Ahvenisto Track Day 2012

Yesterday, the M-B Club had a track day at the Ahvenisto race circuit. Turnout was pretty good even though it was cloudy and had just been raining when we arrived. Fortunately the weather turned to some warm sunshine as the day progressed.

Got to take the car for as many laps as I liked for free. I did 10-ish laps. For the hell of it I had a buddy time a couple of my laps, so my best time at Ahvenisto is currently 2:09.9. I was partly stuck behind cars for both laps, though.

Unsurprisingly, the car feels very heavy when going through corners, and like I've said before, the engine is pretty weak unless you rev it like crazy. Furthermore, even without really pushing the car, it feels like the rear likes to step out a bit. It's very logical and easy to control, however, and minimal, unless you really push the car. It will also cook its brakes in like 3 laps, so I basically got 1 or 2 quick laps in before having to come in and cool the brakes.

By sheer coincidence, Lastsoul of FinalGear ran into me while I was standing around the pits. Apparently, he had been in the morning event, where there were, among other marques, loads of Miatas. He told me his camera batteries were running low, so I gave him my camera for the day.

The second guy from the right is me. Pic credit: Lastsoul

Pic credit: Lastsoul

Pic credit: Lastsoul

Pic credit: Ville Suutari

I got to ride a couple laps in the brand new C Coupe 6.3 AMG. Its engine was plenty powerful and torquey, the soundtrack was great, but otherwise the car left me quite cold, as most new cars do. Also present but not allowed on the track was the ML class with the same engine. I was also taken for laps in a 600 SE W140 and a W220 3.2.

The 600 was surprisingly stiff around corners. Relatively. Way stiffer than the 126. It had just the default suspension, no hydropneumatic configurable magic. To ride in, it felt like a very large and very well preserved W124, as far as body stiffness.

It was elegant and relaxed, and in no way uncomfortable around the track. And this is only the chassis. Don't get me started on the interior which was mint on this car. The wood trim looked like it had a 2cm lacquer coat, and the color of it was just perfect. The leather was black and extremely well preserved. No squeaks, rattles or clunks came from any of the interior or chassis. Any wind noise or roar from the other cars was behind dual layer glass, we were caccooned in what felt like a really well furnished bank vault. 

The day ended on a high note, as a had the chance to visit a club buddy's garage in Lahti, where many finished, near-finished and completely unfinished projects lurked. I got to ogle at and/or sit in at least a Citroen DS, a 1957 Thunderbird, a couple of 30s cars (Cadillac and Chrysler), a 1923 Studebaker Convertible, a mint RR Silver Shadow and also an old Rover of some sort. For a DDer he has a rust-free US-import M-B R107.