GT CATALONIA 2019
It all began back in 2011. Gran Turismo Italia, the original of our then annual trips, took us through the Alps and the Apennine, making us pioneers of that type of ventures in Poland. Today, six other trips later (including three more across Italy, one in the Balkans, a French and another Alpine one, under the badge of Michelin-starred cuisine), we are about to reach even further. Awaiting us is the proud Catalonia with its fabulous roads and landscapes. We will see the exuberant Barcelona, taste the best of what harbour villages have to offer, experience a Wine Spa, admire ancient abbeys, climb the steep cliff of Montserrat with our cars and even do some clubbing. For now these are just slogans but they’ll fill with substance as we go to drive supercars in ever-changing but constantly impressive Catalan scenery.
2019-08-20
KNOW YOUR COUNTRY
Just as we though 2018 set a record in terms of a number of trips and club events, 2019 came. This year our fleet of supercars can hardly take a rest in the garage – instead, they are out most of the time, driving near and far. And then, we are only mid-way through the year, with lots of further plans. East or West, home’s the best, the adage says. In terms of driver’s roads, well, the truth is it’s not really so. However, with some know-how we’ve gathered over time it’s still possible to prepare a route across Poland that avoids tedious trunk roads but nonetheless suits our supercars broad wheels. The effect surprised even us and our GT Poland trip will be remembered as huge success. From the mountains all the way north to the sea, with stunning vistas and some places to see, with some of our trademark “did you know that?” chunks of information delivered here and there. As usual, this is only possible when those involved form a good team with some discipline to match the fun element. We had exactly that and, challenging the tone prevalent in the media, we showed supercars can be driven pleasurably and responsibly at the same time.
2019-08-02
A SHEER FUN OF LIVING
So many talk about it but few really put a finger on it. The fun of driving a car – what is it, after all? If it was just the relation occurring between the driver and the car, daily commuting to and from work would have delivered as much pleasure as piercing through empty and twisty roads out in the hills. Which of course it doesn’t. That’s where proper time and place come to play. As well as proper mood: you must not divert your mind from the act of driving to any other things. Then, nobody managed to create a car that is perfect in any conditions, so we add diversity to the equation. To seek versatility in the world of motoring is self-deception. Once we have it all, another reflection appears: that any activity becomes even more fun when shared with others. And this is why we call Supercar Day the very essence of the fun of driving, the soul of the Club and, going even further, of the fun of living. The last weekend of July will leave sixteen great memories among us, all condensed in one day, in a fine team of pure petrolheads.
2019-07-31
ROMANCE OF THE YEAR… OUR WAY
Just you and her. One to one and it’s warm summer evening. Not a soul around. She is all entirely for you. Cool – we also dream about such… road. However, once you’ve found one, which car would you choose as the perfect tool? Something from the grand Italian three? Great, but aren’t they too powerful? To drive with just the lightest of strokes on the right pedal is a poor compromise. And then the fear about some mishap… Perhaps a hot-hatch, then? Better, but there’s the front wheel drive cutting your wings. Something right in the middle would do the trick. Of course you know the dilemma very well and always seem to end up with the same juste milieu: a two-seater coupé or roadster. In Supercar Club we had an opportunity to test many of them, including Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Porsche, Alfa or even Alpine. Time has now come for a legend from Toyota – a new Supra GR. We are all excited because Toyota had already shown with its GT86 that, unlike most rivals, it never ignores what makes driving fun. Add BMW-derived technology and, in theory at least, a perfect car is beaconing. Whether reality confirms this, we will be among the first to know – thanks to Toyota Bielany and our Club members.
2019-07-25
BLACK GOLD
Anecdotes about tyres are aplenty. Our favourite one is where “the Professor” of tarmac Gilles Panizzi, provocatively asked after another lacklustre go at the wheel of a Lancer WRC, whether he wouldn’t have preferred a Peugeot instead, answered with a question: “But which tyre on you ask?” There is no speed unless there is grip. Take the world’s best suspension set and it is useless unless it can rely upon a good rubber, well-chosen for a given car’s type of handling. The choice we mention is one of our most cheerful duties as we care to maintain our cars well. It is also the single most effective tuning method you can possibly apply. No wonder than that it was pure joy to us to accept an invitation from Continental to fly to Southern France and find out for ourselves that the “black chilis” are actual game-changers in the UHP tyres segment. Indeed, on very smooth and predictable tarmac they worked brilliantly. However, true life is down here, with non-linear grip, pools of water and roadwork services preparing all sorts of clever traps to badly surprise unexpecting drivers. Are the new Continentals armed and ready to stand the test? We will learn soon as we chose to fit them to the wheels of some of our cars.
2019-07-23