22nd December 2021

Can You Drive Your Performance Car In Winter?

Performance cars are a pleasure to drive but - at least as far as common wisdom goes - they are not best suited to winter driving. For this reason, many performance car owners keep their vehicles under lock and key in the garage for six months of the year. In reality, however, many performance vehicles are perfectly suited to winter driving.

Looks AND Performance

Many Audi and Porsche performance cars, for example, are designed not just to look pretty, but for peak performance in challenging conditions and even off-road. The Porsche 957 (1987) was one of the iconic rally racing cars of the 1980s and has set the standard for many of today's leading sports cars due to their unstinting engineering quality and reliability in all conditions.

AWD vs RWD

Drawing from this sports heritage, a lot of premium vehicles are equipped with all-wheel-drive (AWD) systems that make them perfect for slippery road conditions, outperforming many midmarket rear-wheel-drive (RWD) vehicles. AWD provides better traction and control than RWD, giving you better stability on tight corners, and on wet, loose, or icy surfaces. You are less likely to see a Ferrari by the side of the road on a winter day than you are a Ford Mondeo, and not just because fewer people drive Ferraris but sports vehicles are simply better designed for hazardous road driving conditions.

Risks of Winter Driving For Performance Cars

This being said, there are risks to taking a high-value car out on the UK roads in winter, and individual performance varies widely from manufacturer to manufacturer, as well as between vehicle classes.

Modern vehicles like McLaren 720s and Porsche 911 GT3 RS, for example, built as they are for road racing on high traction tarmac, may struggle on icy roads. The low clearance levels of these sports cars can increase the risk of drivers losing control at higher speeds or on treacherous surfaces.

And even if your vehicle is safe and stable on the road, there is a high risk of salt, grit, and tarmac dust from potholes damaging your tyres and paintwork, leading to expensive repair bills, and making your car less valuable.

The Verdict - The Best Way To Drive Your Performance Car In Winter

So, yes, it is perfectly possible to drive a performance car in winter, and we actively encourage people to enjoy their supercars all year round, but you will need to be more careful in your driving style to reduce damage to your tyres and keep control of your vehicle.

Many drivers adapt their driving techniques in winter to keep their cars safe, including going slower on the accelerator, and increasing their braking distances (by up to 5 times in certain conditions). If you take part in amateur sports activities over winter, such as track driving or rallying, further safeguards and precautions will be needed, and many drivers benefit from specialist safety and car handling training. Make sure you have plenty of road hours under your belt in spring/summer conditions before taking to the wheel in winter.

Support For Car Owners

If you are part of a car club for your vehicle type, there may be official manufacturer-approved guidelines for winter driving in the UK, and there are plenty of unofficial owner forums on Reddit and Facebook with free advice about various conditions from experienced drivers.

We also recommend a good performance car insurance package that covers the risks involved with winter driving, and that will offset any potential damage or maintenance costs.

Find Out More

ManningUK are specialist insurance brokers with 39 years' experience helping performance car owners find the right coverage for their vehicle and driving style. For a bespoke quote or to find out more, please get in touch with one of our insurance brokers today.

Image Source: Unsplash