General Bravo as a trackday car

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General Bravo as a trackday car

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what?? you think!

well i was unsure what to expect having never really driven my Bravo hard, let alone on a circuit...

but i am proud to report that my Bravo is great on track having done 2 hours on Spa this weekend

full report with pics to follow:cool:
put it this way i no longer want an Abarth 500 ;)
 
Hard to imagine, the way it understeers like a dive bomber... but to each his own ;)
 
Hard to imagine, the way it understeers like a dive bomber... but to each his own ;)


.. with standard suspension set up for normal driving yes, with more racey suspension components and a proper setup fit for the purpose: :yum:
 
no offence and I'm sure you had good time with your bravo on the track, but.....
If anyone thinks a Bravo without BIG mod. is a decent track car, they either not been driven hard enough or they don't know what make a decent track car.
 
The bravo is great fun yeah it might not be mid engined and rear wheel drive beast.

I've had mine 3 years never noticed that much understeer not been funny but you sure its not the driver.....

I've always been tempted to take it to a trackday but I have a track car so never do :(
 
performed brilliantly today on the Nurburgring and by this i mean in comparison to the following:

Alfa 147GTA
Fiat 500 Sport with modified suspension and brakes etc
Suzuki Swift GTi with modified suspension, brakes and R888

only mods being drilled discs and uprated pads, track spec tyres (y)

driver MSA licence holder that has also driven RenaultSport Clio and funcup racecars
 
inevitably the thoughts of further modifying the Bravo have happened

all i think would be a real benefit is a brembo brake upgrade, for the looks as well as reserves of stoppage!

but honestly you don't drive the Nurburgring every day so its not really necessary :D
 
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I keep looking at the bravo and thinking you would make the perfect sleeper car. I mean make her AWD or RWD 2-2.5 litre engine decent sized turbo but keep her looking stock on the outside. The amount of work it would take tho chopping the floor out of a 7 grand car I'm not that brave :((n)

Robw do you have black bravo with a sticker on the bonnet?
 
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Go have fun and be safe.

Many people said my Uno SX with less than 50BHP at the wheels was a non starter. How wrong they were. IT IS NOT the car it is the driver, the attention to mastering the bag of underpowered bones and experience that count. The whole objective of track days is about safely mastering the skills and having safe and enjoyable fun. This same objective is also present when one first starts to competivley sprint or even race. You are building a CRAFT which takes time, practice, time and practice again and again. Personally I have no time or patience for I've got xxx BHP, lower this, stiffer that, fatter that etc. etc. as 9 times out of 10 they can't deliver what SHOULD BE DELIVERED from their package.

The the point of Track Days is for people to safely access, drive and gain experience in what ever car they arrive in. Track days are NOT race days and the only competitor is yourself! Competing against yourself to slowly and safely improve and hone your skills and to bring yourself and the car safely back to the pits and back home time and time again.

Just about all knowledgeable experts will support that the driver who starts with a 1bhp, bad handling, bad braking, bad understeer etc. etc car will learn and understand masses of information and experience. When they progress to a better car that better car will fly faster and more accurately than many more experience drivers who never drove and learnt how to master the inferior car.

This skill and experience progress is what makes a) motor sport expensive and b) supports progression to the higher ranks.

So the concept of a "good track day car" is irrelevant.

However the concept/criteria of a good competition hill climb, sprinting, race or endurance race car is a completely different discussion.

If you want to enjoy a good track day then take whatever car you have, check it out for safety (tyres, pressures, brake pad thickness, secured engine, passenger, boot compartments and ideally unload everything other than you, your seat belt, self preservation etc. and certainly DO DUMP the ego, I'm as good driver, I'm a fast driver, I know what I'm doing etc. well before the pit lane. Do this and you will "Live Long And Prosper".
 
Go have fun and be safe.

Many people said my Uno SX with less than 50BHP at the wheels was a non starter. How wrong they were. IT IS NOT the car it is the driver, the attention to mastering the bag of underpowered bones and experience that count. The whole objective of track days is about safely mastering the skills and having safe and enjoyable fun. This same objective is also present when one first starts to competivley sprint or even race. You are building a CRAFT which takes time, practice, time and practice again and again. Personally I have no time or patience for I've got xxx BHP, lower this, stiffer that, fatter that etc. etc. as 9 times out of 10 they can't deliver what SHOULD BE DELIVERED from their package.

The the point of Track Days is for people to safely access, drive and gain experience in what ever car they arrive in. Track days are NOT race days and the only competitor is yourself! Competing against yourself to slowly and safely improve and hone your skills and to bring yourself and the car safely back to the pits and back home time and time again.

Just about all knowledgeable experts will support that the driver who starts with a 1bhp, bad handling, bad braking, bad understeer etc. etc car will learn and understand masses of information and experience. When they progress to a better car that better car will fly faster and more accurately than many more experience drivers who never drove and learnt how to master the inferior car.

This skill and experience progress is what makes a) motor sport expensive and b) supports progression to the higher ranks.

So the concept of a "good track day car" is irrelevant.

However the concept/criteria of a good competition hill climb, sprinting, race or endurance race car is a completely different discussion.

If you want to enjoy a good track day then take whatever car you have, check it out for safety (tyres, pressures, brake pad thickness, secured engine, passenger, boot compartments and ideally unload everything other than you, your seat belt, self preservation etc. and certainly DO DUMP the ego, I'm as good driver, I'm a fast driver, I know what I'm doing etc. well before the pit lane. Do this and you will "Live Long And Prosper".

wise words mate

there is a good book called "trackday drivers guide" that is in a similar spirit, well worth a read for track virgins and regular trackday warriors (y)
 
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