As it happens, I was in the GT3 RS and not the R8 when, finally, the Veyron appeared in the mirror. The deal had been that the Bugatti would leave the lot 20sec after I set off. Then we’d see how long it would take it to catch me and, when he did so, whether it would be possible for him to get past.
On the way down the mountain, the GT3 RS completely blew me away. I expected it to have explosive throttle response, fabulous steering, mighty brakes and fantastic body control. And it did, just like the regular GT3 I drove a couple of months back.
But I also expected it to ride like a rollerskate and be generally pretty evil to drive unless I was at 10/10ths, but no. The RS felt damn near as smooth and refined over the ground as the R8, only the 911 had a much bigger punch down the straights and a lot more bite at its front end. “Perhaps he won’t be able to catch me at all,” I started to think.
And then it appeared, hovering like a missile behind me, its xenon headlights burning two big holes in the back of my head.
As the road got tighter and twistier I became aware that I was driving the GT3 RS about as hard as I’m prepared to drive a car on the public road, yet the Veyron would not go away.
It just sat there, watching me. Waiting.
Then a shortish straight appeared, I caned the 911 as frantically as I could in third gear and, whoosh, the Bugatti just blew by me and the GT3 RS like we were standing still.
I will never, ever forget what that looked and sounded and felt like. It’s some car, the Veyron, it truly is. And this was some group test. Cue credits, roll the soundtrack.
Autocar: Fastest Group Test In History
Threaded Mode