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Tuesday, 06/May/2008
Probably not a Car for Islay's Roads
In yesterdays Islay Blogging Roundup I mentioned Tom Paine who fell in love with a Maserati Granturismo and took it to Islay recently. Now the roads on Islay are not exactly made for high performance sports cars, something I've mentioned previously. Tom described his experience on Islay this way:
The roads on Islay are built on the peat that flavours the local whiskies and in consequence rise and fall alarmingly. Given Vittoria's low ground clearance, and the locals' better knowledge of their terrain, I was cautious enough to have the humiliation of being overtaken by a landrover towing a trailer. I must finally be growing up, because I saw the joke. I hope the local farmer enjoyed telling the tale.
Earlier today, not long after mentioning the above episode to a colleague, I found this car (via Der Spiegel), which led to a few quick calculations. Apparently its top speed will be 420 km/h, which is 261 mph. At that speed it travels more than twice the length of an Olympic size swimming pool in a second. From my home to work would take less than 3 minutes. Driving from Aldermaston Wharf to Kennacraig (that's 506 miles) would take just under 2 hours (I know, just hypothetically) compared to the 9 hours Google Maps estimates.
But I feel it would be a bit misplaced on Islay: Apart from the problems it would have with the unfortunately often rather rough roads on Islay (I fear it would end like this poor car rather quick) it doesn't feel right for Islay. To me Islay has a more relaxed pace, even if there might be the occasional dash to catch a ferry in general people take their time. Considering that most whisky matures for 10+ years this is probably not very surprising, in such an environment you learn to wait. 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds doesn't really get you anywhere (apart from the next pothole or ditch, probably).
However, the Islaymobile did a great job taking me around Islay recently. And doesn't it look great on Islay:
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