| Author | Message | ||
| Jack (Gilles27)
Member Username: Gilles27 Post Number: 304 Registered: 3-2002 |
Bottom line is, sounds like you're having plenty of fun with your cars. | ||
| Modified348ts (Modman)
Junior Member Username: Modman Post Number: 216 Registered: 11-2001 |
Jack, you understood me well. Like my Diablo, I didn't buy it because it had more HP but because of the styling and experience of driving one. I don't plan to race this car on track because it doesn't have the predictable handling feel as my 348 but it's fun to cruise in. I do like the Marcielago for it's drivability and luxurious interior but I realize that my Benz will take place for that and for looks, the Diablo will still have a timeless look and best of all it is a roadster instead of a coupe so I will have more fun in the sun. | ||
| Jack (Gilles27)
Member Username: Gilles27 Post Number: 299 Registered: 3-2002 |
One of the editors of Autoweek recently wrote something along the same lines, but his issue was more about how the government should rethink the training requirements of today's new drivers since the quality of automobiles has increased. I definitely agree. As far as performance goes, I found it strange to see so many arguments on this site about the power differences between Ferrari models, in particular 328 and 348. My 328 has plenty of power for the world I drive in, but it's easy to see how a person can begin to crave more. Not the difference of going up to a 348 or 355, but up to an F40 or F50. A real difference. But like you were getting at Modman, you may as well buy a true track racer if power is what you want. To me, it all goes back to the styling, with any power as a bonus. | ||
| Hubert Otlik (Hugh)
Junior Member Username: Hugh Post Number: 97 Registered: 1-2002 |
Personally, I prefer low to mid horespower cars but w/ the justification of having them be extremely light. When you minimize weight every dynamic behavior of the car is improved, you can always keep pushing up horespower, but when you reduce weight you improve the cars feel, braking, acceleration, handling, etc. Also, while people talk about hp, many people miss the importance of how that power is delivered and the amount of torque the car produces, is the powerband flat? peaky? etc. I take note of wholesome hp figures, but what I look at w/ greater interest are the curb weight figures, suspension design/geometry, brakes, interior appointments, gearing!!, final drive ratio, flywheel weight, throttle response, seats, steering wheel size and shape. I personally like a car that is purpose built and is able to communicate directly w/ me, the driver, and while I don't mind a car w/ insane power, I would prefer a car that weighs ~1200kg, has the stopping power of a semi, a tight gear box, and a healthy displacement inline 6 w/ ~ 3.0-3.2 liters that revs smoothly and freely. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1594 Registered: 12-2000 |
I agree Richard, that's how I judge my cars, because I'm into track driving and nice GT favorable roads. However, I think most cars and people spend their time in the city. | ||
| Richard Stephens (Dino2400)
Junior Member Username: Dino2400 Post Number: 92 Registered: 10-2001 |
Autocross is the tell-all if you spend the rest of your life driving around parking lots. On a real road, even a "fun" one like the 100 or so miles of HWY 1 between Hearst Castle and Laguna Seca I'm pretty sure the camaro or mustang would get you there much faster than a miata or civic. BTW, one of the car mags (R&T?) has an article on handling this month and though the Lotus wins on the track, the Ferrari is crowned king because of its better handling and comfort in the real world. But then you owners knew that already, didn't you?! | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1593 Registered: 12-2000 |
Autocross is the tell all, that's where cars like the mini, rabbit, civic, and miata eat camaro's and mustangs all day long. | ||
| Brian Kennedy (Kennedy)
Junior Member Username: Kennedy Post Number: 94 Registered: 3-2002 |
Modman, keep in mind that while most cars can turn and stop at 0.8-1.1g's, they can only accelerate at 0.4-0.6g's. Thus, even with the big HP cars, the weak link is still power, not the tires. As far as the safety implication... most every car on the road can go 100mph... and anybody can head into a 40mph corner at 100mph. Thus, I don't really see the HP push as an issue in that sense. With that said, what I do see as an issue is, for example, the early Vipers. They had the biggest damned engine... and the most pathetic brakes. They could out-accelerate most anything on the road... but could just barely out-brake my Ford Expedition... and that with a good driver. With an average driver, the lack of ABS in the Viper would lead to the Expedition stopping quicker. That I found alarming. | ||
| Ken (Allyn)
Member Username: Allyn Post Number: 419 Registered: 10-2001 |
My Europa is king of autocrossing. It can't be beat for quickness and cornering. Frankly, an extra 25 HP would not be a bad thing though; on my 1500 pound car that would make a big difference. | ||
| Edward Gault (Irfgt)
Intermediate Member Username: Irfgt Post Number: 1408 Registered: 2-2001 |
This is one area that the little Austin Mini car got it's great reputation as a handler and not a powerhouse. | ||
| Richard Stephens (Dino2400)
Junior Member Username: Dino2400 Post Number: 91 Registered: 10-2001 |
Interesting that today's Ferrari's handle really well when back in the day Enzo was all about the engines. He didn't care that the British cars handled better - he just concentrated on his engines being able to outperform theirs. Tim, autocross is fun but it's not exactly the real world driving experience. I know many X1/9 or Yugos that would beat almost anything around an autocross course but the real world has many fewer slow speed corners. | ||
| Frederick Thomas (Fred)
Member Username: Fred Post Number: 474 Registered: 2-2001 |
Willis, I would hope your 360 is fast enough for you. What does it top out at like 190mph.  | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 934 Registered: 6-2001 |
If theres one thing i learned from autocrossing its that power isnt going to help you unless you A, have a car that can handle and B, you know how to use it. I would scrape john force in my honda on any road track, and he has 5000+hp and can go 0-320mph in a bit over 4 seconds. I know that sounds rediculous, but it proves the point. A more realistic example is a firebird ws6 with heads and cam, a low 11 second car, was not as fast as the camaro because the camaro had suspension work and handled alot better, and f bodies handle like ••••. | ||
| Tino (Bboxer)
Junior Member Username: Bboxer Post Number: 89 Registered: 8-2001 |
Nothing I've ever owned (short of a track car) comes close to the fine balance of chassis and power that my 360 has. I think it has good low end torque unless you're too lazy to shift. The F1 transmission makes it so much easier to shift that on a given journey, I am sure I shift much more often than I would if I had a manual txmission. (Driving my NSX is when I REALLY MISS low end torque). | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 707 Registered: 8-2001 |
My 360 is plenty quick and fast enough for me. The only thing it need is more low end torque to smooth things out. The best and most satisfying part of driving a Ferrari, to me, is in the incredible handling and balance. | ||
| Frederick Thomas (Fred)
Member Username: Fred Post Number: 470 Registered: 2-2001 |
I agree power isn't everything. My 308 is plenty fast enough for just having fun. I mean really, how often do you get to go much over 100mph, and it will go well past that with ease. That being said if I had the means I would with out dought get a 360. | ||
| Modified348ts (Modman)
Junior Member Username: Modman Post Number: 213 Registered: 11-2001 |
Although HP of cars are significantly increasing the skid pad tests are not going over 1G and are limited and some cars that are built with a lot of power can't handle equivalent to its power. Interesting that a lot of cars that are built these days with tons of power and meaty tires will never be legally used for its max performance for public roads so what do these car manufactures have in mind? I saw a viper totalled from a crash around a turn racing an Integra, well, this is a mishap from many angles and you can guess many reasons why this happened. Power is more for ego and it will never end when it comes to cars. For the public roads you can still have plenty of fun now and many years to come in a decent handling car and ample power for your driving needs. Too much power and the chances wrecking or die at high speeds are realistic due to uncontrollable adrenaline. One of my customers lost one of his leg and still is in a coma from a high speed wreck due to loss of control. Realistically a sport sedan or coupe is the most ideal car for the roads, exotic car for showing off, wanna race and show who's who and what you really made of- get a race ready car made strickly for track only. To me that is ideally realistic, do you agree? I mean why did you buy your first Ferrari for? you know what I mean... I like to hear some comments on this since a lot of threads are more about what is faster or more powerfull and so on. |