After a four-year absence, Caterham has revived its Drift Experience. The clue is within the identify to what occurs: it’s a day spent studying to float, in a Caterham.

While it’s rear-wheel drive, a Seven isn’t probably the most pure automobile on the planet through which to float. These are mild automobiles with quick wheelbases and unassisted steering: nice at scribing strains on a race circuit however not simply held sideways like an overpowered lengthy saloon automobile that has oodles of steering lock and a closely assisted rack.

So Caterham does its Sevens a favour. It takes the 360Rs it makes use of for different observe experiences, jacks up the rear suspension, places exhausting again tyres on its biggest-diameter wheels and over-inflates them. Voila: a automobile that may simply be despatched sideways and, with a little bit of observe, will keep there.

It occurs in huge empty areas at comparatively low speeds, at both Brands Hatch or Donington Park, however on broad open steering pads with cone programs laid out to steer round, reasonably than on the circuits. It’s all high-rev however low-speed stuff, so it’s appropriate for these with no observe expertise, or a great deal of it.

The automobiles are wider SV fashions so have extra footwell and leg area than narrow-bodied automobiles. And larger radiators as a result of a lot throttle use is concerned.

Back within the day, Autocar used to co-promote today. We would ship staffers alongside to satisfy our readers and have an excellent time squealing round (or into) cones in an enormous empty automobile park.

It has been years since I did one and I used to be initially out of shape, significantly since a few the check tracks we beforehand used for images and video are unavailable to us. But it comes again, and for me it’s a helpful talent. I’ve vowed to discover a option to sustain my observe.

Now, I may let you know that the day may be very helpful for studying automobile management, and that that is very worthwhile in emergency conditions on the highway, the place the Highway Code will let you know to steer into the skid, however which means nothing except you’ve skilled it earlier.

But except you drive a Seven or equal, you’ve most likely bought stability management anyway, so think about it extra about hooning and having a riot behind the wheel in secure situations.

At £359 they’re not low cost days, however I got here away drained from the quantity of driving, you’re inspired to make use of and abuse the automobiles, and the hospitality is nice. Caterham is organising 11 days this yr and all however three are offered out.