When do you notice a performance increase

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I was able to notice a difference when I went from an '84 Mondial Cab to a 512TR, but perhaps I'm just sensitive to these things.

 

I think that a 100hp difference between 2 cars would be pretty noticeable, or something with a good size turbo that has slight lag.

 

Unless you drive in traffic w/ other cars, I don't think you can feel the difference in speed for even 5 miles/hour. If you are driving on open winding road, you can feel 5 miles/hour difference in speed, but regular people like me cannot feel the difference of .3 seconds.

When I did ACross w/ my 355, I couldn't even feel the diference of 6 seconds in time.

Driving different cars, first thing I would feel is the stability at cornering, braking, and torque.

 

As a driver it is hard to notice differences in accelleration. Most passengers feel it more noticeably. Try letting a knowledgable driver take the wheel for a good drive. It is always amusing to me how the 348 is at 60-80 mph with the slightest burst of acceleration.
BT

 

I recently put a Larini exhaust on the 308, overall disappointed with the fit and sound but am VERY pleased in the, I won't quite say huge, but will say decided increase in performance. I guess I was losing power with the hole in the old exhaust, not now. Noticed more "umph" the first time I put it in gear and pulled away. I thought, hey, now THAT'S different; didn't feeel that way before. I'll start a new thread in the Classic section with pics, sound file, etc

also, try a Pantera!

 

You need to use the power bands correctly and know where they are. (Older) Ferraris need to be revved out; Lambos and Lotus' have more grunt off the line. And how about 100-150 MPH? Lots of "slow" cars off the line will rocket there while quicker 0-60 cars are all used up at 100 MPH, let alone 150.

Ken

 

It does seem to depend more on power delivery versus actual 0-60. My Carrera is way slower than my CS, but due to the more linear power delivery, the performance gap doesn't feel too bad. In the meantime, my last 996TT felt faster than my CS, even though both are actually similar 0-60.

 

Come take a ride in my Shelby Cobra. 350 rear wheel horse power in a 2100 pound car. This thing is scary.

 

Dont worry youre not a total loser, I have the same problem. After having spent most of the years of my life either in fast cars or airplanes, I am very desensatized to the feelings of acceleration or lateral G's. Since I am still a student, I drive an Acura RSX Type S which isnt very fast compared to world class cars, but was given a VERY spirited ride in a Ruf from a family friend who is very close with Alois himself so he has his car tuned beyond what their production cars are. From a stand still we hit 140 mph just on the on ramp of a highway in Cali, and sadly I didnt feel a large difference from my car (even though the car about triples mine in HP). And what sucks even more, I also took a ride in a 10 sec. supra and didnt leave it feeling like I was in anything special. This sickness I have sucks, but hasnt hurt my love for cars, so I guess its not that bad.

Mark

 

Even big dollar race drivers often can't tell with out a stop watch to go by. Thats why on test days a good team will time everything. Sometimes a driver will swear that a change made it worse when in fact it is better and vice versa.
In fact the better a car is and the better sorted it is the slower it seems.

I know at Bonneville when the driver gets out and yawns and says the car is slow it was usually a fast pass and we did a good job of giving him a good car.

 

Driving modified but lesser sportscars (not Ferrari) for the last 20 has taught me not to drive by the book. But to know my cars well & find the sweet spots in them all. That would be the place that you edge up to then can burst from w/ the right throttle control until it’s time to shift – and do it again. Working the power curve takes practice.

 

When I first saw this I was afraid it was a John Lamour thread, and that some Viagra punch line was right around the corner. I'm relieved to see it hasn't gone there yet.

I took a drive recently in a new Corvette. My daily driver is an M3. The M3 is a 4.6 sec +- 0-60, the vette is 4.3?? What I noticed more than anything else is that the Corvette seemed stronger. Pulled harder, had more low end.

But my seat of the pants impression didn't include a "Holy Crap" moment where it seemed exceptionally faster to me that the M3, just grunt-ier.

DM

 

This is one reason why obsessing about 0-60 numbers is not necessary. They just won't tell you what a car feels like, or even how it will perform in the real world. But generally, if you want to be pushed back in your seat, look at the torque #s instead of HP. In real life, it is torque that gives a car street cred. Also, when available, rolling start acceleration tests will tell more about a car's feel.

Dave

 

I think cars with a lot of Torque feel faster....

I have an Elise and a TR. The Elise is probably faster 0-60, but the TR FEELS faster. My buddy's Corvette (94) is about the same as the Elise, but feels way faster - It spends the start of a 0-60 just trying to hook up & then the torque hits you. The Elise gets off the line fast, but never really punches you in the face. It hits the 2nd Cam at 6200 RPM, which does bring a smile to your face.

I recently went in a ride in a Stradale.. Now that thing felt FAST. I think because of the paddle shift. The shifts were so damn fast, the car was always flying.

Once you get in a Turbo Ferrari, it's game over.... The F40 just smacks you in the face... Ditto for the 288 GTO.

Next time I ride in Rick's F40 frankenFerrari, I'll probably vomit on myself.... But in a good way.

 

Power = torque * rpm / 5252.

Dynos don't measure hp directly, they measure torque. All of what you "feel" is torque.

 

LOL, I was just thinking this same thing.

 

It's been my finding that it takes about a 10% bump in hp ot actually "feel" it.

As far as what does it take to "feel" fast depends on what you are coming out of. My QV was not fast at 235hp. Supercharged to 360, it felt fast in general...for a while. Super-supercharged to 520 it feels fast again, but I've noticed that its not scary fast like it was last year....I guess it's time for another 100hp. Fast is just like any other addiction.

For a street car, anything around 3000lbs with 400 or more hp is fast to about the limit of the the tires traction up to any legal speed limit. The other rule I use is there should be at least 1 ft-lb torque per 10 lbs of car to feel fast.

 

I am in Norton, MA Seriously, I love to give rides and even let some drive. I am not however a crazy driver. Just love fast cars. I currently have three of them here including a Shelby Daytona Coupe (replica of course) that car is also about 350 rear wheel horse and weighs about 2500 pounds.

Btw are there any Ferrari owners in my area that would like to chat or show off there cars? I have been looking for that Just Right Ferrari for some time now.

Mike