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    Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Driving Tips: Vic Elford on how to seduce a classic 911. Afficher tous les articles
    Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Driving Tips: Vic Elford on how to seduce a classic 911. Afficher tous les articles

    mardi 3 septembre 2013

    Driving Tips: Vic Elford on how to seduce a classic 911


    Tulip Rally 1967. “By then I was designing my own cars with the help of my engineer friend Hermann Briem, who was building them. This one had maximum speeds in the five gears of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100mph. You can imagine the acceleration..."
    “If you try to bully a 911, it will bite you.” Who better to describe the unique qualities of the Porsche 911 – and how to drive it – than Vic Elford, a man whose success in both racing and rallying is unheard-of in the highly specialised world of motorsport today...?
    First, let’s consider why Elford has more right than anyone to tell us how to ‘seduce’ a 911 (his words). In 1967, he and his co-drivers (Hans Hermann and Jochen Neerpasch) took a 911R to victory in the 84-hour Marathon de la Route, on the treacherous combination of Nürburgring Nordschleife and Südschleife. Yes, 84 hours. Three and a half days, with Elford doing much of the night driving. That year, he also became European Rally Champion in the GT class in a 911S. And those are just two highlights of an incredibly varied career that – even aside from Porsches – encompassed 13 World Championship F1 Grand Prix races.
    So we asked this race and rally expert for his thoughts on the techniques needed to get the best from a classic 911.
    “The real secret of driving an early 911 is balance. When I first rallied one, in the 1960s, that rear engine meant the weight distribution was around 40/60 and the car had a dreadful reputation for spinning. The balance of those early cars can be altered by the tiniest adjustment to the throttle and steering – but if an inexperienced driver feels the rear end getting out of line, the risk is that he will simply lift off the throttle. And that, of course, is a recipe for disaster. Lifting off too abruptly unloads the rear wheels, transfers the weight to the front, and the extra grip on the front wheels means a spin is inevitable.
    “By the time the average driver feels the rear end sliding, it’s probably too late to catch it because the rear-heavy car ‘accelerates’ into the slide. But I discovered that the 911’s fearsome reputation was a myth. Once you understand the balance and dynamics, the car becomes predictable – and genuinely safe. It’s a car that needs to be gently coaxed, and persuaded, and seduced: but never bullied. Treat it with finesse – everything smooth and gentle, because if you try to bully a 911, it will bite you.”


    via Classic Driver