Testing for LeMans race team


Apollo

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Aug 5, 2006
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Monica and I were fortunate enough to do some testing with a Ligier P3 team today at Spring Mountain. This car just got here from Sebring and is on to another race. We felt like true LeMans racers and although we weren't actually testing for the team, it was awesome they treated us very special to allow us to drive this car at speed. Liger pic.jpgLiger1.jpgLiger2.jpgLiger4.jpgLiger3.jpgLiger6.jpgLiger7.jpg
 

Brombear

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That's really cool.
 

Sinovac

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That's really cool.

Yes it is. And a testament to their driving abilities. I would not be allowed within10 feet of the car.:lol
 

GKW05GT

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Always nice to see what Terry and Monica are doing. Spring mountain is a great place.
 

THamonGT

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Wow, congratulations on your special outing. Can't beat that experience. The fastest Special people I know!
 

JWZ

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Wow! Too cool! Thanks for sharing!!
 

Cobraguy

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Good things happen to good people!
 

pe2unia

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Nice you two!! Now...... did I ever get your autographs????? Hmmmmm LOL
 

KennethClay

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Did the Matech Ford GT make it out of the garage that day as well? Would have been great to see them at speed together!
 

Cobrar

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Congrats, very cool!
 

Apollo

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You all are great, thanks for the comments. We had a blast, and the team guys were fantastic. Monica really loved the car after being very intimidated at first. I think she is the first woman to drive their P3 car. She did great.
I got teased to no end because I killed the engine the first time taking off..., :facepalm::biggrin ... and of course Monica nailed it first try... :bored
Sorry Kenneth, the MATECH GT was not out that day, there was a big Audi event going on as well as several Corvette schools. You can see Mitch and Kathy Clark's Audi GT3 race car in the background in one of the pictures. That car sounds so awesome going through the gears.
 
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dbk

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Jul 30, 2005
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Metro Detroit
That's awesome! Sounds like that car is getting nice reviews all around from the racers. How is it compared to the Wolf?

I can't believe I didn't see Mitch & Kathy at Daytona. If there are Audis racing, I just expect to run into them!
 

Apollo

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The Ligier is about 900 lbs heavier and has about 200 more hp than our Wolf. The interesting thing is it did not feel any heavier, and it sure accelerates faster. The Ligier seems very large when you are getting in, but is surprisingly nimble on track. Thought being in the closed cockpit would be more claustrophobic, but besides a little loss of peripheral vision on the right from the roll bar, it was very comfortable. Both the Wolf and the Ligier you sit more formula 1 style, with your feet above your butt. Almost like sitting in your favorite recliner when you are sitting there. The Wolf is very tight and confined where the Ligier has much more open space around you making you not notice how confined or restrained you are.

The Ligier is silky smooth and being a closed cockpit it is a bit surreal that you don't feel things like the wind and outside noises as much. The Wolf has much more vibrations off throttle and is a much more harsh ride, being beat about by wind and g's. Both are amazing at speed making something like a very capable Radical feel very old school in comparison. Driven well, the Wolf is probably faster on most of our configurations but is much more difficult to drive fast. The Ligier is an endurance car, so repeating fast laps would probably be easier to do in it.

Monica was really intimidated at first, but after she got out, I think she would definitely take a Ligier over a Wolf for confidence to go fast. The Ligier has huge tires, (fronts are only 5mm less than rears) and power steering made turn in so easy that I had to work to not turn in too early. The Legier and Wolf both feel so planted with aero that you have to learn how to push through the mechanical grip into where the Aero takes over. (BTW, Really experiencing what Aero is all about makes us all the more excited to realize how amazing this technology will be in the NFGT :thumbsup). The difference between the Wolf and the Ligier is that in the Wolf, you have to really force the wheel to turn in because it is so stuck, the Ligier has effortless steering and turns in razor sharp.

Power delivery is very different. The Ligier just gets moving so quickly with a rush of torque out of the turn. The wolf requires you to carry much more speed, even in the turbo version. My biggest take away was how much faster I was going at the end of the straight without realizing it in the Ligier. Fortunately, just like the wolf, the brakes are unworldly, easily 3+ g's but learning how to come off them is the trick with both of these cars to keep the car balanced with that much speed. Turned in a few respectable times, but realize there is a lot more in this car and you are moving so fast it is really easy to get over your head with just a little lapse in concentration. I can tell you we both came away with huge smiles on our faces and an appreciation on how far technology has taken performance.

Probably more of an explanation than you were looking for, but it is difficult to break it down with much less than this. :biggrin
Mitch got a turn it it too, same permanent grin when he got out. :lol Even though Audi won't be there, Mitch said he is going to be at LeMans (Kathy can't make it).
 

Triheart7

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Nice you two!! Now...... did I ever get your autographs????? Hmmmmm LOL

You can get it at the next rally.