Meg blat prattling will be posted there to keep protocol. I love the no decals look, and have to agree that it not being shiny can add to it sometimes. I'm sure a few on here will take issue with your thoughts on it being the best as its so subjective. For example I love the decals on the White car, and although I haven't seen a naked white one I suspect a decal'd one would have the edge. That's one of the myriad of reasons I love cars, they are so personal and its little details like stickers or badges that get us talking.
We all ( when I say we I don't just all the .R owners ) should go on a big road trip, be an epic little drive and great for s mag feature.
Well that's a blast sorted for the future then, you make the effort to come over that bridge and I will pay for the coffee n bacon butties, and I will show you a great route up into them beacons, a bikers secret that I use for the R26 now too )), when you get the itch just pm me mucker
