The Fast & the...........

[Mega]

Re: The Fast & the...........

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...lker-road.html

Indeed!
Mike

[flintlock]

Re: The Fast & the...........

There's a difference between a car's ability to go fast around a track and it's ability to go fast with ease. My guess is not very many more predictable driving cars could hang with the GT on a track with a good driver. Higher limits come at a cost. The fact is the ability to afford a $450,000 car does not equal the ability to drive one. Anyone who has spent much time at the track has seen these guys sliding their new ferraris into the wall. They often lack the time or patience to learn how to drive their cars safely, to learn the limits. But at least they are at a track where they usually just suffer a large repair bill, not lose their life. This recent crash was irresponsible at best but I wont say i've never done the same.

[GRG55]

Re: The Fast & the...........

There's a difference between a car's ability to go fast around a track and it's ability to go fast with ease. My guess is not very many more predictable driving cars could hang with the GT on a track with a good driver. Higher limits come at a cost. The fact is the ability to afford a $450,000 car does not equal the ability to drive one. Anyone who has spent much time at the track has seen these guys sliding their new ferraris into the wall. They often lack the time or patience to learn how to drive their cars safely, to learn the limits. But at least they are at a track where they usually just suffer a large repair bill, not lose their life. This recent crash was irresponsible at best but I wont say i've never done the same.

Most everyone believes they are a better driver than they really are. That seems a constant whether one owns a Honda Civic or a Cayenne Turbo. I can't think of any reason why people who can afford $450,000 cars would be any different

[FrankL]

Re: The Fast & the...........

He died at a charity event that him and a few other guys have been running for years. The guy was a good guy that liked fast cars and had a penchant for acting. If you really like fast cars you know as well as I do this could have easily been you. So please dispense with the BS two good car guys lost their lives. While I don't like AE's business practices and not a huge fan of the "fast & furious" franchise they were good people.

As for the GTR versus the rear-engined porsche (I own both gtr and 997 turbo) your understanding of the physics and what makes a good sports car is questionable. I normally have a lot of respect for your posts so you'll have to excuse my negative tone but the amount of disrespect being paid to someone that is a genuine good person and threw in his lot (and became successful) with an "alternative" scene that became mainstream is a bit to schadenfreude for me or however you spell it.

I understand the desire to drive a really fast car, even ones without electronic stability control like the one that crashed.

However, driving it on a regular road? There are circuits for enjoying the raw power of the engine...

Don't see why one should be so politically correct when talking about this incident. Did you see the pictures showing the car wrapped around a tree? I have my doubts that happens at legal speed limits with an experienced driver such as the one that got killed in this incident.

[jr429]

Re: The Fast & the...........

I understand the desire to drive a really fast car, even ones without electronic stability control like the one that crashed.

However, driving it on a regular road? There are circuits for enjoying the raw power of the engine...

Don't see why one should be so politically correct when talking about this incident. Did you see the pictures showing the car wrapped around a tree? I have my doubts that happens at legal speed limits with an experienced driver such as the one that got killed in this incident.

I don't really care about PC and I'm kind of an ass so I call it out when other people are being asses - it takes one to know one haha

As for driving at the track like another poster said yes it's not very responsible to blast 100mph through an industrial zone but if you like cars you've done it before. It's like speeding on the freeway. How many times has your wife or girlfriend or your friend's significant other taken an SUV or minivan to 100mph? Once or twice? If she crashed and died are you dancing on her grave? Everyone likes to think "that's so stupid I would never do that" but get behind the wheel of a 600HP 450k sports car and you're doing the exact same thing. I like to think I'm pretty reserved when it comes to pushing cars hard on public roads - but I've done my share of stupid stuff and everyone I know has also.

[jr429]

Re: The Fast & the...........

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...lker-road.html

Indeed!
Mike

This article needs to be taken into context. Back in 03/04 when this car was released the fastest cars on the road had 400HP with a handful at 500hp. Nobody drove 600+HP street cars just like no one drives 900HP street cars today (La Ferraria, Veneno, Veyron), yet today every performance street car is now 500+ HP. The problem with the Carrera GT is lack of traction control - even a 250HP car without traction control will get most drivers into trouble much less one dialed in for the track - the contact patch on tires is only so big even if you're running a 335 width tire. If you read other reviews you'll get the same reaction from lucky testers who got their hands on the Veyron, Veneno, etc - afterall they are writing to what their readers want to hear.

[Mega]

Re: The Fast & the...........

100mph in a 45 zone in a mini-van?
Mike

[Mega]

Re: The Fast & the...........

Oh come on, even Vin Diesel taking the piss now....
Mike

[Mega]

Re: The Fast & the...........

I can see it now:- "We MUST finish F&F 7 for Paul".........

Then give it a few years, await his daughter turning 21 ish & she can star in F&F 8,9,10.......34. Vin Diesel will be grand-par speed by then.........

Mega

[jr429]

Re: The Fast & the...........

100mph in a 45 zone in a mini-van?
Mike

Here in the USA the speed limit is typically 70mph so 100mph in a minivan which I would say is the equivalent of 120+ in a sports car. Yes I am familiar with ke=mv^2

[Mega]

Re: The Fast & the...........

If she can manage +100 in a Mini-van though a 45 zone than i say sign her for RED BUll Racing !
Mike

[jr429]

Re: The Fast & the...........

If she can manage +100 in a Mini-van though a 45 zone than i say sign her for RED BUll Racing !
Mike

http://automobiles.honda.com/odyssey...fications.aspx

250HP/248TQ minivan.

Compare to your 944 Porsche which started at 150HP!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_944

[flintlock]

Re: The Fast & the...........

Most everyone believes they are a better driver than they really are. That seems a constant whether one owns a Honda Civic or a Cayenne Turbo. I can't think of any reason why people who can afford $450,000 cars would be any different

Very true! I have a good friend who owns a heavily modified 240z track car and thinks he is a pretty good driver but I dont see how he could be. He spends too little time driving it vs time and money trying to make it faster. I watched a youtube video of one of his outings and he was doing okay until he overheated the brakes. One of the funniest I've ever seen was of an old 5.0 Mustang with a souped up engine trying to autocross. Looked like he was on Ice. All motor and no handling. Wheel Spin/smoke/spin/more smoke.

[flintlock]

Re: The Fast & the...........

My 944 TURBO was more like 300hp when modestly modified, but still very tame by todays standards. There are Honda Civics that could beat it today. An Odyssey would have no problem doing 100mph. In 1986 it was a borderline supercar and could run rings around a stock 911 and the majority of cars on the road. I think there are a lot of cars today with more HP than is prudent but then thats what people want I suppose. Results in a condition known as ESO. Equipment Superior to Operator. Some of my favorite cars did not have a lot of HP but were a blast to drive.

A lot of us have done stupid things with cars. I certainly did. But by the time i was 40 I had realized it isn't always just about me and grew up. Public roads are not the place to joyride your expensive toys.

[GRG55]

Re: The Fast & the...........

...Everyone likes to think "that's so stupid I would never do that" but get behind the wheel of a 600HP 450k sports car and you're doing the exact same thing. I like to think I'm pretty reserved when it comes to pushing cars hard on public roads - but I've done my share of stupid stuff and everyone I know has also.

I doubt many of us here could legitimately claim we have not done exactly the same thing. Can one really be "alive" if one hasn't?

Interestingly, as I get older, and thus have less time left on this planet, I seem to be in much less of a rush (than when I was younger) to get where I am going when I am driving.

In my ill spent youth I used to subscribe to a theory of "intelligent speeding"...picking your time and location to maximize the opportunity, minimize the chances of having it spoiled by the constabulary and their flashing lights, and avoiding interfering with routine civilians. High speed runs in the very early morning hours down the Fraser Canyon highway ranked near the top of the list. It might have been "safer", but it still wasn't really "safe". But then anybody who is actually alive, is making these sorts of choices all the time...and may the government's Safety Nazis always be playing catch up...