The best-handling car for road and track

996TT will dust the 360.

 

Obviously not a lap time test, just journos' opinion I guess.

 

The new US version of the Elise, which wasn't in this test (111R for you UK peeps) would easily have taken 1st.

 

The 996TT is 'too soft' for the track. It lose out to the 360. On the straight the Turbo is faster but loses out on the corners. On track it's the time saved on the corners is what adds up to quick lap times. But the Porsche GT3 is faster on the track than the 360.

I've driven them all on the track and I know.

I've driven the M3 as well as the Mitsubishi Evo VII. They're great cars but not in the Ferrari-Porsche league. The Evo VII is a manic car. The moment you take the wheels it urge you to be aggressive on the road. It's so responsive and so tractable. But on the open road it is rather hindered by it's 5-speed and it's top speed. The M3 is heavier. It's not a car for weaving in and out of traffic as the Evo is, but on the open road it is a great car to drive, better than the Evo.

As for the others, I have no idea.

 

"The best-handling car for road and track"
The Porsches will need extra care through the turns, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII will turn you to soup if you go off track and hit a wall, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 may have wicked oversteer {I haven't driven one, but from the specs and videos I have seen, it gets sideways in a hurry}, the Ferrari 360 Modena and Lotus Elise seem to be very steady through the turns and the BMW M3 is also good through the turns but I wouldn't think it would surpass the Ferrari 360 and Elise. This is what I believe to be true.

 

Not totally on topic, but speaking of the 996TT dusting a 360...went out to dinner last night with the gf and in the parking garage we were in was a sliver/tan 996TT with the plates "360EATR". Guess some folks out there must know or believe it

 

Not with you behind the wheel...

 

and if you think the elise is good.....you ought to try a road going lotus exige (basically elise with hardtop on steroids). that car is absolutley amazing. not very comfortable, or practical, or good looking, but a real giant slayer.

the other one that needs to be on that list is the noble m12. much higher priced but lower than most of the others at the top of the list. that car will climb walls!

 

Ill take that bet. The 996TT smokes the 360 on every documented roadcourse. BY a long margin.

 

Allan, I would agree with you on that, but still my smile is always bigger when I come back from a ride is my spider, just did it today, it is 51 here warm enough for me to take the top down. As for the above question, the Elise gets my vote.

 

You forgot the NSX!

 

You seem to be asking about a compromise. Best hanling between road and track is a bit of a paradox. On the track you have run off areas and very good pavement or the road there are no run off areas and pavement can be bad or good.

On the track, as far as handling is concerned (and that was all you stated was your criteria) the Elise will blow everything into the weeds.

Unless we are talking about a high banked oval like stock cars run or some super long course like the Ring or Road America the Elise is the best handling car simply in terms of weight for the track.

Best handling car for the road seems somewhat of a compromise question.

I've driven an Elise 111S and it would beat the pants off most of the high hp cars listed at most tracks.

Regards,

Jon P. Kofod
www.flatoutracing.net

 

Okay, so... you drive a stock TT and I drive a stock 360. When do you wanna get together and play? $1000 bucks goes to winner???? Plus, loser pays for track time & gas?
You still want to take the bet?
My hot lap timer is awaiting your reply...

 

Absolutely. You get the cars, the track and im there.

 

What're you now... a superstar? You gonna fly in on a helicopter?
If you want to, PM me and lets talk about costs. There's a track here in so cal that we could use.

 

And the 111R is even stronger. More like an S2 Exige.

 

As I recall the elise only lost because they said they couldnt give the contest away to a less than normal road car, but otherwise, even the old engine in the elise proved that it is the best handler, given you don't care about no compromises

 

Didn't R&T just test the Gallardo and it got the highest slalom speed on a production road car? I could be wrong but...

 

Yes but this article was conveniently pulled from R&T back in 2002 before the 04 Gallardo could do some a$$ kicking

 

don't forget the "smile factor". i have owned a 996 twin turbo and several 360 modenas the past few years. the porsche twin turbo is a bit quicker, but not nearly as much fun to drive. and if you factor in "sex appeal" you can forget the porsche entirely. of course the porsche is a GREAT car, but there is just something magical (but real at the same time) that makes the ferrari a more enjoyable experience. my opinion of course

 

Speaking of this, what the hell are the US car mags doing? Can anyone name a magazine here that did it the right way, and tested the following in the same issue:

360CS
Gallardo
911GT3

The answer is no, because they haven't. And the few comparisons they HAVE run have been all about very early Ford GT mules. They are happily being used as a Ford corporate PR tool simply to show pride in an American supercar. That's all well and good, but I'd much rather see the type of comparisons that Euro mags did months ago.

Here's another good one:

360 Modena (base model)
Gallardo
911TT

No GT3, No CS, just basic touring cars compared on stateside tracks.

Instead we get endless "Viper vs. FordGTmuleThatsSoEarlyOnlyJamesBelievesItsTheRealOne" tests, or "FordGTLaughablyOverBoostedRingerMule vs. 360CS and GT3".

 

The S2000 is rather dominant in SCCA Solo2 racing, as the overwhelming B Stock winner in the Nationals since the car was introduced. Model Year 2004 is bumped up to A Stock due to more grip from its wider tires.

National level dominance in SCCA Solo2 racing is clear evidence of very good handling.

Kind Regards, Chris

 

Where is my 550 is this talk?

 

I don't know of any helicopters that could fly from Hawaii to North America...

A Learjet 45 only just makes it from Honolulu to Los Angeles.