£20.12 Discount until 12th August on these Supercar days

The discount is £20.12 off any experience over £100, which covers most of the multiple driving days. To get the deal, shop on the Buy A Gift website using this link and enter the code SPORT at the checkout.

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The Track

It’s not a ‘race track’ in the traditional sense, so don’t expect to see wide expanses of grass and a huge airfield. Instead, it’s a track with a huge variety of characteristics. Exiting the pitlane, you’re immediately turning onto a long, fast high speed banked section of track that was originally used for high speed testing. This curves through 180 degrees before opening out onto a long, wide straight. If you have a moment, a glance left at this point will reveal the huge film set area used for massive productions as diverse as Batman and other blockbuster movies.

The Snake

At the end of the straight, there’s a slight left kink that leads into The Snake. Used by car magazine testers, TV programme makers and motorsport video programmers, this twisty section snakes through he trees before climbing over a large crest. For a moment, the car you’re driving is pointing at the sky before flying over the crest and down the other side into a tight, twisting hairpin bend. Two more twists and turns, before the track drops back down into a tight left hander, leading out onto a wide, fast straight with some chicanes to keep things interesting, down the long straight before braking hard for that long parabolic curve as you start another lap.

The Snake at Longcross proving ground, Chobham.

Once you’ve been and driven at Chobham, you’ll begin to recognise it on many television programmes. TV driving sequences for all kinds of programmes and films are created here and it’s not unusual to be confronted with a stunt car or film crew setting up ready for a shoot.

Cars to Drive at Chobham

Longcross is a diverse track, so most supercars are suitable for this circuit. Our personal favourites would be the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Porsche 911 Turbo. Two cars with a very good combination of power, agility and handling. If you budget doesn’t stretch to the expensive Ferrari, then a standard Ferrari 360 Blast is a good choise, plus the Audi R8 Supercar always works very well on this type of circuit.

How to Find It

It’s really easy to reach and is probably the best location to drive a supercar in the London and Surrey areas. Leave the M25 motorway at Junction 9 and drive into Sunningdale, then follow the signs to Longcross.

Overview

It’s not a race track, so if you want to have somewhere with acres of runoff area, this isn’t for you. But Longcross is one of my personal favourites, just because it’s such a diverse track and there’s always something happening. Don’t worry about the runoff areas, you won’t need them. The instructor team are professionals and can gauge your driving very well. Plus while I’ve been working there, I’ve seen everything from huge cinemascope green screens to a complete castle used for a new feature film that hasn’t been released yet.

This link gives you a full overview of the driving experience day options at Longcross. Chobham in Surrey is a lovelt area and there’s plenty of other activities in the location to keep everyone happy.

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Key Points

Twenty Twelve driving experience discount from Buy A Gift

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Key Points

The main thing to consider on this deal is that it’s limited to a choice of five cars and is a weekend drive. Two things which are no great hardship. The supercars to chose from are all great, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lotus Exige, Rally car and Single Seat race car. Most people will want to drive at Siulverstone on a weekend anyway, so there’s no real downside to this experience gift.

The experience is valid for the full nine months duration, so if you’re looking for an excellent value drive at the iconic Sikverstone Curcuit, this Virgin deal is well worth the money.

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Luxury Afternoon Tea for Two – £50

A luxurious afternoon tea for two at one of Red Letter Days’ hand-picked venues (including a range of chic hotel restaurants, cocktail lounges and tea rooms) is an opportunity to get spoiled. Whichever venue is chosen, the delicious afternoon tea will often include a special extra, such a glass of chilled champagne or cocktails. ”There are few hours in life more agreeable than those dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea” said Henry James, and who are we to disagree with this glorious way to spend an afternoon.

Full details here

Battle Proms Classical Summer Concert for Two – £69

Bring a picnic and relax in a beautiful English setting. There will be Napoleonic Cavalry and Infantry displays early on, before a vintage field gun opens proceedings. This is followed by a choreographed display from Carolyn Grace in her LF Mark IX Spitfire to accompany the opening pieces. The New English Concert Orchestra performs a raft of powerful classical music, including Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture with live cannon fire and Beethoven’s Battle Symphony. Celebrations culminate in a traditional flag waving proms finale with Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and other favourites led by Channel 4′s winning soprano Denise Leigh. The evening closes as the sky lights up with a firework display!

Full details here

Tea Tasting & Blending for Two with Alex Probyn – £98

As the largest per capita tea consumers in the world, tea stands as a quintessential part of British culture, but how much do you actually know about this popular hot beverage? As a master tea blender, who has so far blended over a million cups of tea (an astounding amount considering the average person consumes 50,000 cups in their lifetime), Alex Probyn will explain all you need to know. After talking about the origin, history, manufacture and various styles, you’ll taste a combination of up to 24 teas, including oolong, black, green, white, herbal and other teas from around the globe. Alex will show you the art of spitting and slurping, before you put theory into practice and test your newfound skills by creating your very own blend to take home.
Personally, we’d like to try this one. We’re Yorkshire Tea people here in the office, but we’re open to ideas…

Full details and booking link here

Wedgewood Tour, Pottery Class and Lunch for Two – £105

A recent documentary on TV brought home to me just how intricate Wedgewood is. Enjoy a fascinating insight into the world of Wedgwood at the Wedgwood Visitor Centre. Enjoy coffee and shortbread on arrival with a self-guided tour of the centre, including the £10.5 million museum where you’ll learn all about Josiah Wedgwood and his company. Next up, enjoy a delicious, two-course lunch at the Ivyhouse restaurant. Then it’s time to get your hands dirty – literally! You’ll throw a pot or paint a plate of your own, to be fired and sent on to your home address. You’ll each receive an exclusive piece of handmade Wedgwood jewellery (ladies or gents) with a value of at least £50, a privilege card giving you two years’ free entry and a ten per cent discount off shopping in the exclusive Wedgwood Shop and Gift boutique.

Helicopter Tour of London – £149

I’m currently studying for a helicopter PL, so you’re preaching to the converted here. EC120 or AS350/5 helicopters are the machines used, promosing a superb view for a fantastic half hour sightseeing trip, following the path of the meandering Thames into the heart of the city. Flying at 1,500 feet offers a fantastic view of the capital’s iconic landmarks including the O2 arena in London, Tower Bridge, the EDF Energy London Eye, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. Get an amazing perspective on the geography of the city and the beauty of its landmarks – and whether tourists or Londoners born and bred, see the capital in a whole new way on flying experiences like these.

Wimbeldon Tour Day with Lunch for Two – £185

Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the revered All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, following in the footsteps of tennis legends. See the hallowed Wimbledon turf, picnic terraces, many of the players’ facilities, the Millennium Building, the gorgeous water gardens with their amazing views over London and the famous new roof within the iconic Centre Court. Lunch is served up within the Wingfield Cafe and then explore the state-of-the-art Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum with interactive exhibits, including a 200-degree cinema. It is packed with tennis memorabilia including the original Wimbledon champions’ trophies. End in true Wimbledon style with strawberries and champagne and take home a certificate to remember your day by.

Full details on Wimbledon Tour here

London Rock ‘n’ Roll Legends Tour for Two – £60

Gain an insight into London’s rich rock and roll history and the places that inspired hundreds of well-known lyrics. For those with Beatlemaina there’s John and Yoko’s first home, Paul’s current home, Abbey Road and the Apple office. The tour also covers the formation of the Sex Pistols and their progression under the management of Malcolm McLaren. You’ll also as pass the homes of Van Morrison, Clapton, Jimmy Page, Bowie and see where Hendrix died. For fans of the mighty Stones, there’s the legendary Edith Grove apartment, Jagger’s current London residence and Bill Wyman’s Sticky Fingers restaurant. Your informed tour guide will take you around the city telling many incredible tales before dropping you off at Hard Rock Cafe vault.

Full details here

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Have I driven a Volt yet? No, but we hope to soon. And while it may not be the number one on your list for a driving experience gift, we find this new technology intriguing. The car is marketed not as a ‘hybrid’ like Toyota’s Prius, but as a ‘range extender’ technology. This mans that the engine rarely, if ever, drives the wheels. It simply supplies a power source running at a steady setting to generate electricity to both power the electric motors and add change to the battery pack. In addition, the batteries can be charged from a standard household electrical connection in around four hours.

The transmission uses a clever planetary gear system to juggle the different sources of power, together with different driver selectable modes for varying driving conditions. In normal mode, the car drives in the most efficient mode in terms of power use, principally light electrical. The sport mode automatically sharpens the accelerator pedal response to provide quicker torque application. Selecting mountain mode 10 to 15 minutes before entering very high inclines, adjusts the generation system to provide sufficient battery charge needed in this environment without compromising performance. The hold mode is quite clever. Designed specifically with European customers in mind, it allows the driver to save the battery’s charge until she or he reaches a city where congestion charge areas or tolls promote the use of zero-emissions vehicles. Lastly, low shift mode works in tandem with sport mode to accommodate the most sporty driving style.

How all this might work on a test track is something we’d like to try out and we hope to get behind a Volt steering wheel soon.

This post has been sponsored by Chevrolet

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Paddle shift or manual, which is best?

The truth is, they’ve both got their good points, so much so that many supercars only come with a paddle shift gearbox today, with no manual gearshift version available as a option. If you’re heading out for your driving experience and you’re wondering if the car you’ll be driving has a paddle shift or a manual, don’t despair. Here’s a breakdown of eight great things about paddle shift gearchanges.

1. A manual shift will probably be familiar but within seconds you’ll get how to work a paddle shift.
2. A paddle shift will change the gears faster
3. You don’t need to lift of the gas to shift up a gear on a paddle shift
4. Most paddle shifts have shift up on one side, mainly the right, and down shift on the left
5. Paddle shifts blip the throttle on a downshift, making it sound like you just made a really slick racer style heel and toe downshift
6. Most paddle shifts have a safeguard built in to stop you going down too many gears at once
7. They all have an indicator on the dashboard that shows you which number gear you’re in, just so that you don’t get mixed up
8 You can keep your hands on the steering wheel all the time. Most paddle shifts are right behind the wheel, some even move with the steering wheel as you turn.

So if you’re worried that your driving experience car will not be a manual, don’t worry. Take your time on the first few gearchanges and you’ll soon find you’ll love a paddle shift and wonder what all the flap was about, if you’ll pardon the pun….

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Full details on the Honda Powerboat Driving Experience below.

A Honda powerboat is a powerful machine, its agility and speed will blow you away as you glide across the water, smashing through waves and turning on a sixpence. If you think you can handle this beast then we challenge you to do so with this special offer package.
The surge of raw power, the scent of sea spray and the roar of the 4-stroke championship engine are yours to experience on this fantastic Honda Powerboat Blast experience!
Upon arrival in Southampton, your instructor will equip you with all the safety equipment you need before giving you an introduction to the incredible Honda Formula 4-Stroke championship powerboat.
Once familiar with the boat, you will be taken out of Southampton into the Solent to a specially-designed racing circuit where for a total of 90 minutes, you will experience the raw power and incredible acceleration of this magnificent machine.
Each person on board will get to take the controls to pilot the boat for a spine-tingling 10 to 15 minutes during this time, while the remainder of the experience will be spent enjoying the picturesque scenery and experiencing the frenetic, raw power of this immensely powerful speedboat.

Clicking this link takes you to full details and how to book the Powerboating deal

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Want to drive a Nissan GTR at Silverstone? Click here

Just like the Aston vs Ferrari deal just annoinced by Red Letter Days, this gift has no real restrictions and is valid for the normal 10 month duration. No extra charge for weekends or weekday bookings, there’s little to criticise in this deal.

Full details and how to book the Nissan GTR experience at Silverstone for £109 with Red Latter Days after this link

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