Why was the 996tt so slow on the TG circuit???

[deep]

I missed the show when it acually ran but often spot its place when new cars plaques are being put on the board. The 996tt is about halfway down the board next to some very 'normal' machinery. Anybody explain this?

ps I'm talking about Top Gear track times

[iguana]

Nabbed the times-

1st Pagani Zonda F - 1.18.4

2nd Maserati MC12 - 1.18.9

3rd Ferrari F60 Enzo - 1.19.0

4th Ariel Atom - 1.19.5

5th Porsche Carerra GT - 1.19.8

Ascari KZ1 - 1.20.7

Mercedes McLaren SLR - 1.20.9

Ford GT - 1.21.9

Ferrari 360 CS - 1.22.3

Porsche GT3 RS - 1.22.3

Murcielago - 1.23.7

Zonda - 1.23.8

Koenigsegg - 1.23.9

Noble - 1.25.0

Gallardo - 1.25.8

Porsche Cayman - 1.26.2

Lotus Exige - 1.26.4

Chevrolet Corvette - 1.26.8

Mercedes CLS 55 AMG - 1.26.9

Porsche 911 GT3 - 1.27.2

TVR 350C - 1.27.5

BMW M3 CSL - 1.28.0

Marcos TSO GT2 - 1.28.2 NEW

Dodge Viper SRT-10 - 1.28.5

MG SV - 1.28.6

Porsche 911 Carrera S - 1.28.9 (very wet)

Mitsubishi Evo VIII - 1.28.9

BMW Alpine Z8 - 1.29.0

Mercedes CL65 - 1.29

Alfa 3.7 GTA - 1.30.0

Subaru Impreza STI - 1.30.1

Aston Martin DB7 GT - 1.30.4

Vauxhall Monaro VXR - 1.30.16

Audi S4 - 1.30.9
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Porsche 911 turbo - 1.31.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Vauxhall VX 220 turbo - 1.31.3

Honda NSX Type R - 1.31.6

BMW M3 - 1.31.8

Nissan 350Z - 1.31.8

Mazda RX8 - 1.31.8

BMW 535d - 1.31.8

Ford Focus RS - 1.32.2

Lotus Esprit V8 - 1.32.5

Audi TT V6 - 1.32.7

MG ZT - 1.33

Noble - 1.33.1

Mercedes SL 55 AMG - 1.33.2

Volkswagen Golf R32 - 1.33.2

Cadillac CTS-V - 1.33.3

Holden Monaro - 1.33.9

Ford Focus ST - 1.34.9

Volvo S60R - 1.35.0

Ferrari 575 - 1.35.2

Alfa 147 GTA - 1.35.6

Lotus Elise - 1.35.6

Aston Martin Vanquish - 1.36.2

Renault Clio v6 - 1.36.2

Honda Civic Type R - 1.36.5

Saab 95 hot aero - 1.37.9

Mazzer - 1.38.0

Bowler Wildcat - 1.39.4

Bentley Arnarge - 1.40.8

Overfinch - 1.44.0


Well its an odd list that I'd take as gospel about as much as an episode of eastenders is to real life, as there are so many varibles to consider & there are many quite seemingly bizarre variations- for instance Nissan 350z on the same pace as NSX type R?? & a mere .8secs off a 996T.... nah 350z is fun but 996T pace ha ha come on, waaaaay to many variables there to make it worthy of serious study


As i recall the 996T was done a while back (seem to remember it was a PHers own car & he wrote about it on here- seem to recall he lent it to them & got a set of mullerd tyres as a thank you!




>> Edited by iguana on Saturday 17th December 23:55

[deep]

Hi.

I agree its not gospel, but its the same track, and very capable pro drivers. The tt scored very badly indeed. I've asked this question elsewhere before and never really got a decent answer.

Deep

[willr]

It was very very wet then they tested the 996tt - much wetter than most times and with less than optimal tyres. So take at least 4 seconds off that and you get a more respectable time. Plus the newer Stig seems to be better than the old ones...

[deep]

Hi Will,

Some of the others were in quite wet conditions iirc.

[willr]

What can anyone say? The 996tt is clearly rubbish, or the stig should be fired?
Check out Evo for some alternative, but probably equally misleading numbers...

[bumcrack]

Makes the Cayman look good value as a track toy, only serious hardware and trackday cars above it.(I know some of the other times are wet times, btw)

JC says 3 seconds more for a wet lap, I seem to remember



>> Edited by bumcrack on Sunday 18th December 16:58

[agent006]

New driver since then, setting better times. Plus slight track changes.

[diver944]

You have to remember that it is a TV entertainment show and not a scientific experiment. They have the advantage of multiple angles, mutiple cameras and a huge editing suite so they can show whatever they think looks best. I'm not saying they lie, but lets just say that artistic license can prevail as well as all the other variables.

For example Ellen Macarthur (the fastest celebrity in the Sukuki Leana) was only .4 of a second slower than Damon Hill, and nearly a full second quicker than current F1 driver Mark Webber (in the wet). I didn't see the recent episode when Nigel Mansell set the fastest overall time, but others have noticed the cars numberplate changed throughout the course of the lap

[sjn2004]

There's also 5 sec difference between the GT3 and the GT3RS, infact the Cayman was quicker than the standard GT3.

The show seems more about light entertainment rather than factual.

Also, why have they never tested a Ultima?

[bumcrack]

agent006 said:

New driver since then, setting better times. Plus slight track changes.

yeah, of course its not the car



Clarkson dismissed the Cayman, if he wanted to make anything look slow, it would be the new Porsche.

[bumcrack]

sjn2004 said:

There's also 5 sec difference between the GT3 and the GT3RS, infact the Cayman was quicker than the standard GT3. The show seems more about light entertainment rather than factual. Also, why have they never tested a Ultima?

Wasn't the GT3 a wet time?

[DanH]

sjn2004 said:

There's also 5 sec difference between the GT3 and the GT3RS, infact the Cayman was quicker than the standard GT3.

Was that a mk1 GT3 though? Remember the RS ships on pretty sticky rubber...

[interloper]

The GT3 was a wet time, it looks to me like the words, mildly moist, wet and very wet are missing from quite a few of those lap times.

[Raven 930]

. The 996tt is about halfway down the board next to some very 'normal' machinery. Anybody explain this?

I seem to recollect that Porsche Cars GB wouldn't provide Tpo Gear with a 996 Turbo and as a consequence they used a privately owned car.
Is it possible that in deference to this and the appalling track conditions, they felt obliged to take it easy?

[sundeep]

willr said:

It was very very wet then they tested the 996tt - much wetter than most times and with less than optimal tyres. So take at least 4 seconds off that and you get a more respectable time. Plus the newer Stig seems to be better than the old ones...

aye, vvvv wet on old stiggy ! surprised they haven't flagged it as vvv wet !