512 TR handling (paging Hubbel Racing)

This is bullshaet I test drove both the Diablo and 512TR. The handling on the Diablo is OK, the only fault being that the backend slips out around corners at high speed. The 512 however can take a sharp bend at 90 MPH and stick like glue. The backend hardly slips, it's mindblowing. The Diablo is slightly better looking. You can tell this because u get a few more looks in it than the 512. But the only thing that put me off the Diablo is the backend problem above, this is the reason I chose the 512 over it and drive it now.

 

One of the major changes made when the 512TR was developed was the change in configuration taking the transmission out form under the engine and lowering the engine. Models prior to the 512TR did exhibit some interesting handling in some instances.

 

I disagree with the above comparison, as the owner of both a 94 Ferrari512TR and a 98 Diablo SV they are night and day different animals.
My 512TR certainly didn't stick like glue unless you were going straight, in fact, at speed she didn't compare with the lighter, lower, way better braking Brembos and 4-way adjustable suspension on my 98 SV. Neither of these powerfull, heavy cars are NSXs in the twisties, but having owned both, I found that my 512 must be heavily finessed; hard on brake and gas at the same speeds the Diablo is holding with a normal chassis load, just hard on the gas.

That is not saying the 512TR is not a fun car, just a bit quirky in the twisties at speed compared to my Diablo in my opinion.

Williams 512TR race car is at least 400lbs lighter than stock, is tied together and also has purpose built suspension , brake mods etc. and handles much, much better than a stock 512 or any factory Lambo, it's not an equal comparison in my opinion.

I am talking factory cars with the same rubber.

As to the Trs being the worst handling Ferraris, I can't answer that only that my 512TR was much like the older 911s at speed in the man handling corner department, and unless you try real hard on the "street" it's hard to reach the Diablos threshhold.

 

The engine/transmission relationship is the same on the BB through the 512TR. The engine/transmission unit was lowered in the chassis of the 512TR and the subframe style of construction was abandoned to use a one piece frame to improve rigidity. It worked quite well.

The 512 outhandled almost every Ferrari that came before it and almost every Ferrari that came after outhandled it.

One of the problems with Ferrari's is that the last time I was at the factory in the department they call "Revision", (that is the area that among other things they align the cars) there were 2 alignment racks, one of them was not in use and didn't look as though it had been for some time. I have aligned many Ferrari's and you cannot align a full days production on 1 rack, can't be done. Every Ferrari built needs a quality alignment to handle the way it should and many go a good deal of their lives without one. Many people judge Ferrari handling on cars that don't have all the wheels pointed in the right direction.

 

I actually raced a Diablo this summer at Pocono in my 512TR race car which is a lot stiffer than a normal 512TR & has 335 rear w slicks all around.

My 308 is a great handling car while my road 512TR has awesome power. In the twisties I'd take a Lotus, 308, or somethng smaller than a 512TR any day BUT. I did manage to do a 1:01 at Lime Rock in my 512TR road car on slicks. Lime Rock IS a tight twisty track where small cars should have a great advantage and a 1:01 is an amazing time for a road car so I guess she isnt that bad
I do remember going into Big Bend at Lime Rock w the road 512. On braking I could feel the rear suspension going up & down managing a lot of weight & force. The thing about th 512TR is that its definately not a beginners car, now after 5 years of flogging it at race tracks all over the US I can get her to behave for me & I can get her up on her tiptoes through Big Bend like the 308 but then I blast out with 450 hp vs only 250 for the 308.


The 512TR really shines on high speed sweepers though like turn 1 at Pocono or the esses at Watkins Glen, Both my 512s love those corners and they never feel twitchy in high speed sweepers.

I guess my best answer regarding the handling of the 512TR is to ask who is going to be driving it because the driver really makes a car handle after all