Just a quick clarification: Tiff Needell is with Fifth Gear (though he used to work for Top Gear), which is a non-BBC show. He did in fact race professionally awhile back - and there was one episode a few years ago where he drove a 360 Modena in a sanctioned race. Jeremy Clarkson is primarily a journalist; he just happens to love cars and know how to drive them well enough.
Jeremy Clarkson drove the 360CS and the GT3 RS, but in the race he was at Porsche, but Luka Benua (F1 team test driver, don´t know how to write the name) was on the red one. Tiff Needell is in 5th gear, along with Vicky Butler-Henderson and some other guy. But Top Gear has Jeremy Clarkson, James... , and Richard... I Think that Top Gear is the most fun car show of them all.
in reply to: "And a valid point about the Chaterhams and any "purpose built" car, but to a certain extent, that isn't comparing apples to apples. If they are so quick (and I am not arguing that point at all), why doesn't anyone race them in any numbers in "big time" racing? Are they just not safe enough / too light? Is there not a class for them?" Caterhams are the most raced car in the world! It's just (mainly) the world outside of America. www.caterhamracing.com I have just completed my second season of racing in a Caterham and it has beaten any on track experience I have had in a Ferrari (or Porsche!). But back to CS v GT3 RS, I am lucky enough to have a blue CS parked outside my house at the moment as part of my job as a motoring journalist and last week I had an RS. I can honestly say that the RS simply doesn't work as a road car. At all! It tramlines really badly, is uncomfortably hard, grounds out easily, front tyres don't work in normal driving (ABS cuts in all the time, even pulling up at lights) it is nervous, unstable and unpredictable. It also doesn't feel amazingly fast in a straight line, although I know it is. The CS on the other hand, is an absolute laugh. I can't believe anyone fits an aftermarket exhaust to one! When the valve opens at 4.5k in Race mode it's as if all hell breaks loose! Always feels very fast, yet it is stable on the highways in the pouring rain (even though you can get wheelspin in 4th at 85mph with ASR on!) and is comfortable and predictable in its responses. IMO the winner by a mile, despite the massively higher cost and the fact I don't like regular 360s.
No one that I know complains about the WOT sound, it the off throttle they don't like. NO character at idle and low throttle openings. Gary
The clip in the video were Jeremy(Porsche) pass the F1 driver(Ferrari). I think the F1 driver let him by, by lifting just slightly. Please remember it is Jeremy's show and he does need to look good to his public. Or the F1 test driver was just being nice. There is very little doubt that the F1 test driver is better than Jeremy. Cheers,
