And racing was what it felt like during my daylong sojourn with retired Le Mans, Sebring, etc, Porsche pilot turned automotive
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| My daylong sojourn was made much more enjoyable due to my driving partner, retired Le Mans, Sebring, etc, Porsche pilot turned automotive journalist-TV personality Jacques Bienvenue. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
journalist-TV personality Jacques Bienvenue. Before I get him in trouble with the law for breaking any speed limits, I should mention that when I refer to "racing" per se, Jacques admits to having no need to prove himself at the wheel of a car anymore, but rather he took to the road in a careful, conscientious manner, eclipsing each apex with the smooth professionalism of a motorsport veteran. It would be difficult to find a more congenial travel companion, and one who could offer looks anywhere near as kind and sympathetic when my driving line resulted in a less than ideal corner exit. To defend myself, I'm a pretty good driver overall, having been trained by some of the world's best and on a number of top-tier racetracks. But comparing myself to someone like Jacques is akin to believing I'm ready to practice open heart surgery due to my skills carving the turkey before twice-yearly Thanksgiving and Christmas
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| Jacques was as impressed with the Solstice's nimble balance as I was. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
dinners. I simply haven't enjoyed enough seat time on a racetrack, case closed.
Why all this talk about my co-driver? Normally I only bring up my drive partner if he or she scares the ruddy daylights out of me (see 2005 Ford Mustang Road Test), but in the case of Jacques I'm relying on his skills as a driver and experience as an automotive critic to relay a comparison between the Solstice and the MX-5. So, to try and tidy up an extremely long personal introduction and in no way attempt to put words in his mouth, Jacques was as impressed with the Solstice's nimble balance as I was. He even intimated that, due to its more compliant ride and forgiving nature when pushed through the corners, the Solstice was more palatable to his driving style. I'll have to reserve judgment until after I've taken the new MX-5 for a spin, as I was double booked for events and therefore chose to send our ever-cheery Alexandra Straub on the Mazda event.
