I've just read one of the main articles in the Driving section of today's Sunday Times.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0...1973418,00.html

Three drivers have been put in an old BMW to see how they can manage without ABS and other drivers' aids.

Predictably the Scooby driver was shown up badly

What got my goat though was one of the drivers, Eleanor Ball (describes her driving ability as 8/10), owns an 05 S2000. In the Steering section of the article the S2000 is described as having a "torque-limiting limited slip differential (LSD), which will automatically reduce torque if it sense the car is about to skid".

Clearly the writers have no understanding of the use of the LSD if they think it somes sort of advance sensing traction control system!

My understanding of the LSD is that it allows the rear wheels to rotate at different speeds, allowing more effective cornering without the inside rear wheel locking up.

I'm minded to write in to ensure that the S2000 is not labelled a namby pamby drivers' aid-ridden car

Wampa will be pleased with the protection afforded by the LSD though

 

Sounds like a load of old bollox to me too.

 

I have a hard time at work justifying the type of car I choose to drive.

Younger lads look at me, not having a clue what im trying to explain to
them about modern cars being numb and doing the driving for you.

"Cant understand why you got rid of the TT" they say!

"Drive my Elise or Honda and maybe you will understand" I reply.
Probably best that they dont!!

 

I had a similar conversation with a bloke on a course I did recently who had a Subaru.
I was explaining to him that the S2000 didn't have any driver aids unlike the scooby, making it a more rewarding drive if maybe a little slower.

He gave me a most perplexed look. Maybe he just thought that he was a driving god.

 

I have to say that I thought the LSD did the opposite. Rather than allow the wheels to turn at a different speed, it made sure that the inside unweighted wheel didn't spin and bleed off the power by transfering the power to the wheel with the greater grip.

It doesn't allow the power to go to the easiest outlet.

Sort of...

 

Just read the article - an LSD does nothing of the sort! How can a mechanical device 'sense' that the car is going to skid - utter bollocks!

 

How an LSD works

 

I was right - phew!

 

Pre 00 scoobs had no driving aids... Very raw, and quite rewarding I found. People whinge that they are too easy to drive, well I disagree. To drive one on the limit is pretty rewarding. I think most can drive them fast, but to drive one v fast on a windy road is another step.

I used to get out of mine shaking sometimes, because the speeds you were doing were simply mind blowing. I dont get this in the S but it rewards in other ways...

MB

 

LSDs are quite old technology

As is 4wd for that matter

But don't get carried away with the idea of the S2000 as on the edge racer

The steering alone lacks the feel to go with that description