So, is your car fast?

Author
Discussion

corozin

2,680 posts

270 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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I never used to regard my car as really that quick, but when I thought about in terms of "how often did I used to get overtaken in it?" I think it must have been much quicker than I thought.

Curiously I've been driving quite a few rentals of late somehow the performance of the old VR6 often seems to creep into those cars. So it seems more like a case of the driver rather than the machinery.

Brett748

919 posts

165 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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My Clio 182 is what I'd describe as 'nippy'. It's not fast.

Urban Sports

11,321 posts

202 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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My car is capable of huge burnouts so it must be fast....right?

200Plus Club

10,668 posts

277 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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my Lola T70 replica is about 480bhp in about 900kg so is "fast enough" and feels it in any gear.
i think that works out to about 530bhp/tonne? 11s 1/4s at 120+mph sort of speeds.

sunbeam lotus is 150bhp and 960kg so prob 156bhp/tonne and feels nippy in an old school sort of way!

Ali_T

3,379 posts

256 months

Saturday 6th October 2012
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Alex said:
Which do you prefer between the STI and Evo?
Evo by miles. And not just because it hasn't blown up! Handling is two leagues above the STI, far better suspension control yet no worse a ride and the interior is a better place to be. Steering wheel is also directly connected to the front wheels without being rerouted via the Moon. Looks better too, though still like an angry Volvo.

wackojacko

8,581 posts

189 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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Does me fine 230ish bhp with a great chassis and RWD. 0-60 in mid 6 seconds....

It's just right for the road, been in ridiculous machinery such as tuned turbo Porkers to high end Ferraris so the 330 feels pedestrian to me in that comparison.

mzaalam

65 posts

147 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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Yes. 0-60 in about 6.5 but its aroun the bends and the 3.2 v6 that gives it the umph when needed. Also dsg is amazing- seen the same car in manuals but generally people can't change gears as fast in a manual so their overall speed suffers...

Ved

3,825 posts

174 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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R32 so not fast really but pretty much Goldilocks for me and most other hatchback owners. The STI I owned was very fast.

Edited by Ved on Sunday 7th October 13:31

Ved

3,825 posts

174 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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mzaalam said:
Yes. 0-60 in about 6.5 but its aroun the bends and the 3.2 v6 that gives it the umph when needed. Also dsg is amazing- seen the same car in manuals but generally people can't change gears as fast in a manual so their overall speed suffers...
If this an R32 then it really isn't fast. It's potent but they really aren't fast cars, even in it's price bracket. Great car to own overall though. I took the manual over the DSG because it detached me from the car too much, plus it only makes a real difference as far as speed goes on straights but you're only going to really change a couple of times even going from a 30 to NSL so it really didn't matter to me.

Countdown

39,690 posts

195 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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To me a car feels fast if it's noticeable faster than the previous car I've been tootling around in.

For example my first R5 turbo felt fast, my first Escort RS Turbo felt fast, my first Sierra Cosworth felt fast but, since the E39 M5 I havent driven anything which felt massively noticeably faster.


sticks090460

1,074 posts

157 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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Volvo: no
911: yes.

wizzbilly

955 posts

192 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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Daily car 1300kg 337-bhp and 472lbft makes a quick daily drive with the tourqe overtaking in real world speeds in pretty acceptable had many plays with much more exotic stuff can always be sure to supprise someone .

track hack 1080kg with driver 302bhp and 433lbft fully gaged seam welded and coiloves makes good fun on road but dont tend to use it daily .

furtive

4,498 posts

278 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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My MX5 is not fast. But it doesn't matter. That's what is so great about them

MrMoonyMan

2,582 posts

210 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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Yes.

I'd say all but two of mine are.

Nothing super fast yet though.

K321

4,112 posts

217 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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yes

Fury RS

463 posts

181 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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My Sapph Cosworth feels quite quick by todays standards @ 349BHP but my old Grale Evo2 @ 282BHP felt quicker from what I remember but for me what I would call a 'Fast Car' is something along the lines of a Porsche 996 GT2, was a passenger in one of these a few years ago along some A and B roads here in S. Wales which had been breathed on a fair bit and wearing some massive carbon ceramic brakes to stop it, fastest thing on 4 wheels I have ever experienced and also stopped like nothing else.
That to me is a 'Fast Car'smokin Just wish I could afford onefrown...

Edited by Fury RS on Sunday 7th October 17:12

mzaalam

65 posts

147 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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Ved said:
If this an R32 then it really isn't fast. It's potent but they really aren't fast cars, even in it's price bracket. Great car to own overall though. I took the manual over the DSG because it detached me from the car too much, plus it only makes a real difference as far as speed goes on straights but you're only going to really change a couple of times even going from a 30 to NSL so it really didn't matter to me.
Hey. Yeah it's the Audi version of the r32. And yeah on an absolute scale it's not fast but I thought the whole point of the question was our relative perspectives. And tbh compared to most cars on the road on an average day it's fast.

Also with the practical aspects of it being a hatch it means you use it a lot more than much faster less practical cars. And with awd it is much safer to take around A and B roads at speed than something that requires a lot more driving skill and is better for rural wintery conditions (wife wanted a 4x4 for snow/work).

I hear you about the dsg but wanted the option of auto for commute and safety reasons and I quite like the paddle shifts - I have beaten a scooby wrx from the lights but he may not have been trying too hard smile

The only evil thing about it is the lamoid mpg- I get an average of 23. Got my eye on a 330d touring in about a year-18 months time..

driverrob

4,687 posts

202 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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mzaalam said:
I get an average of 23.
I dream of averaging that much!

jp7152

161 posts

222 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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My old E36 M3. For the 120 seconds the nitrous used to last (at wot) it was ridiculously fast. I think it was about 310bhp/tonne with the nitrous in use. Shame it was £60 to fill the bottle again!

Ved

3,825 posts

174 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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mzaalam said:
Hey. Yeah it's the Audi version of the r32. And yeah on an absolute scale it's not fast but I thought the whole point of the question was our relative perspectives. And tbh compared to most cars on the road on an average day it's fast.

Also with the practical aspects of it being a hatch it means you use it a lot more than much faster less practical cars. And with awd it is much safer to take around A and B roads at speed than something that requires a lot more driving skill and is better for rural wintery conditions (wife wanted a 4x4 for snow/work).

I hear you about the dsg but wanted the option of auto for commute and safety reasons and I quite like the paddle shifts - I have beaten a scooby wrx from the lights but he may not have been trying too hard smile

The only evil thing about it is the lamoid mpg- I get an average of 23. Got my eye on a 330d touring in about a year-18 months time..
Best not tell you I've averaged 29mpg over the last 25k then smile I'm also looking at a 330D so hands off :P