Elise vs. Corvette...
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The type-r engine messed up the weight distribution. I wouldn't dare say I know anything but look at the latest article from Sports Compact Car or Super Street(it is in one of them just can' remember which one), I am guessing the car would suffer in the handling department. Its weight distribution is something like 3?/6?. Reminds me of the older Porsches.
[Edited by nwk00 on 05-17-2001 at 08:21 PM]
[Edited by nwk00 on 05-17-2001 at 08:21 PM]
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From: Montreal
Originally posted by DavidM
Hi Sev,
I totally agree with what you wrote in the last post. 'Handling' is only one part of a 'performance' package and this track does not focus on 'handling' alone. A track like Rundenzeit Hokenheim (short track) does and as you can see, that's where the Exige whoops but like there's no tomorrow. Race tracks are not 'just' about handling (though I agree that a lot of people would think so). If that was so, then MX5 (Miata) would be the car of choice on racetracks as they are very fine handlers and not that expensive - that is not the case as MX5 lacks a lot in the 'power' and 'limit' department. Another thing that people confuse is 'limits' and 'handling' - ie. Old 911 had very high limits but had evil handling, while the MX5 has beutifull handling and not that high limits.
I have a comparision test of Exige and S2000. In the straght-line they are more or less even to 160kph, thout to 200kph the S2000 beats it by good 5 secs. Exige has a lot of wings and not that much power (it has low weight) ... for high speed you need power. Though, in two slalom tests that they had it whoops the S2000 hands down - it had about 13kph higher slalom speed (141kph vs 128kph).
I'm surpised that you don't have Elise in the States yet ... they are pretty common here. I had a few fiends with them for a while. They handle well but to me the engine is a let down ... not enough power and does not feel sporty (though, Exige has a better engine that I have not experienced).
Hi Sev,
I totally agree with what you wrote in the last post. 'Handling' is only one part of a 'performance' package and this track does not focus on 'handling' alone. A track like Rundenzeit Hokenheim (short track) does and as you can see, that's where the Exige whoops but like there's no tomorrow. Race tracks are not 'just' about handling (though I agree that a lot of people would think so). If that was so, then MX5 (Miata) would be the car of choice on racetracks as they are very fine handlers and not that expensive - that is not the case as MX5 lacks a lot in the 'power' and 'limit' department. Another thing that people confuse is 'limits' and 'handling' - ie. Old 911 had very high limits but had evil handling, while the MX5 has beutifull handling and not that high limits.
I have a comparision test of Exige and S2000. In the straght-line they are more or less even to 160kph, thout to 200kph the S2000 beats it by good 5 secs. Exige has a lot of wings and not that much power (it has low weight) ... for high speed you need power. Though, in two slalom tests that they had it whoops the S2000 hands down - it had about 13kph higher slalom speed (141kph vs 128kph).
I'm surpised that you don't have Elise in the States yet ... they are pretty common here. I had a few fiends with them for a while. They handle well but to me the engine is a let down ... not enough power and does not feel sporty (though, Exige has a better engine that I have not experienced).
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From: Melbourne
Just a side note - Nurburgring consists of over 160+ corners ... I say that the corner to straight ratio on this track is probably in favour of the corners. Concidering that 'normal' track has about 15 corners then Nurburgring 'should' have 15x more straight than a 'normal' track to keep things in proprtion.
Anyway, still in full agreeance, just pointing out that there are a lot of corners here for a car with 'good handling' to make up ground on. Take the Exige for example ... it is very much handicaped in the any speed over 160kph (100mph) and it still manages to post a time very close to the S2000. Another example is S2000 and the Vette - they post more or less the same time and the Vette holds the 'top speed' advantage again. It also holds the 'grunt' advantage which means that S2000 must make up all the ground in handling and under braking.
ps. I just was working out the speeds in gear for the Caterham mentioned above (the one that managed to get below 8min at Nurburgring). Anyway, it must have had a different gear box to the one mentioned in that link ... the specs show the 6th gear reaching the redline at 192kph (120mph). 220kph is practicaly mandatory to break the 8min mark.
pps. Have you guys noticed the engine in that Caterham?! It's the closest thing to the S2000 engine that I have seen. 1.8L reving to 9.2k with max power at 8.5k (230hp) and max torque at 7.5k. That Caterham sounds like a 'hoot' :-)
Anyway, still in full agreeance, just pointing out that there are a lot of corners here for a car with 'good handling' to make up ground on. Take the Exige for example ... it is very much handicaped in the any speed over 160kph (100mph) and it still manages to post a time very close to the S2000. Another example is S2000 and the Vette - they post more or less the same time and the Vette holds the 'top speed' advantage again. It also holds the 'grunt' advantage which means that S2000 must make up all the ground in handling and under braking.
ps. I just was working out the speeds in gear for the Caterham mentioned above (the one that managed to get below 8min at Nurburgring). Anyway, it must have had a different gear box to the one mentioned in that link ... the specs show the 6th gear reaching the redline at 192kph (120mph). 220kph is practicaly mandatory to break the 8min mark.
pps. Have you guys noticed the engine in that Caterham?! It's the closest thing to the S2000 engine that I have seen. 1.8L reving to 9.2k with max power at 8.5k (230hp) and max torque at 7.5k. That Caterham sounds like a 'hoot' :-)
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