Having hoped that delayed flights had used all our bad luck up we were both looking forward to the Paperclix Jersey Rally {link} ~ despite not having done any competitive stage mileage in the car at all. In fact Adrian had only driven the car home and back to set the spotlamps up ~ a distance of approx 7 miles!!
My first sight of the car was as it was unloaded off the trailer just before noise test. It was less imposing than a Metro 6R4 but looked good.
Getting in and out was actually slightly more difficult than the 6R4, strange I know, and was certainly more painful on my (still recovering) left knee. Once inside the Evo was a lot more comfortable and spacious ~ that is until we made our way from the ceremonial start on the Esplanade to stage 1 Le Brun.
The Evo’s jacked-open-throttle ensured we juddered and kangarooed through the road sections with alarming gusto! Even more so than the Metro 6R4 road sections in the Evo are to be endured rather than enjoyed…
Stage 1 was a learning process and passed with little action of interest. The chicane was as tight as described, 1st gear with no heroics. At the end Adrian was under impressed with the new car. From my seat there was a lot less noise and urgency but we still managed a nice bit of opposite lock on a wide 45 right so things couldn’t be too bad.
In service Adrian opted to run stage 2 ALS for the next running of Le Brun. The stage was finished quicker and the brakes were certainly working harder. The stage felt a bit faster to me, Adrian felt that stage 2 ALS had really helped although the car now pushed on a lot, lot more than before.
For stages 3 and 4 Adrian opted to use ALS stage 2 so we headed into the tighter lanes a little unsure of what to expect. Stage 3 was a pleasant surprise, the ALS didn’t present any significant problems and we were pleased with how Adrian hustled the car round the corners before the ALS then launched it off down the straights.
Between stages 3 & 4 Adrian admitted that the Evo did now take a lot of stopping for corners. Sadly this was going to come back and haunt us on stage 4.
Generally stage 4 went well although we suffered excessive understeer at an open hairpin right (caused by the ALS pushing us on). As we entered a flat left that tightened Adrian got off the power which kicked the ALS into life. The resulting surge pushed the front into a bank. The back then hit the bank and instead of fish-tailing us up the road the Evo managed to gain full traction and launch itself up a wall topped with a bank. It was rally over, we were blocking the stage with my side of the car about 1½m in the air.
Nine times out of ten we would have either understeered into the bank or fish-tailed up the road but with our Jersey luck we weren’t so lucky. Needless to say we were very disappointed, even more so when we watched car after car have similar moments but get away with them!
The Evo is now being readied for an extensive test session before we head off into the forests with it. I think the car will really suit not only gravel but also Adrian’s driving style and am looking forward to some enjoyable rallies in 2009!
My first sight of the car was as it was unloaded off the trailer just before noise test. It was less imposing than a Metro 6R4 but looked good.
Getting in and out was actually slightly more difficult than the 6R4, strange I know, and was certainly more painful on my (still recovering) left knee. Once inside the Evo was a lot more comfortable and spacious ~ that is until we made our way from the ceremonial start on the Esplanade to stage 1 Le Brun.
The Evo’s jacked-open-throttle ensured we juddered and kangarooed through the road sections with alarming gusto! Even more so than the Metro 6R4 road sections in the Evo are to be endured rather than enjoyed…
Stage 1 was a learning process and passed with little action of interest. The chicane was as tight as described, 1st gear with no heroics. At the end Adrian was under impressed with the new car. From my seat there was a lot less noise and urgency but we still managed a nice bit of opposite lock on a wide 45 right so things couldn’t be too bad.
In service Adrian opted to run stage 2 ALS for the next running of Le Brun. The stage was finished quicker and the brakes were certainly working harder. The stage felt a bit faster to me, Adrian felt that stage 2 ALS had really helped although the car now pushed on a lot, lot more than before.
For stages 3 and 4 Adrian opted to use ALS stage 2 so we headed into the tighter lanes a little unsure of what to expect. Stage 3 was a pleasant surprise, the ALS didn’t present any significant problems and we were pleased with how Adrian hustled the car round the corners before the ALS then launched it off down the straights.
Between stages 3 & 4 Adrian admitted that the Evo did now take a lot of stopping for corners. Sadly this was going to come back and haunt us on stage 4.
Generally stage 4 went well although we suffered excessive understeer at an open hairpin right (caused by the ALS pushing us on). As we entered a flat left that tightened Adrian got off the power which kicked the ALS into life. The resulting surge pushed the front into a bank. The back then hit the bank and instead of fish-tailing us up the road the Evo managed to gain full traction and launch itself up a wall topped with a bank. It was rally over, we were blocking the stage with my side of the car about 1½m in the air.
Nine times out of ten we would have either understeered into the bank or fish-tailed up the road but with our Jersey luck we weren’t so lucky. Needless to say we were very disappointed, even more so when we watched car after car have similar moments but get away with them!
The Evo is now being readied for an extensive test session before we head off into the forests with it. I think the car will really suit not only gravel but also Adrian’s driving style and am looking forward to some enjoyable rallies in 2009!
