BEST TRACK CAR?

Radical SR5.

 

Ariel Atom

 

Given that it is an impossible question to answer...

I have a Cayman S (stock, but tracked extensively) and a Lotus Exige S240 (currently stock, but not for long, also tracked extensively). I have driven a relatively track modded Cayman S (15K mods) and been blown off the track by Lotus 211. I am currently thinking about buying a Viper ACR. I've tracked my 360's and 430 (and think they are poor track cars stock).

Since you're not racing, it kinda depends what is important to you? Handling precision? Balance? Outright straight line speed? More of a momentum car or a power car? Something ready out of the box, or something that needs work? Something that is easy to get in and out of with a HANS or similar device on? Something that could be street legal (I know you said you don't need it to be, but is it a plus)?

For me, the Cayman S just needs to much work to have that "raw" feel and it doesn't have enough power. It is exceptionally balanced and easy to drive fast, stock, but just doesn't have that electric feedback. Of everything I've driven on the track (short of pure, purpose built race cars) the Lotus is THE car for me. Fantastically satisfying now, and room to get better with mods (and I do need a street legal car). A guy who drives at our local track, with a car collection in the dozens (and all incredible vehicles) enjoys his Exige S and 211 better than any of his other cars on the track, by far (and his stable includes an Enzo, a Carrera GT, etc.). If I had the ability to have a trailer, I would seriously consider a 211.

I think the ACR would be a hoot--but I'm not sure I'm good enough (or brassy enough down below) to want the top speed that is available with it. Plus, it is heavy (relatively). Another Lotus advantage is that there is no substitute for less weight, all other things being equal (and less weight tends to help with consumables, as well).

Good luck with your search.

 

currently happy using 997 gt3 but i often think about this.

i dont want to trailer so that eliminates many options like p cup cars, nascar road course cars, etc. only want road based cars since i dont think radicals, atoms, etc are as safe. want defeatable electronic aids so no viper acr or vintage stuff. the cs or scud is probably as good as it gets (spider even better since prefer open top) for cost no object but value and maintenance are prohibitive.

used z06 with suspension, brake, aero, wheel mods and a stripped interior fills my criteria. motor good enough stock with louder exhaust just for sound. reasonable $, modern electronics that can be shut off, drive to track, fast and fun with good safety.

my gt3 would be perfect if had stability control, pdk and lower $.

 

If it doesn't need to be street legal, take a look at a formula car (Formula Ford, Continental, Atlantic) or a used pro race car, like a 911 GT3R, Viper, or even Fcar Challenge.

The SCCA's "Sports Car" magazine always has a bunch for sale in the classifieds.

 

Ditto. Exactly what i was going to say, you wouldn't want to use it much on the road, but on a small budget not much if anything can beat it.

Near enough Enzo performance around a track (except outright top speed) for about £25K.

 

yes ive seen them perform next to me at track days, but that performance does not seem to come with a very robust chassis. i would worry if you ever hit anything in one at speed.

an ultima seems to be built a little safer with similar performance

 

Don't radicals need significant motor work on a scheduled basis.

I don't know anything about your track but have some experience with the cars mentioned @ VIR.

Ultima GTR: monster car that will run from race cars on slicks. Motor can be cheap, transaxle is 15K. Eats 335/25/18 tires like candy. Well built chassis and potentially a low maitanance car (except for tires and gas). Will understeer until fitted with wider front tires or trail braked heavily.

Exige S: slow on long straights but an absolute blast in twisties. The major expense will be tires (small and cheap).

If you have a trailer probably the best car would be vintage formula car with fenders. Find out what classes are sparsely populated @ your track and give that class strong consideration.

 

Caterham R500 Superlight. Not only is the car phenomenally quick, but it has great tactile feedback and is really a driver's car. No high dollar parts involved and it has whupped both the Atom and the Radical at the track. Best of all, it can readily be registered to drive on the street, so you can actually get dual use of of it. Less money, more car. I am biased, mine arrives in a few weeks.

 

I race a Z06 now. Only problem is the cabin is very tight with a proper cage and proper seat if you really want to be safe. It is OK if you just want to think you are safe.

 

How did that compare cabin wise to your 348?

 

Ariel Atom, F1 car with two seats!

 

I have a C6 Z06, the power is impressive, handling is good, needs a few upgrades and if you dump the interior you save a lot of weight

it will blow the doors off most exotics for 1/4 the $

and maintenance is relatively cheap

and it looks great too

 

I have heard from several people that the Lotus Elise is impressive and relatively inexpensive.

 

The 348/55 is way better. The 348/55 has the pedal skewed right and the steering wheel left and seat between both. You can remove the weight of the center console and dash and move the steering wheel right so that the sheer plane of the steering columns are unchanged. That maintains the factory steering safety concept. Then the seat can be moved right/center and then you line up better than stock with all the controls. As a side effect you are inches further from the headhalo of a proper rollcage leaving lots of free space. To be even better you could center mount your seat since the center tunnel is almost nonexistent and then move everything very easy for a really cool center seat position. The would not only improve balance but make for a really cool look and ultimate in potential safety in a tintop car. This concept was the direction I was going before the end of my 348. The question was whether to do it with a 348 and add some turbos or buy a 355. Somehow the easy out was the Z06 but I really hate the interior space. I use a full containment custom race seat mounted to the cage not the chassis including all the nets. It is a very tight fit and I am only 5'6". To make matters worse the Z06 is capable of very high speeds and that means you need better impact design to account for the extra forces this car can generate in a crash. From a Ferrari standpoint I think the 348/55 series can be made extremely safe because there is so much room available. It is even easy to exit these cars with helmet and HANS and full containment seat without opening the doors because of large window openings. I've done it when I had a beginning electrical fire on track. I could never do that with the Z06. I think about these things because I want to have fun with my sport but I don't like getting hurt.

 

Agreed but you got that monster of a vette racecar too and have the silver TR racer. While vettes are cheap don't you think there is something missing in the on track enjoyment compared to the Ferrari even though you know you are slower in the Ferrari? I thought I could do without a Ferrari after I sold my last Ferrari racecar. I could not take it anymore and had to buy a 550M. I am happy with it but often think about ripping my perfectly good 550M and tracking it. Prodrive proved the 550 could be a stellar performer on track.

 

+1 That is the car that would get my vote! I have seen one make some very fast laps and cost almost nothing compared to other cars. Or you could get a old formula car.

 

I love tracking my Viper and with the market the way it is you can get into one for cheap. There reliable, fun as hell to drive, and pretty dam fast.

But if I was going to buy a track only car I would buy a Race car. And race it in one of the SCCA classes.

 

No need to worry about Radical crash safety. They are proper race cars, not road cars converted for the track. All the chassis are built to the latest FIA crash specs - they are plenty tough enough. Just because a car is light and looks relatively simple doesn't make it weak or unsafe. The main drawback I see with Radicals is that they are just too good for track days. If your ultimate aim is set the fastest lap times, then not much will come close to this level of performance short of a full on Le Mans LMP car. However, the 'fun factor' is sacrificed as they don't do sliding... they are all about aero. If you want to maximise G force in the corners, you will have to try very hard to do better.

The Caterham idea is also appealing - if you can fit in the car. In fact, I have an R400 and it is without question the least hassle, most fun track car I've ever owned. Plenty fast enough to see off any road car on the track and not much slower than an R500... although I am tempted to upgrade! 'Fun factor' is always off the scale because the thing is constantly sliding around. Great entertainment, and very safe on track because the handling is so fantastic that you can recover the car from ridiculous slide angles without spining off.

As an alternative suggestion - how about a KTM X-Bow?

 

how about this, an alboreto track car.
they are purpose built track cars, using a 355 challenge engine and drivetrain
looks like a mini 333SP to me

specs: (sorry about the french)
chassis allu cellule centrale
• freins ap racing 4 pistons
• disques de freins 330 mm ventilés
• répartiteur de freinage réglable
• moteur ferrari 355 2.7 révisé ( 22 heures d'utilisation a ce jour pour demonstration ) +/- 3000km
• boite de vitesse ferrari 355 revisée ( pignon + synchros acier ) 6 vitesses manuelles
• deus sièges carbon
• tableau de bord carbon
• panneau lateral carbon
• fond plat av carbon nid d' abeille ( unikamp )
• jantes magnésium 18 '' fixation centrale
• ailerons av réglable carbon 2 pièces
• aileron arrière réglable full carbon
• suspention triangles supperposés fixation unibal
• écoppe de refroidissement av carbon
• écoppes refroidissement ar carbon
• transmission 355 origine ( cardan )
• embrayage métal frité ap racing avec buttée courte renforcée
• direction a crémaillère non assistée
• système extincteur automatique
• pédallier réglable
• volant momo daim
• carrosserie polyester démontable 4 parties
• collecteurs échappement tubi coibentatto 2 inox
• échappement arrière inox avec catalyseur compétition
• admission d'air forcé ( boite a air carbon filtre d'air KN )
• diffuseur arrière allu + carbon
• feux arrière ferrari 456
• grille arrière carbon
• pompe a essence immergée
• reservoir a essence 55 litre avec mousse anti-feu
• pneus slic pirelli corsa D3
• hauteur de caisse réglable
• suspention fournalès système cantilever + barre a coutteau av+ ar reglables
• instrument tableau de bord digital
• chassis av et ar démontable et inter changeable
• autorisée euro serie france + cotes pour circuit parfait
• poid 850 klgs
• puissance 415 cv
• vitesse maxi 285 km/h
• 0 a 100 km/h ; 3.2 secondes
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Yes, I'm running my Z06 till I get the 70 IMSA Vette restored then I'll race that

Gonna park the Silver Surfer until the economy recovers, She may make a few track dates but Vettes are nice, fast, and cheap to run in recessions or depressions

 

EL-chepo version Aircooled 911 SC.30(78) in good shape $10k followed by 25K Ruf upgrades=monster.

If money is not a problem then one of these lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_917

There is no substitute.

 

Only if it's the supercharged version.

 

Yes this is awesome. Something very similar has been earlier done with the 348. Guys have acutally cut the tops off and made racecar barchettas out of them. They are very fast and very light in this configuration. They could make a very fun and very unique toy and cost very little. That's where I got the idea of doing a centrally mounted seat in the 348/55.