Do you prefer usable bhp or more bhp than you need?
Discussion
Spleen said:
Muddle238 said:
If you’re only ever using 4 or 5/10ths to keep things sensible, what’s the point in all that additional power, except for bragging rights?
Because every now and then it's good fun and life's for living, right?
Likewise, still wish I had more!TameRacingDriver said:
Fair play, also the 325ti is so much cheaper! Sounds better than a GT86 too. I always fancied trying one, but never got around to it. Minis are great too
Yep, I like the Minis too As said everything is a compromise, the ti is an extra 150kg but it does sound a bit different and easy to do a few cheap mods
Back on Lee’s topic though, I think a few people are finding this out about the modern fast stuff and maybe that’s why these much older cars - Alfas Fords & Datsuns - being restomodded are proving so popular as a fun car. More tactility and feedback, not as capable at speed, something different etc
Edited by s m on Wednesday 9th June 20:12
TameRacingDriver said:
s m said:
CABC said:
The cliche MX5 absolutely is the answer. New 2.0l, off for a 225 tune and decent suspension. More smiles than nearly anything as it weighs a tonne. No willy-waving though. That kills it for so many phers.
That’s such a cheap solution you can also keep a characterful V8 for the torque and soundtrack.
Lack of seats kills it for meThat’s such a cheap solution you can also keep a characterful V8 for the torque and soundtrack.
cerb4.5lee said:
The E92 M3 I had was also a bit frustrating for me as well...because you needed a decent clear stretch of road to actually get to 8400rpm!(plus the gearing with the manual version that I had is long in those as well).
Now a nice 6.2 V8 C63(more torquey and lower revving)would certainly do the trick in comparison I would imagine though.
err ?Now a nice 6.2 V8 C63(more torquey and lower revving)would certainly do the trick in comparison I would imagine though.
you can get to 8400 in about 10 feet
It is very easy to drive a high powered car without speeding everywhere. My Mercedes had over 700bhp and was seriously quick when asked, the rest of the time it was like driving a normal car. The R8 which replaced it is slower on paper with 'only' 520bhp but to be honest I prefer the R8 in pretty much every way!
Gary C said:
cerb4.5lee said:
The E92 M3 I had was also a bit frustrating for me as well...because you needed a decent clear stretch of road to actually get to 8400rpm!(plus the gearing with the manual version that I had is long in those as well).
Now a nice 6.2 V8 C63(more torquey and lower revving)would certainly do the trick in comparison I would imagine though.
err ?Now a nice 6.2 V8 C63(more torquey and lower revving)would certainly do the trick in comparison I would imagine though.
you can get to 8400 in about 10 feet
I remember wishing that I had an Autobahn around the corner from me when I had mine. Don't make me keep talking about the E92 M3 please...because I've said enough about it already to last a lifetime!
TyrannosauRoss Lex said:
Spleen said:
Muddle238 said:
If you’re only ever using 4 or 5/10ths to keep things sensible, what’s the point in all that additional power, except for bragging rights?
Because every now and then it's good fun and life's for living, right? Likewise, still wish I had more!
It's like my bikes I can't fully exploit them (but get closer than I do in the cars) on the road but when you get close it's a sweet sweet spot
ZX10R NIN said:
TyrannosauRoss Lex said:
Spleen said:
Muddle238 said:
If you’re only ever using 4 or 5/10ths to keep things sensible, what’s the point in all that additional power, except for bragging rights?
Because every now and then it's good fun and life's for living, right? Likewise, still wish I had more!It's like my bikes I can't fully exploit them (but get closer than I do in the cars) on the road but when you get close it's a sweet sweet spot
t in a BMW behind that will either a) Think they're faster or b) kill you trying to prove it.TyrannosauRoss Lex said:
My car only has a fairly meagre 375bhp, I barely ever use max power, but it's nice knowing it's there Likewise, still wish I had more!
The part about barely ever using max power but nice knowing its there I can completely understand...and even the desire for more, but on what planet could 375bhp be described as "meagre" for a road car? Likewise, still wish I had more!I reckon you most likely said this with tongue in cheek.
I recently picked up an m140i and that’s about the sweet spot for me on the road, 350bhp and short gears means I can rev it out through a few without being to outrageous but still enough power to safely overtake without issue. Went for a run round Dumfries to Ayr last weekend and it was perfect for me.
Every day a journey said:
ZX10R NIN said:
TyrannosauRoss Lex said:
Spleen said:
Muddle238 said:
If you’re only ever using 4 or 5/10ths to keep things sensible, what’s the point in all that additional power, except for bragging rights?
Because every now and then it's good fun and life's for living, right? Likewise, still wish I had more!It's like my bikes I can't fully exploit them (but get closer than I do in the cars) on the road but when you get close it's a sweet sweet spot
t in a BMW behind that will either a) Think they're faster or b) kill you trying to prove it.I’m actually considering getting an F80 M3 or F82 M4, and would be coming from a stage 1 GTI Edition 30. My preference is exploitable performance, and that has to be across both traction and power. I’ve read that the M cars are severely traction limited in anything but ideal conditions.
The reality is you don’t really need anything over 200bhp, providing the car is not too lardy.
The reality is you don’t really need anything over 200bhp, providing the car is not too lardy.
Level 7 Boss said:
I’m actually considering getting an F80 M3 or F82 M4, and would be coming from a stage 1 GTI Edition 30. My preference is exploitable performance, and that has to be across both traction and power. I’ve read that the M cars are severely traction limited in anything but ideal conditions.
The reality is you don’t really need anything over 200bhp, providing the car is not too lardy.
It doesn't need to be perfect if your capable of not using the throttle like a light switch it's better on the Comp models, this is PH man nothing less than 400bhp for the station car The reality is you don’t really need anything over 200bhp, providing the car is not too lardy.
I think this applies to more mundane cars as well - the technology allows cars to reach the speed limit too quickly, with little drama, and is well within the car's capability and without requiring much driver skill.
I bought an M-lite diesel Mummy Wagon ferrying the family around, and even that has too much power for it's purposes. Full throttle will see you hit the national speed limit in under 5 seconds, and if on the odd occasion I do open the taps, invariably my four year old will announce soon after she's feeling sick
There was a great thread on here previously about is a BMW 320i all you need, and the answer is probably yes.
That said, I do enjoy the sensation of driving a properly quick car in a restrained manner - knowing it'll tear your face off if you want it to, but the traffic, road, weather, or a cocktail of all three, means you can't. I'm not convinced there's much enjoyment from chucking a load of power through a four wheel drive system via an automatic gearbox - simply mashing the pedal to the floor and accelerating quickly is difficult on our roads, and gets old pretty quickly.
Manual, 2wd, 2-350bhp, light is the perfect cocktail for me. Which is probably why my other browser window is currently focused on Lotus Exige's....
I bought an M-lite diesel Mummy Wagon ferrying the family around, and even that has too much power for it's purposes. Full throttle will see you hit the national speed limit in under 5 seconds, and if on the odd occasion I do open the taps, invariably my four year old will announce soon after she's feeling sick
There was a great thread on here previously about is a BMW 320i all you need, and the answer is probably yes.
That said, I do enjoy the sensation of driving a properly quick car in a restrained manner - knowing it'll tear your face off if you want it to, but the traffic, road, weather, or a cocktail of all three, means you can't. I'm not convinced there's much enjoyment from chucking a load of power through a four wheel drive system via an automatic gearbox - simply mashing the pedal to the floor and accelerating quickly is difficult on our roads, and gets old pretty quickly.
Manual, 2wd, 2-350bhp, light is the perfect cocktail for me. Which is probably why my other browser window is currently focused on Lotus Exige's....
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