“Unleashing Thrills: The Magic of 68 Horsepower at the Nürburgring!”

I will advocate for the philosophy of “slow car fast” for as long as I exist. Genuine happiness can be found behind the wheel of a vehicle with just enough power to move itself, minimal grip, and the readiness to be pushed to its limits. This concept also applies at the Nürburgring.

Dale Lomas from Bridge to Gantry illustrates this effectively in an onboard clip during a rainy Nordschleife track day, utilizing an older Citroën C1. The small French hatchback delivers merely 68 horsepower, but it was stripped and fitted with a safety cage for a 24-hour race at Spa, boasting a tendency for oversteer mid-corner and upon exit. Essentially, it’s the ideal car.

The essence of the approach is maintaining momentum, whether on the Nürburgring or aiming to keep pace with faster vehicles on a winding road. Accelerate and endeavor to sustain that speed. Refrain from braking, keep the engine revs high, steer clear of wheelspin, avoid diminishing speed mid-corner, and once again, do not brake. When executed correctly, you can match the pace of considerably swifter cars, with Lomas pushing himself to stay alongside a friend in a Hyundai I20 N and an E36 3-Series. Losing momentum by easing off the throttle or braking unnecessarily is painful. Rebuilding speed can be quite a lengthy process; however, executing it accurately brings a sense of satisfaction that is hard to surpass.

You might achieve greater speeds in a modern BMW M3, but would that equate to more enjoyment? I’m not certain.