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I found this review on the Javan R1, was interesting as it is very similar to our race car, not sure what the exi's handle like in the wet but im sure to find out at the end of the year,
Dylan drove his 1.6 on a small European tour to Scandinavia and back. He did about 2000 miles, strapping motorbike-esk hold-alls to the rear clam, and using his all weather gear, he stated, to good effect. He said he was doing 80mph in heavy rain, and he did not get spooked.
Javan posted a comment on their wesbite in response to Vicki's article. The poor choice of tyres certainly won't have helped the car, but that said, have you ever driven a modest weight mid-engined car in heavy rain? Those I've driven and been in, have also felt skitty in the wet, so I'm not expecting the 5exi to be the best wet weather tool.
Continuining the production car theme, I used to drive an s2000 quite a bit, as it was a pool car on the company fleet, and in the wet that bit quite aggressively if not given respect. It nosed out badly if applying throttle with lock, and would very quickly switch from understeer to "yikes I really am not Schumacher" levels of of oversteer. It caught me out a number of times (not that I claim to be an expecially special driver at all), and that's in a front-rear production car with £M of R&D.
I have driven a Lotus 240R in the wet and that was one hell of a drive, in the dry it was a bit of fun which you could control if you wanted to, seems it was brand new and just collected the keys from lotus, my mate was mad enough to let me drive, so I was being carefull.
I had a little go in the new S2000, a few weeks ago in the dry and I ended up gettin lots of looks and a blue light behind me very quick, again it was a nice car but when it broke away it went in a large way, not something you like to do at 4pm on a main round about, im still waitign for it to rain so I can have a go in the wet.
I think the best way is to find out before it rains at a race, not ideal but being the UK, it will rain in the summer so ned to test the car, it will be interesting to see what the cars do this coming weekend at castle combe, but seems its dry it should be good and take them home in one piece.