December 12th, 2004

[Leppy]

Yeah jeremy will drive off and James and Richard will have to walk to the airport...

[ca6]

They should've had a proper driver used to the Murc - There's no way he was used to driving that on the track if JC could catch him. I'm not saying the FQ400 isn't up to it, rather JC's driving skills.

But hey, it's top gear not evo-tv.

Good epsiode, there should've been more contenders in the comedy handling part

[JoeBlo1]

The part where James starts laughing is SCARY.

Overall, great episode. Jeremy doesn't like Prius because it's a boring car. Top Gear is a performance car show and they're against anything that's boring.

The great thing about Clarkson is that he says what he wants to say, even if you don't like it. He doesn't care if he's biased or if people think he's illogical.

[wojtrek]

Hi all

this is my first post
on that occasion I would like to thank Viper and all other who contribute to this site.
I am, as proly all of you, a big fan o TG and since I only can watch the 30minutes crappy version of it here in Poland (as rest of Europe) I'm really glad I found this site

anyways, back to the topic
I really wish the did a lap on the track in the mustang. It really is annoying they sometimes test a car and don't bother giving it to the Stig...

The other thing is the prius. It may be not as fuel efficient as a latest diesel cars, and 'only' make 45mpg when diesels do 50+ but I see that people keep forgetting that diesel is a less 'green' fuel than petrol. When you burn petrol you are far more eco-friendly than burning the same amount of diesel...
so I think this should also be taken into consideration when you compare an electric-petrol hybrid with a diesel. Simply saying that a lupo does 65mpg is not enough I think.
Imagine 90% of people in city centre driving a diesel... the smog...
Isn't this not-eco-friendliness of diesels the reason for diesel fuel being more expensive in UK? not sure here though.

about the evo vs murc.
the black smoke is the unburnt fuel. when a car burns oil the smoke is grey/blueish not black.
4mpg is really not that surprising when you're running around the track 100% of the time full throttle with 400hp... come on? it's not that it'll do the same on a road...
I think the real great thing about an evo is the fact, that although it was driven by JC who is not the best driver, it could still keep up with a lambo with a touring car champ behind the wheel. And we could see that jeremy looked pretty relaxed, but the murc driver was really trying hard! This means that on a normal road, nothing will come close to you, nothing! an enzo or anything like it, needs a track with perfect tarmac to be mega fast, but say the track is a b-road... no chance of catching the evo (I know it has 4wd ).

"The part where James starts laughing is SCARY."
I thought it was hilarious.. as well as the time difference between the SLK and the boxster! that was something like 4s!! that is ages behind the porsche!

ok, that's enough for now

[JoeBlo1]

Originally Posted by wojtrek

"The part where James starts laughing is SCARY."
I thought it was hilarious.. as well as the time difference between the SLK and the boxster! that was something like 4s!! that is ages behind the porsche!

It just seemed so fake and forced. I had to place my arm over my eyes because his laugh looked so ridiculous.

[SiR_dude]

^ Ditto, that was just wrong This ep wasn't great, but I'm looking forward to next week. Of course, JC will win, but I like watching them anyway. I'd love to have James' or Richard's job....getting paid to take a flight for the purpose of....taking a flight. Must be nice....

[jmX]

I too was disappointed by the fact they didnt test the mustang on the track. What the heck? I'm almost certain Ford had something to do with that, as they probably dont want their pony car being so mediocre in top gears list of performance cars.

But..who knows.

The older guy laughing, scary.
The evo/lambo thing, pointless.
The complaints about the evo? Worthless.
The awards thing was kinda lame as well.

This season started out really nice, but I think this episode missed the mark. A show testing a new mustang and racing an evo and lambo has a lot more potential than was demonstrated. Ah well. Even the bad ones are still entertaining.

BTW, anybody know when this season is over?

[andyhui01]

anybody know when this season is over?

there are about 3 or 4 episodes left

[Likwid]

Originally Posted by jmX

I too was disappointed by the fact they didnt test the mustang on the track. What the heck? I'm almost certain Ford had something to do with that, as they probably dont want their pony car being so mediocre in top gears list of performance cars.

But..who knows.

The older guy laughing, scary.
The evo/lambo thing, pointless.
The complaints about the evo? Worthless.
The awards thing was kinda lame as well.

This season started out really nice, but I think this episode missed the mark. A show testing a new mustang and racing an evo and lambo has a lot more potential than was demonstrated. Ah well. Even the bad ones are still entertaining.

BTW, anybody know when this season is over?

The mustang would have pulled an alright time for what it is but remember its using a solid rear. Watch the other cars go around the track and you'll see them hitting bumps in corners... enough of them to throw the stang's tail out quite a few times. They understeer and over steer quite alot... they're only meant to be straight line machines for the cost. If tradition keeps up the Cobra will get the much needed independent suspension and a HP boost... although if that same tradtion goes it will cost $35-40 grand which puts it in the price range of better cars for the money. I personally cant stand the Mustang... they should have dropped the trick dial lights in favor of an independent suspension... I mean it is days away from being 2005 and there are a good many cars for the same money that are way more up to date and just as fast including the WRX and Evo RS. I understand the Mustang is going to sell like crazy because its an Icon.... but so is Frank Sinatra and I dont listen to his music. Being an icon is nice but not enough of a reason for me to show interest.

The Evo/Lambo race wasnt pointless. The exotics are fun cars to own on a sunny saturday afternoon but in the real world on real roads that crown and have potholes the Evo would be a faster car. It was a way of saying look how far they have come.

The FQ-400 gripes werent all that great but I can see his point. In US dollars the 400 is $91k, the FQ-320 is just as much fun and still very quick for $60k US.... of course this being the US and all we only have the base 270hp Evo with IC sprayer, no active YAW or center diff, the MR with 276hp center diff, no IC or active YAW and the RS which is the same as the MR minus anything that adds weight... like electric windows, radio and so on. This also being the US were not allowed to even think of racing the Evo..... no even at a stop light to shout down a new Mustang. If they think we are then bye bye warranty..... wonder why the STi sells more...hmmm.

[dwh]

What model/engine was the SLK they were driving???

[MrMan]

My goodness, it seemed like Clarkson read my mind about the Prius. Living in Nor-Cal I wasn't brave enough to dare say what I really thought of the car.

[klch]

Originally Posted by Wally

The evo MR is a beast, i doubt they're still using that potatoe turbo on N. American version. As for the black smoke... I seriously hope it's not burning oil, but they did say it requires a tune-up every 4000mi. Possibly improperly burnt fuel? Stock settings running too lean?

run lean doesn't have smoke, only rich

[klch]

Originally Posted by qube

Highlight for me was the sound of that new Mustang, gotta love those V8's!

That Evo was a bit scary at 4MPG! The Ford GT gets more than that!

when you try to drive a turbo car in a race, MPG figure is totally meaningless

[andyhui01]

Originally Posted by klch

run lean doesn't have smoke, only rich

well... running rich gives black smoke and when you shift... there would be quite a loud pop in the exhuast and sometimes if its too rich... it spits fire

[klch]

Originally Posted by Tha_bounce

Mole

How do the Evo's breaks do? Someone mentioned to me once, as they being the reason he would get a WRX over an Evo, due to drum brakes or something old, still used in evo's......?

drum? who's that idiot that say that, even a Accord has 4wheel disc!

[andyhui01]

I don't remember any evo that runs on drum brakes... as far as I can remember... even evo 1's had 4 whell disc brakes

[klch]

Originally Posted by Likwid

The MR was cool.... too bad Mitsu went back to that moronic 276hp limit for our MR... as well as droppong the IC sprayer and active YAW control

blame the US emissions crap, the AYC/ACD(in normal EVO) is dropped because they've to put a carbon canister for emission and no place for the AYC/ACD controller module

One thing though..... the Mustang, well I agree its a bad car but its still cool however dont you think a safety latch in the trunk is going a bit too far for safety design? What ever happened to natural selection?

sometimes ago in US, there had been some child locked up in the trunk and died, so almost all car has this feature now

[Tha_bounce]

Originally Posted by "Likwid

. I personally cant stand the Mustang... they should have dropped the trick dial lights in favor of an independent suspension... I mean it is days away from being 2005 and there are a good many cars for the same money that are way more up to date and just as fast including the WRX and Evo RS. I understand the Mustang is going to sell like crazy because its an Icon.... but so is Frank Sinatra and I dont listen to his music. Being an icon is nice but not enough of a reason for me to show interest.
.

I too, would prefer better suspension to, tricked dials, but it all comes down to cost and how much you can keep cost down to survive in the business. The Japanese have that art down to a science, with just in time managment, and other effiencet management skills, to be able to afford to put certain things on a car of that price. Unfortunately, Ford, doesnt, and so in order to cut cost, they have to cut good or better parts. And lets face it, they want to make it affordable, so a lot of peep would own one, and for the 99% of peeps who own a mustang, they have no idea what is under the hood, or tires, so its not a big deal and therefore in that respect they succed....

As some car magazine i read, that tested it, said - They think Ford has taken the retro thing a bit too far!!

[Buba]

Originally Posted by klch

when you try to drive a turbo car in a race, MPG figure is totally meaningless

Wouldn't agree... At least, if you are talkin about races that are more than 100 miles... If you gotta stop to get fuel and the others don't you'll never win...
They don't talk that much about it, but in F1 fuel consumtion is critical, I'd say. If a car uses just one gallon less per 100 miles that another one, that's like a couple of seconds saved, because they carry around less weight...

Nevertheless, for a street performance car you take out on Track days you are completly right...

Buba

[smeghead]

F1 cars average aronud 5mpg when driving flat out around most tracks I believe. Monaco is probably the worst, but you're right, fuel consumption is a big issue. In F1 the tanks are generally the same size, although the Ferrari tanks were HUGE last year. BUt that's not really an advantage on most tracks, as tyres are normally more of an issue when you're talking about length of stints.

The whole idea of a turbo is to get more air in the engine so you can whack fuel in quicker, so obviously with a bitchin' turbo doing serious work, you're going to chew up petrol at an alarmign rate. But then you can calm it down and it'll be much better, whereas a big V8 will drink massive amounts of fuel all the time, no matter how gently you drive.

Sam