i.e. a drive that you can remember well because when you got out of the car your hands were shaking, or you suddenly had new found appreciation for a car with proper power.

 

For me, although I remember my first drive home after picking up my first zed, the drive that has never left me was my first trip to Santa Pod in it with some mates.

 

After getting up at 4:45am to shower etc, by the time I got outside to the car, dawn had just broken and the sunrise was just bouncing off the paintwork freshly waxed the night before. There was a little bit of mist at ground level as you get some summer mornings when its going to be another hot day which just seemed to add to the sense of occasion....I knew that I was about to drive it in anger for the first time on deserted morning roads in Convoy with a highly tuned RS Escort and a Sapphire Cosworth so already had some adrenalin in the veins.

 

I trickled through town letting the car warm up on the way to meet with the other cars at a petrol station a few miles around the ring road, but after about 5 mins a decent straight road appeared in front of me so I gave it some beans in 3rd and 4th and savoured what at the time seemed to be that seamless and endless punch in the back that no other fast car I've been in has quite matched. Realising that said petrol station was in sight and I was doing nearly twice the legal limit,I suddenly had to jump on the brakes and juuuussst made it into the forecourt, much to the amusement of my rather Ford prejudiced audience who were already parked up. This was the first time either had seen my Zed, and immediately they didn't much take to the looks, mainly because they had seen (and heard) another highly tuned local example with a nice bodykit etc. By the time we reached Santa Pod, this opinion had changed somewhat... :)

 

We set off with the Escort leading, setting a rather illegal but relatively safe pace down some great stretches of A road punctuated by roundabouts every few miles. Driving like this is the reason I own a Zed, and have always had the fastest cars I can afford, as it just feels like you are doing what the car was made to do without hurting anyone else. Through villages we slowed sensibly despite them all being desolate at 6am, and once back onto open stretches speed increased with attention being paid to each others abilities and keeping a prudent gap between each car. Having never driven a rear drive car before my Zed, I was just getting used to the way it feels when exiting tight bends or roundabouts, but was finding it surprisingly easy to get and hold a little bit of oversteer. Knowing that there was one more roundabout before the M6, I prodded the throttle and cruised passed the other cars on the dual carriageway so I was in the lead. I slowed slightly and then manged a decent drift onto the next stretch, with the Cossie close behind looking all together more composed being a 4X4, and closing slightly due to decent exit traction. Right methinks, time to show him who's boss and kept it floored through 3rd and all the way in 4th......only to see him still right on my bumper :confused: Once onto the M6, we stopped at the services and all decamped, leaving engines idling to cool what were by now very warm turbos, and my mates were suddenly a little more enthusiastic about the ability of my car (and my driving :) ) . I was a little annoyed that I could not shake the Cossie though so decided that I would try again if another opportunity arose before the traffic increased.

 

Going across county from the M6 to the M1 (pre M6 toll) involves one of my favourite roads for making progress, the A50, which is a well sighted and very straight duel carriageway stretching about 40 or so miles. A few miles down the road, I got stuck behind overtaking trucks, meaning the other lads had pulled out a good lead. The truck pulled in and I was presented with about 2 miles of empty d/c with two specs in the distance as my target. This was the first time I kept going in 5th gear and could feel a grin appearing on my face as I passed 150 and simultaneously passed my companions, who had wisely stayed in the inside lane. I later found out the the escort physically shook as I passed it! i slowed to about 100, only to see the Cossie gaining rapidly in my mirror again. this time, I was determined to prove a point, so floored it again and crept back to an indicated 150, only to see him still there which was odd as I thought the top speed of his car was about 145. then, slowly but surely, the gap between us began to increase and the Zed just kept pounding on and on until it seemed to just stop at an indicated 162 or thereabouts (probably my UK 155 mph limiter!). Suddenly it dawned on me how spectacular a blow out would be at this speed, as would the following firery death, so i slowed to normal speed and blew all the breath I had been holding for the last minute. I was absolutely buzzing, as were the other two when we arrived at the Pod to set-up camp, leading to a long a boozy weekend filled with fast cars and great weather.

 

The reputation of the mighty Zed was enhanced and I had gained images and feelings that will last a long time. :cool: I'm sure others on here have had similar drives which cement the love affair for this greta machine :bow:

 

P.S Any boys in blue reading, this is all a work of fiction for entertainment only ;)

I quite enjoyed reading that. :bow:

 

Mine was on the way back from visiting ChrisP along the M25 @ 2.30am I thought fook it I am going for it. I got up to 285 KPH at 6000 revs and even took a photo of the speedo on my phone that was it. I didnt get the 205MPH i wanted but it was a buzz none the less. :bow:

 

Of course I am bullshitting i dont go above 70MPH.

I enjoyed reading that mate, nice to start the morning on (before an taking an hour to drive 22m to work!). Brought back a few memories as well. Will have to post some later.Dave

Although I had driven my sons (Jimmer) car (92TT manual import chipped) on many occasions, it had usually been around the suburbs and not very appropriate for a really good blast, besides I was not very familiar with the beast and so treated it with great respect. In my early days of driving cars I was involved in the Rallying and Autocross scene, so am certainly no stranger to speed and exillaration or bending them either. The preferred stead in those days was a Downton tuned 1275 Mini Cooper S which was a cracking car for motor sport and on the road as many cars in those days were still sedate motor carriages with a top speed of 70mph or so.

In recent years I had become accustomed to turbo cars, sadly all were diesel due to the high mileages that I was driving to earn a living. They were still fairly brisk when driven seriously, but the models that I had settled on were not very good handlers. A Clarkson once commented 'the Xantia handles like a liner' and he was right. It also suffered from a Zed trait, which is poor headlights so night driving was tortuosly slow.

I returned to petrol type motoring after my achilles tendon snapped (twice) and had to buy an automatic to able me to continue working as I was self employed. No work, no money. It soon focuses the brain and deadens the pain. This was the start of my return to the fast lane especially with the occasional sprint in Jimmers Zed.

It was not long before the 'must have one' syndrome kicked in and having more money than brains, it was not long before I was bidding on Ebay for selected cars. All were TT and most were manual, but all definitely an import. I lobbed a bid in on a car in Belfast which was a late 93 TT auto with only 62000 kilometers on the clock and finished in the more unusual colour of blue. Being quite busy at that time, it took a phone from Jimmer to tell me that I had in fact won the beast at a bargain price. I was totally elated and soon organised flights for him and me to go over and collect my prize. We were hoping to catch the ferry from Belfast to Liverpool as it would be nearer afterwards to drive down to Bristol. No chance, it did not leave till 4pm something and did not arrive in Liverpool til about 9pm. We subsequently caught the Larne to Stranraer ferry which only took about an hour and a bit but entailed a long drive back from Scotland. The road from the ferry at Stranraer to the motorway is an absolute windy B road which was full of trucks etc., which had also come off the ferry. The Zed made mincemeat of these and anything else that got in our way. I soon got use to the power and agillity of this brilliant speed machine. Once on the motorway, all hell let loose, we were flying like being on the cannonball run. We flew past everyone, totally oblivious to speed limits but keeping an eagle out out them orrible pig mobiles that frequent these busy highways. Occasionally the odd Focus would come steaming up behind, and even a Jaguar but they most certainly did not like being forced to push their pedals to the floor and through the sound barriers upto 140 mph. The roads seemed quite busy at these speeds but we completed the trip from Stranraer to Bristol during the rush hour period in 4 hours, and this included the mandatory stops for refuelling and of course our own bunkering as well. It drove faultlessly, returned about 25 mpg and had put a very big smile on both our faces. A credit to what is now a 13 year vehicle. Long may they reign........

I forgot to mention, this car has changed my life.......I used to have more money than brains.......I now have more brains than money......very typical of a Zed owner.

My first time in a TT zed was actually in Legrath's. A month before I got mine. But do remember my first drive in my Zed TT which was actually the first one and only one I've ever driven. I know, sounds silly, but when I went to buy mine, although it was the first one I came across, I was NOT looking for 'the cheapest zed'. I was looking for a quality Zed and price wasn't a major issue. To add to that, I had Richard Smith and Gio with me, so felt quite confident.

 

Anyway, the first time I took it out, I had Richard with me. Got in, the car felt so perfect, it had been sat there idling for about 10 minutes and the lovely burble that came from the Vielside Exhaust almost had a hint of V8 to it. Got it, what a fantastic driving position, just the lovely feel of the way the cabin wraps round the driver. The car did feel very wide and low as it was so different to what I'd driven previously. I had driven a few GTOs, but never a zed. I fell in love with the car the minute I saw it, and before I'd even driven to the end of the road I knew I wanted one very badly.

 

Was a moderately busy afternoon in Slough, met with Gio and Richard, had a butchers around the car. Everyone seemed quite impressed with its condition. So myself and Richard took it out for a spin. Found a dual carriage way and just drove it as I would a normal car to see what I thought of it for a comfort point of view. Other than a slight vibration (prop bearing), the car felt lovely and tought. The engine was super smooth. When it came on boost, the car just lept forward. Not knowing at the time, it was running a fair bit more boost than a standard one.

 

Came off at a roundabout and turned round to go back onto the dual carriageway. It was then I realised just how much attention the Zed actually gets. You could just see everyone peering at it and giving it nods of approval.

 

On the way back onto this dual carraige way, what should we both see? Yes, a nice red GTO infront of us. Saw some wisps of blue smoke from his exhaust and I turned to Richard, let's have a go. Dropped it down a cog, came on boost, saw plumes of blue smoke from the GTO as he saw me drawing along side and I shot past him like he was stood still. Eventually he caught me up, but that was it then, the car in my mind was mine.

 

To top it all off, on the way back into Slough, we were sat at traffic lights and a Mini-bus full of university/college girls pulls up. I glanced up and one of them was pointing at us, with that about 3 or 4 of them started waving and blowing kisses....Now this wasn't my imagination as Richard can vouch for that. So that really did seal the deal.

 

I drove back home that evening chuffed to bits trying to recall every second of that first experience. Was totally buzzing.

 

/FIN

Mine was on the way home after picking it up and kicking the arse of a 911 Turbo, until he decided to UNDERtake at high speed at which point I stopped.

mine was when I took my first test drive in a Zed and losing the back end whilst going in a straight line! I knew at that point that I had to have one...