Motor Trend: Top 10 Best Handling Cars

[Buz]

Did they test the Carrera GT? I thought that was the handling heavy hitter of the P cars. It does not come with R compounds as standard equipment like the GT3 though.

[CodeRed]

Beautiful car jack..congrats!

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Jack

The 997 GT3 and RS share many similarities but there is a discernible performance difference. If interested, here's a
link http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...d.php?t=336645 to my comparo. Since then, I've taken delivery of my RS -- great car. Of course, I still prefer tracking my Lotus.

[IMG][/IMG]

You own my favorite car in the world.

After reading that article, and others like it; I am thinking that my decision to get a 997 GT3 is the right one. So who wants my Forcedfed R340 Elise?

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by keith86a

P.S. There are also rumors that RS actually dynos 10-15whp higher than regular GT3....

The GT3 (RS and non-RS) is guaranteed to make a minimum of 415 hp, they are all actually making a little more than that. The regular 911's don't have this unwritten guarantee. Also, the GT3 makes another 10-15 when at speed due to the ram air. So there are probably times, when driving about 180 mph on the Autobahn or the track where the car may be making as much as 430hp.....440hp.........who knows....

[MitchT]

Spent the day at moroso PCA Event, A fellow PCA instructor just got a New orange GT3rs added all the euro goodie that the US does not get, except the lexan rear glass. THe car lives up to its reputation, the lotus can hang with it on the turns on the straight it pulls.

But elise =50k
Vette=78K
Gt3RS=130K

The mags compare apples to oranges, put the new Lotus GT3 on the track.

So take one lotus elise 50K add 30k in technology and it will undoublty keep up with these supercars

[Daedelous]

So I went back to the store and bought the article. It's the June issue. Upon reading the whole thing this time it sounds like there are a fair amount of complaints about the Z06 that I didn't see before, despite it's good track run...basically about how it has so much rediculous power (especially torque I would guess) that it just goes crazy on the turns...doesn't have the handling peripherals that a car with that much power should have.

[SimonMExS]

Originally Posted by Daedelous

So I went back to the store and bought the article. It's the June issue. Upon reading the whole thing this time it sounds like there are a fair amount of complaints about the Z06 that I didn't see before, despite it's good track run...basically about how it has so much ridiculous power (especially torque I would guess) that it just goes crazy on the turns...doesn't have the handling peripherals that a car with that much power should have.

Overall, they rank the Z06 in ninth place. Here's a quote, "This one is definitely the most difficult to drive, because of the low rear grip and high power. The front seems soft and heavy, and the rear seems too stiff and very light. So when you go into all the corners, you have enormous oversteer. Off power, on power, on brake--everywhere." In this group, handling is not the Corvette's strong point.

[Daedelous]

Yeah, that.

[Andrikos]

Originally Posted by Stephen

So who wants my Forcedfed R340 Elise?

Hehe, how much?

[LARRY]

In recent tests only car faster/better than Exige is Porsche GT-3 at $119,000.00.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Andrikos

Hehe, how much?

Somewhere around $60K.

I will post it for sale soon; I just love it so much I can't seem to type the words and click "Post New Thread." But my GT3 order day will come soon, so I have to be ready.

[saudio]

If this is the same article I read in the gym the other day, it takes points away from the Elise for bad "cockpit ergonomics". Take that catagory out and the Elise has top scores. Isn't that total BS? It was a handling test.

[Daedelous]

Originally Posted by saudio

If this is the same article I read in the gym the other day, it takes points away from the Elise for bad "cockpit ergonomics". Take that catagory out and the Elise has top scores. Isn't that total BS? It was a handling test.

If you take that out, the Elise does move up to score half a point above the Cayman S, but is still one point behind the GT3.

[shokwaves]

Originally Posted by Jack

The 997 GT3 and RS share many similarities but there is a discernible performance difference. If interested, here's a
link http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...d.php?t=336645 to my comparo. Since then, I've taken delivery of my RS -- great car. Of course, I still prefer tracking my Lotus.

[IMG][/IMG]

Gorgeous machine, this is my pinnacle car. Some day!

[srwhitman]

Just saw one the other day at SVAG's open house. The orange is a bit different and not quite as nice as the Chrome Orange that Lotus has. Still, I was drooling. I'm curious, why would you still prefer the Exige/Elise on the track?

Scott

[Jack]

Originally Posted by srwhitman

Just saw one the other day at SVAG's open house. The orange is a bit different and not quite as nice as the Chrome Orange that Lotus has. Still, I was drooling. I'm curious, why would you still prefer the Exige/Elise on the track?

Scott

The Cup car is a dedicated track/race car -- the GT3/RS is a street/highly capable track car and it is a fantastic "real" car.

The RS is ultimately faster than the Lotus on track, but it is harder to drive at the limit than the Lotus. The Cup240/255 is a much more forgiving car on track and makes us average drivers look like great drivers. Probably of greater significance is the fact that it is much less expensive to track a Lotus than a P-car. The disposables (tires,brakes, etc,) last significantly longer and cost significantly less.


A more valid comparison would be to compare the Lotus Cup cars to the GT3 Cup car, both dedicated track machines. I might prefer the latter for track duty if I had that option, but I'd definitely need some more coaching from Craig Stanton before I'd feel comfortable exploring the limits of the Porsche on track.

[Daedelous]

Originally Posted by srwhitman

I'm curious, why would you still prefer the Exige/Elise on the track?

Scott

I've never driven a GT3, but from what the article said, the Lotus seemed to have been more fun, even if it couldn't take lateral Gs like the GT3 *shrug*. It's up to the driver, I guess.

[masheen]

Originally Posted by LARRY

Best handling (skid pad):

Lotus:

Caterham, Elise, Exige.

Nothing even comes close.

handling != skid pad

skid pad measures steady-state (not changing any control inputs) grip.

handling is how easy it is to drive the car through turns, + how fast it can be driven through various turns under various conditions, + dynamic grip (breaking+turning, accelerating+turning, bumps+turning...), + steady-state grip, + how it feels to drive the car, +...

[masheen]

they complained that the exige gets loose suddenly. their yoko's must be heat cycled-out. it would have done better on more consistent tires, but with similar overall grip.

[vnamvet]

Originally Posted by jlee

personally I'm amazed how good the current Z06 really is. each track event i attend the number of Z06s seems to multiply..its converting alot of other loyal marque owners..

I haven't driven one but it does look amazingly smooth and i've been told it feels great. for $30-$40k less than any GT3 it really does sound like a bargain.

jeff

You're correct...............having owned a 2006 VR Z06, I can totally agree. I would like to have driven a GT3 prior to purchase, however. There are not very many test drives for Porsches.........................