"Best handling car" test in Motor Trend

You guys see that? Just picked it up in the airport for on-the-plane reading. The short version is:
1) GT3
2) Cayman S
3) Lotius Exige S
4) Evo IX MR
5) Mini Cooper S JCW GP
6) BMW 335i
7) Honda S2000 (the only rag top)
8) Mazdapseed 3
9) Z06
10) Honda Civic Si

The car mix was an attempt to represent all major configurations...front-engined FWD, front-engined RWD, AWD, mid-engined, and rear-engined. Obviously they omitted rear-engined AWD (911C4S or TT), but I am sure another Porsche would have seemed tiresome. They gave major credit to the Michelin Cup tires for the GT3's performance, but caveating it with an observation that the tires are hazardously slick in anything but totally dry conditions.

Very surprising was the Z06's next to last place finish (9th), they cite due to too much power and not enough rear grip.

PS They said they didn't include the "almost affordable" F430 "because the GT3 outperforms it in all our standard handling tests - for $60,000 less." Ahem.

 

The EVO IX does pretty good for a 4 door sedan...I can't wait to get my EVO X early next year!

 

Wasn't that last month's issue? Old news. Hashed out on lots of forums.

 

P.S.: Put Cup tires on a Cayman S and it might have won.

 

A GT3 outhandling an Exige????

 

It was a whole slew of tests, with more measuring equipment than they say they have ever assembled before. It was a summary of like 8 or 9 criteria that yielded a composite result. I think the Exige suffered in a number of categories, including "lots of drama at the limit" (measured as "average slip angle rate" at laguna seca).

 

EVO IX only car on the list with baby seat hooks!

 

Having personally driven the first three at track events, I would invert the finishing order. This is Motor Trend after all. And the F430 handling is very comparable to the GT3 and superior in many ways. The big advantage the stock 997 GT3 has over the stock F430 is R compound tires.

Gary

 

Yep. The right R compound tires and a suspension tuned to extract the most from them can be a REAL game changer.

 

Interesting observation...

 

Whats so suprising about a GT3 being more effective around the track than a 430, i would hope so if i paid for a so called track-street legal car like the GT3, just notice the difference between a 360 and CS on a track, its pretty impressive to say the least. Now well have to wait and see what the 430CS can do.

 

The article discusses whether having the Cup tires on the GT3 was valid or not, and concluded that it was since the GT3 can be delivered from the factory that way. Seems a reasonable stance, given that they then warn about wet weather behavior.

I would also have liked to see what a Cayman would have done with Cup tires.

 

I do believe it, the GT3 is a very good handling car

 

The tires on my Bimmer Cupped one time and it made the car handle terrible!

 

Point taken on tires...... but the Lotus comes with R-Compound Yokohamas also I believe.

Looking more at that same report...... the power came to play a bit there also. (I'd say if you gave the CaymanS some more, it could be in the very top)......... Very neutral car do drive......

But taking the report for what is its, and that the cars come "that way" from the factory, not a bad review. (because you could obviously what-if-the-car-had....... all day)

 

The Z06 is the only car over 400hp. Of course it will have traction issues when compared to cars like the Exoige.

 

Not true. The GT3 has 415HP.

 

Sweet! I've owned or driven half that list.....now I need to go test-drive the other half to see what I'm missing

 

Mazdaspeed 3 out handling a Z06? Must of been on some really really tight course. I dont even wanna bother with the article.

 

The article looks at more than fat tires and stiff suspension. It is a fairly involved evaluation of a number of criteria that result in a final rating. The Z06 suffered a lot due to too much power and not enough rear grip.

Read it.

 

So if they had of put a rev limiter on - would they have rated it higher?

 

WOW the 335i? Hmmm, are these supposed to be the best handling cars they've ever tested? The G35S sedan out handles the 335I, and the 350z track edition should be on there too.

 

I enjoy motor trend for the pictures. That is all. There comparisons are rubish. I take more weight in Jeremy Clarksons optinion on cars handling. As far as the z06, all I can say is driver without enough talent. Honda Civic si? WTF