So, how well does a Chimaera handle?
Discussion
Being a new man to the world of TVR, and by far not the worlds best driver, I ask the question "How well does a Chimaera handle?".
Although I have to say that the steering is very precise and fast, I've yet to push my car anywhere near its limits (I hope). Was wondering how you experts out there would rate the Chimaera against the likes of the Boxster etc.
Dav
Although I have to say that the steering is very precise and fast, I've yet to push my car anywhere near its limits (I hope). Was wondering how you experts out there would rate the Chimaera against the likes of the Boxster etc.
Dav
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Please don't use that sort of language here 
Dav.
I own a Chimaera. And a Boxster S.
I drive them both regularly. Both cars handle extremely well in comparison to 99% of cars on the road - so don't take the following comments badly.
The Boxster S has significantly "better" handling than the Chimaera. It has more grip and a better balance in hard cornering.
The Chimaera has entertaining handling as Nuggs said - oversteer city!
And, of course, it is slightly more powerful.
Once conditions get slippery (bad wet or, worse, snow) the difference becomes very, very marked. The Chim is useless in the ice and snow - and requires a gentle right foot in the wet. The Boxster is sublime in the wet - and OK in the icy nasty.
What I will say is you shouldn't go comparing your Chim to other things. They are brilliant in and of themselves and are to be enjoyed for what they are - a fine handling, fantastic sounding, powerful and characterful British sports car.
I own a Chimaera. And a Boxster S.
I drive them both regularly. Both cars handle extremely well in comparison to 99% of cars on the road - so don't take the following comments badly.
The Boxster S has significantly "better" handling than the Chimaera. It has more grip and a better balance in hard cornering.
The Chimaera has entertaining handling as Nuggs said - oversteer city!
And, of course, it is slightly more powerful. Once conditions get slippery (bad wet or, worse, snow) the difference becomes very, very marked. The Chim is useless in the ice and snow - and requires a gentle right foot in the wet. The Boxster is sublime in the wet - and OK in the icy nasty.
What I will say is you shouldn't go comparing your Chim to other things. They are brilliant in and of themselves and are to be enjoyed for what they are - a fine handling, fantastic sounding, powerful and characterful British sports car.
A general desire to spin once a loss of traction has been aquired, a more pronounced spin if at the limits of lateral adhesion.
Something to do with the nearly mid engine layout & an underspung & overdamped suspension system = lots of squat, dive & roll which means traction varies massively depending on the pitch of the car, the back goes light at the same time as the traction is lost.
Can be quite good fun so long as its not on the road that is, minimal steering lock means its difficult to rescue.
This is just my personal opinion btw, I'm sure it could be sorted with stiffer spring rates & revised damper settings. I do like the noise though.
Something to do with the nearly mid engine layout & an underspung & overdamped suspension system = lots of squat, dive & roll which means traction varies massively depending on the pitch of the car, the back goes light at the same time as the traction is lost.
Can be quite good fun so long as its not on the road that is, minimal steering lock means its difficult to rescue.
This is just my personal opinion btw, I'm sure it could be sorted with stiffer spring rates & revised damper settings. I do like the noise though.
cmj said:This IMO is the major cause of Griff & Chim accidents. The engine braking capability is immense so if you power into a corner braking hard and then change down, the increase rear braking can be enough to lock the back wheels. Flip ends in a microsecond. This can happen on a straight road if you change down to overtake for instance. Feeding the engine braking in by heel and toe goes a long way to address this. That said, once full engine braking is in effect, you will have more rear braking than the chassis is designed for no matter how carefully you apply it. In the wet or when fast cornering you should only heel and toe to maintain road speed, not to engine brake the rear wheels.
Biggest issue i noticed with my 5.0ltr chim was torque locking up the back wheels when changing down gear - very scary on the road or track. Definatley worth learing to heel and toe which significantly reduces this effect.
tvrbob said:I think half the problem, as I found when I did the IAM training years ago, is that it is immensely hard to separate braking and changing gear. I found it a big problem and went back to my old ways almost immediately, although I have learnt to heel and toe since.
The engine braking capability is immense so if you power into a corner braking hard and then change down, the increase rear braking can be enough to lock the back wheels. Flip ends in a microsecond. This can happen on a straight road if you change down to overtake for instance. Feeding the engine braking in by heel and toe goes a long way to address this.
I had the back snap out on me on track in the wet during a Caterham Experience day once. The instructor was very suprised that I caught it (as was I, if the truth be known) and I'm sure it was due to this. I'd only had the Chimaea a week or two at that stage and it put the fear of God into me, which is the point at which I started to teach myself heel & toe.
tvrbob said:
This IMO is the major cause of Griff & Chim accidents. The engine braking capability is immense so if you power into a corner braking hard and then change down, the increase rear braking can be enough to lock the back wheels. Flip ends in a microsecond.
Absolutely! An example of when I "discovered" this on an airfield day at Elvington: -
www.stuffandting.com/gallery/?gallery=elvington2004&image=enginebrake.jpg
I knew about the effects of engine braking, but on the way into this chicane I...ahem...forgot.
I'm soooo glad I did this on an open airfield and experienced just how sudden it can be! Makes you think that bit harder when pushing on generally!
I too have experienced the effects of engine breaking. However, I have to say it was not in a TVR, but in a rear wheel drive VAN (in my early 20s). Idea was to use engine breaking to slow me down for a roundabout. Net effect (in a van with no cargo), rear wheels locked, and through more luck than skill I piled on the opposite lock whilst simultaneously dipping the clutch. Could have been embarrassing as I’d written off a Golf GTi company car the week before.
Not as impressive as locking a TVR in the dry I'm afraid.
Dav
Not as impressive as locking a TVR in the dry I'm afraid.
Dav
grip - traction - handling - grip - traction - handling - grip - traction - handling - grip - traction - handling - grip - traction - handling - grip - traction - handling - grip - traction - handling - grip - traction - handling - grip - traction - handling.
Three different things.
The Chimaera handles very well on track and on road. It predictably lets the rear go when you want it to. Of course, it does it when you don't but that is down to the driver lacking something.
Three different things.
The Chimaera handles very well on track and on road. It predictably lets the rear go when you want it to. Of course, it does it when you don't but that is down to the driver lacking something.
The Chimaera is not a 'chuckable' sort of car like say a Clio 182 - you have to feed it into corners. It does have a lot of grip though.
I've done a First Lotus driving course (in the wet) and consistently carried more speed through the corners than the Lotus Elise that was also attending. I also lapped MUCH quicker than the Elise.
However, when you go past the limit, things can go wrong very quickly - the Elise was much more balanced and controlable i.e. better handling, but not better grip.
It's let down in the wet. The grip is there, but it really doesn't inspire any confidence with a feeling coming through the controls as if you're driving on ice. It is only when you push past this that the controls let you know about the level of grip.
Slow in, fast out works best
I've done a First Lotus driving course (in the wet) and consistently carried more speed through the corners than the Lotus Elise that was also attending. I also lapped MUCH quicker than the Elise.
However, when you go past the limit, things can go wrong very quickly - the Elise was much more balanced and controlable i.e. better handling, but not better grip.
It's let down in the wet. The grip is there, but it really doesn't inspire any confidence with a feeling coming through the controls as if you're driving on ice. It is only when you push past this that the controls let you know about the level of grip.
Slow in, fast out works best
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