Aargh!

SuperStalin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
1,173
I just watched another episode of a automotive show made here in my little Balkan country. The show is called S.A.T. ( Traffic, Automobilism, Tourism )

It's amazing what they made. They compared the
Lambo Gallardo, Dodge Viper, Porsche GT3, Ford GT, Ferrari F430 and a Corvette.

Anyway, the Porsche and Ford GT were the worst in all tests...
and the presenter ( his daddy owns the TV show and magazine )
explained that the Porsche GT3 and Ford GT have a design flaw,
with the engine being so far back. :blink:

The American cars were far behind all the European cars
in most straightforward acceleration and braking tests, and the cone slalom test,
but then, on the track, the Corvette and Viper were somehow as fast as anyone
else, except for the Ford GT and Porsche Gt3 which scored extremely poor times.
:blink:

I have a sneaking suspicion that the presenter doesn't know how to drive.
 
Not a unique problem. Mid-engine cars, IMHO, take a different set of reactions than front- or rear-engine cars. I'd be the first to admit that while I am a very good driver with a front engine car or the original rear-engined 911, I *still* have much to learn about mid-engine designs - to the point where I'm several seconds slower around a given track with a mid-engine car than with a conventional one, both in real life and in GT4.

Sounds like the presenter has a similar problem and just won't admit it. Plus, he's biased against American cars and wants to put the Euro product in the best light.
 
Actually the presenter doesn't have a bias against American cars,
he praised them so much, it was sickening. He was only biased against the Ford GT,
because of it's MR layout, but he totally dissed the Porsche GT3 for being RR.

He called it a "big disappointment".

He also called the Viper's engine "refined" :D
 
He also called the Viper's engine "refined" :D

Calling the Viper's engine "refined" is equal to calling NASCAR a "gentleman's" sport. It's loud, obnoxious, more uncontrolled power than is nessicary; yet I love it. In fact I find it insulting to call the Viper's engine "refined".
 
The fact that he said "refined" shows the extent of his knowledge...
 
Yeah, calling the Viper's engine refined pretty much shows he doesn't know what he's talking about.
 
Actually, I heard Vipers as of late are a lot more refined then the earlier models. I've heard testers complain about understeer and how difficult it is to break the rear tires loose. I've even heard testers say the Z06 Corvette is more scary on the edge then the SRT10.

I've also heard to some very poor things about the handling of then new 911 Turbo. But the GT3 should be a good car, it's just different in it's driving dynamics. Of course, the presenter bashing the RR layout and calling it disappointing isn't exactly false. The 911 is pretty much known of having the engine in the "wrong place".
 
Calling the Viper's engine "refined" is equal to calling NASCAR a "gentleman's" sport. It's loud, obnoxious, more uncontrolled power than is nessicary; yet I love it. In fact I find it insulting to call the Viper's engine "refined".
In fact, it's like saying that Blue Nun is a crisp, dry, fine wine.

Actually, I heard Vipers as of late are a lot more refined then the earlier models.
Listen, if a car is more refined than the original Viper, it still wouldn't be more refined than a punch to the nose.
 
Listen, if a car is more refined than the original Viper, it still wouldn't be more refined than a punch to the nose.

Granted. But you can only really compare the Viper to itself, as there really isn't anything else like it.
 
Granted. But you can only really compare the Viper to itself, as there really isn't anything else like it.

The only thing that might make the Viper blink twice would be this:

07.jpg


gt2-06.jpg


The car had become such a monster nearing the end of its development that it has never entered official production. At least one road-legal example exists today. I'm not entirely certain, but it would be safe to assume that this car had virtually no proactive safety systems...ABS, traction control, air bags, etc. etc. Seeing as how TVR makes cars.

It takes enormous amount of balls and brains to pilot this beast and live to tell about it.
 
From the rumors I'd heard about the TVR Speed Twelve, it became completely uncontrollable at speed, and they never figured out why. Wasn't this the car that TVR ran out of test drivers for, because it frightened everyone?

The difference between that and the previous Viper was this: The Viper was totally controllable, but absolutely unforgiving. If you had the talent, the car would reward you. If you thought you had talent and were wrong, the Viper would simply kill you.

The new Viper is a lot more forgiving and user-friendly than the old one. Unfortunately, that change took a lot of the charm out of the car.
 
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