autocar's best driver's car 2005

[fitnutrn]

can anyone scan it on here for the people across the pond?

rick

[AMG Merc]

What was the mention of M400 turbo lag - any M400 owners care to comment?

[joust]

It's got turbos, and hence it'll have lag!

All turbo cars have lag - fact. However, if you want *real* turbo lag you should let me take you out in the Quattro, then you'll find out about it....

As with all those mag articles, the cars are so fantastic they have to find something to make up the column inches....

J

[amg merc]

joust said:

It's got turbos, and hence it'll have lag! All turbo cars have lag - fact. However, if you want *real* turbo lag you should let me take you out in the Quattro, then you'll find out about it.... J

Sure but what I meant was can you notice turbo lag in your M400 Justin as I can't notice ANY in my lowly 3R?!

And forget the Quattro as an example of turbo lag: the memory of my first drive in an early Saab Turbo will be with me forever - foot down entering roundabout - smoothly around following a nice line minding my own business then... the turbo kicked in so violently and without warning that I was scrabbling to keep the rear at the rear (flikkin dangerous motor - IMHO!).

[robp]

Rob - had a 3R and now a non-BOV'r'd M400 and the answer is Yes the turbo-lag is much more noticeable in the M400 (at least in mine). This is especially true accelerating hard up through the gears. At each change when you get back on the gas there is a slight pause - the calm before the storm - as the T28s spool up, then all hell breaks loose, until you go to grab another cog. To be fair, the pause does give you the opportunity to spit out your fillings which were disloged in the previous rev-counter onslaught, and in truth, I havn't found this an issue either on the road or track. Apparently a BOV will help smooth the surge, if so desired.

[amg merc]

robp said:

Rob - had a 3R and now a non-BOV'r'd M400 and the answer is Yes the turbo-lag is much more noticeable in the M400 (at least in mine). This is especially true accelerating hard up through the gears. At each change when you get back on the gas there is a slight pause - the calm before the storm - as the T28s spool up, then all hell breaks loose, until you go to grab another cog. To be fair, the pause does give you the opportunity to spit out your fillings which were disloged in the previous rev-counter onslaught, and in truth, I havn't found this an issue either on the road or track. Apparently a BOV will help smooth the surge, if so desired.

Thanks Rob, I didn't know that the turbo lag is that much more noticable in an M400!

[joust]

amg merc said:

Sure but what I meant was can you notice turbo lag in your M400 Justin as I can't notice ANY in my lowly 3R?!

I'll happily show you lag on your 3R....

[joust]

amg merc said:

Thanks Rob, I didn't know that the turbo lag is that much more noticable in an M400!

Depends what you mean by "noticable". I don't remember any of my passengers in the M400 going "gosh, this has got lag on it", but as I said, all turbo cars will have 'lag' - it's just how you do or don't drive around it that makes the difference.

I could take you for a spin in the Ur and you'd swear blind it wasn't turboed, and I could appear to do the same in the M400 and you'd notice it.

Lag is like excess torque from NA, you can drive around it, or you can make it dam obvious IMHO.

J