Great handling vs beautiful handling

First post, but here goes:

Having driven and owned some high performance machinese (albeit not a ferrari just yet) To me the difference is fun factor vs. sheer performance numbers. Many cars can do 1.0G lateral accerleration and yet not be fun to drive, and some cars can't even do anything close to good numbers and at the same time be fun.

How each person describes what car is fun for them is very personal. Some like great balance, some like feel, some value horsepower to power oversteer, some like to drift the rear wheels a bit, and the list goes on.

Good discussion topic though

 

What would be more fun for banging round a track as well as road use, a m3 or an evo v111

 

I drove a WRX STI for the first time the other week. WOW. The car doesn't accelerate... it LAUNCHES! Not only that but it'll do it all day long. Also probably do it for 200,000 miles. The traction in the turns and accelerating out was like no other road car I've driven. The brakes (Brembo option) could stop a freight train. The only thing I didn't like was the huge rear wing on the back. The owner of the car said he's had it up to 140 and said you can certainly tell it's doing it's job back there. He wasn't crazy about it either. The down side to a car like this though is in no way was I able to test it's performance limits. It was just too fast. You'd need to get it onto a track to do so. Even then you still wouldn't be able to appreciate it. The car needs to be taken off road to get full enjoyment.

I think the "fun factor vs. sheer performance numbers" is right on the money. More and more I'm looking for the driving experience and am willing to trade some performance numbers in order to get it. The best handling car I ever drove was a Datsun 240Z with a full set of Konis and Suspension Techniques spring and sway bar set. Perfect 50/50 weight balance out of the factory and you could place the car anywhere on the road or track with confidence. I miss that car.


So, if I had to choose between the STI and 240Z? 240Z. Yea, it's slower, but I already have a fast sports car. The 240Z is FUN any where at anytime!

 

I think this is based on driver skill. I knew a 88 yr old women who bought a brand new chevy camaro SS because she wanted the big engine and the performance, but all she did was drive it to church and the grocery store.

I have a 95 M3 (stock)and a 79 porsche 930 and like them both the same. I prefer the M3 for daily driving but use the 930 almost as much. They are both very different cars to drive, but you just can't beat the sheer purpose build of the 930. The M3 understeers alot but he Porsche once you learn to steer it...it is a fast car.

You could put someone in any car, but if they don't know how to drive it.....it might as well be a pinto or station wagon. I remember my first day at the track, I was getting past in the M3 by neons and civics until I learned how to drive the car.

Brian

 

In another place, far, far, away, we used to talk about sports cars having "balance."

Back in the day, I had a buddy who would drive a Roadrunner Hemi to high school complete with racing slicks, in Illinois, during the Winter. He was as bad as they came.

But the sports car guys drove MGs that had maybe 80 hp, on a good day.

From stop light to stop light, the Hemi was king. But once the road started to swing, those crappy brit cars ruled the road.

At the FFQC in New Orleans, I had an opportunity to drive a Stradale on the track. What a wonderful car! God was certainly in his or her heaven that day. It wasn't the most powerful car on the track (there were Challenge and GT racers out there also). But I'll bet you that I was having the most fun.

Yep, smiles per mile, that's what it is all about. Nothing else matters.

Dr "Smiling" Who