300bhp is too much
Discussion
The upcoming Astra VXR is being provided with 280bhp as standard, with the knock on effect of a special edition likely to be pushing out 300bhp plus.
This is too much power for a front wheel drive hatchback.
Yes, it may win headlines or provide added bragging rights for those with an inferiority complex, but will it actually be fun, engaging or usable to drive in 99% of situations?
I doubt it would be much quicker on the track over the competition either.
To me these mega-horsed hatchbacks are beginning to out date themselves by refusing to stall or reverse the power war. They are not performance cars for modern times.
Low cost, light weight, usable and ultimately FUN to drive? I would be much more excited by the arrival of a lightly tickled Volkswagen Up.
This is too much power for a front wheel drive hatchback.
Yes, it may win headlines or provide added bragging rights for those with an inferiority complex, but will it actually be fun, engaging or usable to drive in 99% of situations?
I doubt it would be much quicker on the track over the competition either.
To me these mega-horsed hatchbacks are beginning to out date themselves by refusing to stall or reverse the power war. They are not performance cars for modern times.
Low cost, light weight, usable and ultimately FUN to drive? I would be much more excited by the arrival of a lightly tickled Volkswagen Up.
HeavySoul said:
The upcoming Astra VXR is being provided with 280bhp as standard, with the knock on effect of a special edition likely to be pushing out 300bhp plus.
This is too much power for a front wheel drive hatchback.
Yes, it may win headlines or provide added bragging rights for those with an inferiority complex, but will it actually be fun, engaging or usable to drive in 99% of situations?
I doubt it would be much quicker on the track over the competition either.
To me these mega-horsed hatchbacks are beginning to out date themselves by refusing to stall or reverse the power war. They are not performance cars for modern times.
Low cost, light weight, usable and ultimately FUN to drive? I would be much more excited by the arrival of a lightly tickled Volkswagen Up.
Have you driven the new focus RS?This is too much power for a front wheel drive hatchback.
Yes, it may win headlines or provide added bragging rights for those with an inferiority complex, but will it actually be fun, engaging or usable to drive in 99% of situations?
I doubt it would be much quicker on the track over the competition either.
To me these mega-horsed hatchbacks are beginning to out date themselves by refusing to stall or reverse the power war. They are not performance cars for modern times.
Low cost, light weight, usable and ultimately FUN to drive? I would be much more excited by the arrival of a lightly tickled Volkswagen Up.
HeavySoul said:
The upcoming Astra VXR is being provided with 280bhp as standard, with the knock on effect of a special edition likely to be pushing out 300bhp plus.
This is too much power for a front wheel drive hatchback.
Why not ask the owner of a Focus RS?This is too much power for a front wheel drive hatchback.
I've been in one (as a panssenger) several times and it handles the power perfectly well and it brutally quick, for A focus.
My 345hp fwd hatchback does everything I want and was affordable new whereas an equivalently priced RWD/4WD car wouldn't have been.
The only thing I can't do is plant it in 1st or 2nd but I've grown out of that kind of thing.
Saying that I am determined not to get FWD next time, but I couldn't compromise on bhp hugely with that goal in mind.
The only thing I can't do is plant it in 1st or 2nd but I've grown out of that kind of thing.
Saying that I am determined not to get FWD next time, but I couldn't compromise on bhp hugely with that goal in mind.
I don't think the power is the issue, the problem is that they have grown so big, heavy and complex. That when added to the development of tyres and suspension technology means that the only way a car can deliver any thrills is through big numbers.
A current Astra is as big if not bigger than a MK2 Cavalier was, and would dwarf a MK1 or MK2 Astra.
120-150bhp used to be adequate for a hot hatchback to be named as such, and cars of that ilk were considered exiting and fun. But they could bite the unwary and terminally stupid, which is what makes a car interesting IMO.
Now we seem to have a lot of driver who can go much faster than their skill allows because the car just grips and uses torque to deliver shoves in the back and big speedo numbers, most of these people wouldn't have a clue how to make something like a 205GTI go quickly through corners and would probably struggle to drive a 2wd sierra or E30 M3 hard on the roads.
I can honestly say that despite wanting more power in my little Puma that for all but very long straights it has enough, and the only place I would use more power would be at more than the legal limit or to overtake on a motorway.
A current Astra is as big if not bigger than a MK2 Cavalier was, and would dwarf a MK1 or MK2 Astra.
120-150bhp used to be adequate for a hot hatchback to be named as such, and cars of that ilk were considered exiting and fun. But they could bite the unwary and terminally stupid, which is what makes a car interesting IMO.
Now we seem to have a lot of driver who can go much faster than their skill allows because the car just grips and uses torque to deliver shoves in the back and big speedo numbers, most of these people wouldn't have a clue how to make something like a 205GTI go quickly through corners and would probably struggle to drive a 2wd sierra or E30 M3 hard on the roads.
I can honestly say that despite wanting more power in my little Puma that for all but very long straights it has enough, and the only place I would use more power would be at more than the legal limit or to overtake on a motorway.
Unfortunately Top Gear seem to have made everyone think that 250BHP or more through the front wheels is undrivable.
It is - if you drive everywhere with your foot planted into the carpet!
Either some sympathy with the throttle about how and when you use WOT, or some additional gadgets like traction control and an LSD will see you cope with that kind of power all day long. I've had the pleasure of spending most of the day driving a Corrado VR6 Turbo putting out over 360BHP on greasy roads and without any of the aforementioned aids. Yes, if I buried my foot, it was all over the place. But if I modulated how I used the throttle and saved WOT for a clear stretch in 3rd gear or beyond it was quite controllable.
It is - if you drive everywhere with your foot planted into the carpet!
Either some sympathy with the throttle about how and when you use WOT, or some additional gadgets like traction control and an LSD will see you cope with that kind of power all day long. I've had the pleasure of spending most of the day driving a Corrado VR6 Turbo putting out over 360BHP on greasy roads and without any of the aforementioned aids. Yes, if I buried my foot, it was all over the place. But if I modulated how I used the throttle and saved WOT for a clear stretch in 3rd gear or beyond it was quite controllable.
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