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The Automotive Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Zyzyxxz
- Start date
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That's pretty weak for a turbo 2.0.
Sidebar: Everyone! Wash your winter wheels before you put swap out the summers! If you let grime build up, it'll just be harder to get off, one day.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
So the McLaren P1 is gunning for the Ferrari F70. They held a private event in NYC last Friday where they revealed a production car. Specs are said to be upwards of 1000HP. 900HP at the very least.
It looks absolutely maniacal. I can already see an episode of Top Gear unfolding pitting this, the Ferrari and a Veyron. Absolute car porn for days.
McLaren P1 NYC Reveal
It looks absolutely maniacal. I can already see an episode of Top Gear unfolding pitting this, the Ferrari and a Veyron. Absolute car porn for days.
McLaren P1 NYC Reveal
Took my steering wheel off to wrap this bad boy on...
What, where and how much? That is really sharp.
Looks like we are going to be getting at least 4 inches of snow so I will be able to test out my extreme contact DWS.
I have something draped over the top outside of my drivers side window and weighed down on the top to prevent my frameless window from freezing shut.
Its from a Chinese site unfortunately - http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=18309980336
Mine was about 50 bucks for special customization. You can take a look at the page above, they can do all sort of nice customization/combos.
I have no idea how to even navigate that site.
Thinking of sending my wheel off to these guys (heard about them more than a decade ago when I had my RX-7).
BrokenEchelon
Banned
Merry Christmas AutoGAF!
Coming from a 2007-08 350z owner, this is a very good review. I absolutely LOVE my 350z. It still looks absolutely beautiful and turns heads constantly (dat silhouette), has razor sharp steering, great power and it loaded for a sports car (dat 10/12 speaker BOSE stereo, heating seats, cruise control etc).
However I have never owned a car that when I first bought, I actually thought was broken lol. The gearbox is clunky and loud as fuck in the lower gears and the clutch has a slightly inconsistent feel and is like a button, either engaged or not with very little in between hence I can relate to drive train lash that you speak of. Though you soon learn to drive one properly (a week or two), you soon forget about that nonsense.
Merry xmas GAF!
David Incorporated Esq.
Member
Who wants to diagnose a transmission issue?
When cold, my transmission squeals and groans like a bastard. It happens when the car is stationary with the clutch engaged, the car is in gear with clutch engaged or car is in gear with clutch disengaged (i.e., car is in motion, in gear, clutch disengaged and engine idling).
The mechanic I saw had no idea and said "Just leave it until it gets worse, I'd have to drop the transmission and just start replacing things to figure it out." Which seems like a pretty lousy answer.
My bet would be a dying mainshaft bearing, any opinions?
When cold, my transmission squeals and groans like a bastard. It happens when the car is stationary with the clutch engaged, the car is in gear with clutch engaged or car is in gear with clutch disengaged (i.e., car is in motion, in gear, clutch disengaged and engine idling).
The mechanic I saw had no idea and said "Just leave it until it gets worse, I'd have to drop the transmission and just start replacing things to figure it out." Which seems like a pretty lousy answer.
My bet would be a dying mainshaft bearing, any opinions?
Might be lucky and it's just the throwout bearing?
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
So the Mercedes Benz CLA leaked. Pretty good looking car, I must say. Not every engine will be available in the US, as always. But of course, the AMG car is what most of us care about. It'll be a 2.0L Turbo pushing 350HP. More below.
http://www.wotauto.com/2012/12/25/mercedes-benz-cla-images-details-leaked/
http://www.wotauto.com/2012/12/25/mercedes-benz-cla-images-details-leaked/
AlphaTwo00
Member
Mississauga huh? Not surprised.Holiday fun:
jongkookie
Member
Wow, it's snowing out here in North Texas... looks like I'm gonna go drifting with my Miata today if it really sticks. Plus, I've still got my Yoko S.Drives on so this is gonna be a lot of fun lol.
RukusProvider
Banned
Almost the 13th...Come on C7!
I'm hoping the base C7 is close to a C6Z06 in terms of laptimes.
I'm hoping the base C7 is close to a C6Z06 in terms of laptimes.
So the Mercedes Benz CLA leaked. Pretty good looking car, I must say. Not every engine will be available in the US, as always. But of course, the AMG car is what most of us care about. It'll be a 2.0L Turbo pushing 350HP. More below.
http://www.wotauto.com/2012/12/25/mercedes-benz-cla-images-details-leaked/
I'm liking the aggressiveness of it but something about that grill looks wrong. A bit spangly and tacky...
Help me Gaf. I'm 23, have a boring Focus, 1600cc - 115bhp.
Just got myself a decent job, i make good money for my age and situation (i still live with parents), i want to have some fun while i can.
Budget is about 10k, insurance i'm willing to go to about 2k and fuel consumption isn't really a concern! I drive 50 miles roundtrip to work, but they're good, quiet roads, and i only work 14 days a month.
What do i get?
Just got myself a decent job, i make good money for my age and situation (i still live with parents), i want to have some fun while i can.
Budget is about 10k, insurance i'm willing to go to about 2k and fuel consumption isn't really a concern! I drive 50 miles roundtrip to work, but they're good, quiet roads, and i only work 14 days a month.
What do i get?
a45 plsSo the Mercedes Benz CLA leaked. Pretty good looking car, I must say. Not every engine will be available in the US, as always. But of course, the AMG car is what most of us care about. It'll be a 2.0L Turbo pushing 350HP. More below.
http://www.wotauto.com/2012/12/25/mercedes-benz-cla-images-details-leaked/
Forsete
Member
That's pretty weak for a turbo 2.0.
Sidebar: Everyone! Wash your winter wheels before you put swap out the summers! If you let grime build up, it'll just be harder to get off, one day.
Speaking of that.. I wonder what I've gotten on my RR wheel.
It also sprayed on the bumber.
Very hard to remove with the Sonax 2-1 Shampoo I used (so I didnt bother removing it all). Oh well, its degreaser-time as soon as the winter is over. Still, annoying.
David Incorporated Esq.
Member
I was hoping so, but it only makes noise when the clutch is fully engaged.
Interferon
Member
I'm in an opportunity to get my first car. It's a Mazda MX-5 (Miata) 1,6 i from 2001.
I know the guy who is selling it, it's in top shape and he's offering me it for a really small amount of money.
Do you recommend it GAF, any experiences? Having two seats instead of 4/5 isn't really a problem for me, and I'm planning to drive it mostly around town and sometimes on more "open" roads and highways.
I know the guy who is selling it, it's in top shape and he's offering me it for a really small amount of money.
Do you recommend it GAF, any experiences? Having two seats instead of 4/5 isn't really a problem for me, and I'm planning to drive it mostly around town and sometimes on more "open" roads and highways.
By and large those are great cars, especially if they have been well maintained. Have you driven it? It's a very small car with a small amount of cargo space and while it sounds like it wouldn't be a problem for your situation some people just feel claustrophobic in them.
Otherwise Miata's (especially the NA and NB variants) are great, classic feeling roadsters that are reliable and hold their value well. Sounds like it could be a great first car.
BrokenEchelon
Banned
So You've got roughly $8-10k to spend on a fun car? Your range is enormous. Any other restrictions? Body style? Comfort? Interior? I don't even know where to start recommending things without somehow narrowing it down.
Yea that confirms my suspicions to stay the hell away from used german cars. Thanks.
That's great. Good to hear from an owner and it sounds great for what they want. Low maintenance is the main factor. Room in the back isn't a main concern for them as they prefer a compact SUV.
But wow 42k brand new! In Canada a similar one with Navi runs about 56k new. Just like everything else price is hugely inflated over here compared to the US. If I can't find them a much cheaper 09+ one for probably 30k then I might help them to import one from the US.
jongkookie
Member
I drive the NC 2006 model so yeah I do recommend it lol.
To keep it short, they're amazing cars. Trunk space isn't really an issue for the most part as I can keep a trombone and a bass guitar in my trunk, with some extra room for two more decent sized backpacks. These cars drive really great, it has grip when you want it and it'll slide if you push it hard enough. And they are very easy to work on... the parts are cheap and the car itself is very reliable.
So if you want to learn the basic stuff of being a car guy, the Miata is a really great starting point. The car will teach you how to drive and do simple, basic maintenance on it. That I think is the really huge selling point about the Miata's.
STi.
Speaking of that.. I wonder what I've gotten on my RR wheel.
It also sprayed on the bumber.
Very hard to remove with the Sonax 2-1 Shampoo I used (so I didnt bother removing it all). Oh well, its degreaser-time as soon as the winter is over. Still, annoying.
Did you run over an organism? Could it be blood or something? :\
If it's what you want, this is a good choice of a car. Plenty of aftermarket for it too, if you should choose that route. Awesome fun!
£10,000 of my Great British Pounds.
STi/Evo is really taking my fancy, anyone every owned either? 4WD would come in handy too in the winter.
Man, that is not a sucky day at all. I look forward to your impressions.
In other news, more sketches of the C7 Corvette leaked today. They were posted on a forum and have since been removed but not before they could spread.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/25/leaked-drawings-of-the-c7-corvette-hit-the-web/
Interior is... Interesting. Certainly a departure from other Chevy designs.
I've a frankenSTi. Love it. Will probably love it more when the weather gets bad and I can screw around.
Unrelated:
Should I upgrade my front end to this?
I've a frankenSTi. Love it. Will probably love it more when the weather gets bad and I can screw around.
Unrelated:
Should I upgrade my front end to this?
What's a frankenSTi?
I say yes to the front end. Bause.
Forsete
Member
We have some rabbits in the area but I would have noticed if I ran one over, I think.
Looks to be petroleum based. Probably bitumen + salt (they pour that all over the roads this time of year) or something.
My car's a GC ('99), which never came as an STi here. I had an '07 JDM STi drivetrain swapped in. One might say best of both worlds!
Unrelated:
I need opinion. Since there are a couple car guys here - what are your views on leather shift boots vs. the old style rubber accordions?
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Well Toyota just settled their unintended acceleration lawsuit...
http://www.wotauto.com/2012/12/26/toyota-lawsuit-unintended-acceleration-settles-at-1-4b/
$1.4 BILLION!
Damn. Serves them right, though, for not equipping their cars with something as stupid as brake override.
Still, ridiculous how many people couldn't just shift into neutral.
http://www.wotauto.com/2012/12/26/toyota-lawsuit-unintended-acceleration-settles-at-1-4b/
$1.4 BILLION!
Damn. Serves them right, though, for not equipping their cars with something as stupid as brake override.
Still, ridiculous how many people couldn't just shift into neutral.
This is so stupid, I can't believe they settled this nonsense.
Every car has a brake override. It's called a fucking brake pedal!
No production car on this planet can overpower it's own brakes. Certainly not a goddamn Prius.
ClassyPenguin
Banned
Weren't most of the accidents caused by human error anyway?
More people should learn to drive manual.
More people should learn to drive manual.
Yeah. A lot of them were just the good old 'slam on the gas instead of the brake' fuckups.
I'm back from my test drive marathon...
~M5~
I stood outside of the M5 when it was cold started by the salesman. It sounded great. A deep and throaty gurgle with somewhat exotic sounding overtones.
The interior's a step up from the E60. No more handbrake! It's just a switch now. The center console sits high, which is a welcome change. Very easy ingress and egress. Once you're inside the car with the seat and steering wheel adjusted the cockpit really shrinks around you in a good way. It's a more driver oriented design than the E60.
I puttered around the block while waiting for the engine to warm up and messed with the transmission settings. Automatic mode is now useful and practical. The ride was more supple than I had expected. I didn't get a chance to push it through any twisty roads so I don't know if it would wallow. I doubt it, though. Especially if the shocks were set to Sport mode, which I don't think they were.
Once the engine warmed up I took a crack at the gas pedal - it's quick. Good torque, noticeably more than the V10. The roads were damp to wet and it took very little effort to spin the tires and invoke traction control. After the test drive I tried the same thing on the same road with the M6 and it was able to break loose just as easily, so take from that what you will.
I hit an on ramp and cut loose in manual shift mode. Again, very quick acceleration but maybe not quite what I was expecting. I was expecting to get shoved back hard, like the GTR. On paper the M5 should produce just as much grunt from a roll - 560hp/500ft-lb of torque. Customer cars a regularly breaking a corrected 500rwhp on the dyno when stock, indicating the car may be making a bit more power than advertised.
I exited the freeway and then hit the onramp to take us back. This time, on the salesman's recommendation, I did my WOT blast in automatic mode. It felt faster, quite a bit so. I think I might have been shifting it at too high an RPM manually? Not sure. But we were hauling ass at the end of the ramp, passing 110mph. It's weird though because the car never felt that fast. It was isolated, but the power is legitimately there.
Something I was disappointed in was the roughness of the DCT shifts. I was expecting smooth, rapid transition. There was actually a bit of a kick on shifts. Not as disruptively bad as SMG, but still more than I would expect from a dual clutch box.
All in all I came away liking the M5, there isn't really anything wrong with it. But it also lacks personality. It doesn't feel special, it doesn't feel like the carefully crafted spawn of the evil geniuses of BMW M Division. It feels like a tuned 5 series.
~E63~
Next, I drove over to Silver Star A.G. - the nearest Mercedes dealership. I strolled through the front door and a very polite man with a very proper German accent asked how he could help me. I said "I'd like to test drive an E63 AMG." He exclaimed "Ja!", clicked his heels together, saluted, and disappeared to fetch the keys to a black E63 that was parked right outside the front door. It turns out that I was in luck - they had just gotten this car in a couple of days ago and it was the only E63 they had.
Again, I stood outside the car to listen to the cold start. The exhaust makes a bit of a roar - it's deep, guttural and toneless. None of the "voice" that the M5 had.
The first thing I realized about the Mercedes is that I don't understand where anything is. It's a German car but everything is different. The seat controls are on the door panel above the armrest. The cruise control stalk sits above the turn signal stalk, which caused me to endlessly flick the cruise control before a turn - much to the salesman's bemusement. The shifter is _awesome_. It's short, squat, and carved out of aluminum. It looks very sci-fi. The Affalterbach coat of arms is embossed into the leather on top of the shifter - again, awesome. The cockpit is less driver focused and roomier than the M5. I think the back seats have slightly more room, too.
Another thing that surprised me - the Benz has better visibility out of the windshield. The M5 hood line is close to parallel with your line of sight out of the front of the car. The hood blocks more of your view than you might expect. It's not a big deal, but I immediately noticed in the Benz that its hood line slopes downward from the windshield toward the nose of the car, providing a better field of view for the driver. It's a small thing but it stood out.
Another thing that caught my attention was the fact I heard two distinct squeaks/rattles in a car that was literally brand new off the delivery truck. This wasn't a demo that had been beaten on. I didn't take the time to track them down, they might have been quick fixes, but considering the M5 made zero unwanted noises it stood out to me. Also, I remember a friend saying he heard squeaks and rattles in the E63 he drove, too.
I got to push the E63 through a couple of sharp corners and I was very pleasantly surprised by how nimble it was. The ride is very firm for a luxury car, firmer than the M5. It turned in very aggressively with no complaints.
The acceleration was brisk but definitely a couple of steps off of the BMW. This E63 did not have the Performance Package, which means it was making "only" 518 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. I think my M6 could probably take the E63 in stock form. But the thing about the E63 is that there is a raging beast under the hood. It is one flash away from _600 real wheel horsepower_ and _700 pounds of torque_. It doesn't matter if you have the Perf Package or not - the end result with a flash is the same. A straight line monster.
The transmission felt really good for an automatic. The upshifts were quick and smooth and while the downshifts were a bit lazy they were still more than adequate.
Overall I would call the E63 a pleasant surprise and I would definitely want to spend a little more time comparing it and the M5 if I were to focus on just those two cars.
~991 S~
The car made noise on startup, but it was mechanical noise. There was just as much engine clatter as there was exhaust note. It sounded good, just a lot different.
This car is the car that was much different than expected. The salesman wanted to drive the car off the lot and take me to a spot where it would be safe to open it up.
They did not have any cars with the 7 speed stick shift so instead it was PDK equipped with the "sport" steering wheel that includes traditional paddles behind the wheel rather than front mounted buttons - this turned out to be a very good thing.
So the first thing I noticed when the salesman drove off the lot is this car is FURIOUS. I mean... it's ANGRY. It's just a pissed off car. I was actually kind of taken aback because this is the "pedestrian" 911 and it's far angrier than I recall a friend's GT3 having been. It created a bit of a weird dichotomy because the car itself is very civil and comfortable, and yet there's just so much tension right under the surface. And the torque! This car had so much more low end torque than the M5 and E63! How?! How is it possible for a N/A 3.8L 6 cylinder to create so much more low end grunt than a pair of twin turbo V8s?! I was really surprised.
So we got to the test drive spot and switched places. It was now my turn to drive the pissed off Porsche. And it was still pissed off! It was mad like a scalded cat. And yet it was so easy to drive - maybe too easy? The electric steering is absolutely a step down from the 997. The 991 steering felt a lot like the E63 and M5 - which isn't BAD, it's just not on the same level as the rest of the car.
This car is just furious in every gear. I don't understand how it's possible. And the exhaust sounds great. No other car sounds like a Porsche flat 6.
But here comes the shocking part - the PDK transmission. It's stunning. It's so good. It viciously snaps up and down every gear and yet it doesn't disturb the car at all. A WOT 2-3 upshift at redline and there wasn't so much as a wiggle from the rear end or a shiver from the gear change. Just more speed. The PDK in the 991 is the best paddle shift transmission I have ever experienced. It makes such an incredible whip crack noise on every downshift. The whole car is fierce from end to end and yet it never bites you. My mind is completely changed - if I were to get a 991 now it would be PDK. It's too good not to get. I was getting so many visceral thrills from other aspects of the 911 that the lack of a stick shift was no big deal. This car is so. angry. I can see how it did the Ring in 7:37.9 - it just doesn't give a fuck about anything other than expressing its fury.
~R8 4.2~
So after a rather eye popping experience in the Porsche it was time to drive the Audi. The saleslady kept pushing me toward the V10 rather than the V8. I told her that I know the V10 is much faster but it's simply not in my league right now and that the V8 is a better fit. I've also been told by a couple of different people that the V8 is the more tossable car of the two, but I've also heard there's no difference. So who knows. I was being begged to try a much faster / more exotic car but I stuck to my guns despite the temptation and insisted on the V8. The porter cleared a path out of the showroom and fired it up. It made a glorious bark and roar, the kind of tone you only get from a mid engine sports car. Once it warmed up it became surprisingly quiet. The saleslady and I got in and off we went. Getting out of the driveway was a bit of an affair due to how low the nose is but I pulled it off without a scrape. I asked what the route was and she told me that I had permission to take it into the canyons. !!!!!!! YES MA'AM. So off we went. First I jumped on the 101 to try out the acceleration and cruising. It's quick, but not that much quicker than the V8 powered M3. Definitely the slowest car of the day in terms of acceleration. Also, this car had the R-Tronic transmission, which is Audi's version of SMG. And just like SMG... it kinda sucks. Shifts are disruptive. The V10 has been updated with a double clutch, but the V8 has not. That said, if I were to get an R8 it would be a stick shift. The stick R8s come with a wonderful gated shifter.
Anyway, we got onto the highway and the saleslady asked if I was disappointed with the acceleration. I said I knew it wasn't super quick and that I was more interested in the overall experience vs. the straight line speed. But the 991 S had set a _really_ high bar. Interior wise the Audi was the most dated. The seats were very good but the nav was way behind the times as was the driver info display. But for what I want that's not really important. Plus the R8 is getting some sort of refresh in 2013 that should help improve on some of these deficiencies.
So we got to Topanga Canyon Road and started up the hill. Just driving around earlier I noticed the R8 lacked the pent up fury of the Porsche. It felt kind of lazy in comparison. But once we got into the twisties the car really came to life. The grip is _unbelievable_, it just never lets up. And the V8 sounds awesome when barking and spitting from behind your head. The steering also felt better than the Porsche. The R8 really transformed into an animal once it got into its element. The ride was very firm but not teeth jarringly harsh. I came away really impressed and I can see why EVO concluded that the R8 is a better driver's car than the 991 S.
That said, I can't help but wonder... If the 991 S was so furious on fairly straight roads, what would it be like on the canyon roads I just experienced in the Audi? My gut tells me the Porsche would take it at least a notch or two higher.
Also, the Porsche's interior is a big step ahead.
But still... the Audi takes "special" to a higher level than the Porsche. It's a bonafide exotic car. And if power is what matters then GMG offers a twin turbo setup for the R8 delivers all the power one could ever want.
On the other hand, the 991 S really lacks for nothing. The worst I can say about it is that it lacks the gravitas of the R8. The 991 is faster in a straight line and around a corner. It has a better interior. And when optioned with the sport suspension and PDK it still costs less than the bare bones Audi.
~Conclusion~
All four of the cars were fun but it was the Porsche and Audi that made the strongest impressions. The theater and exotic looks of the R8 are compelling but that... that raw _ferocity_ of the Porsche is just something I never expected. The 991 is of a single mind - it wants to humiliate and destroy the road in front of it in a way typically reserved for race cars. And yet it sacrifices nothing. But the R8 is a rock star in its own right, it's also completely drivable in traffic, the V8 noise is beautiful, and the way it clings to the road is amazing.
~M5~
I stood outside of the M5 when it was cold started by the salesman. It sounded great. A deep and throaty gurgle with somewhat exotic sounding overtones.
The interior's a step up from the E60. No more handbrake! It's just a switch now. The center console sits high, which is a welcome change. Very easy ingress and egress. Once you're inside the car with the seat and steering wheel adjusted the cockpit really shrinks around you in a good way. It's a more driver oriented design than the E60.
I puttered around the block while waiting for the engine to warm up and messed with the transmission settings. Automatic mode is now useful and practical. The ride was more supple than I had expected. I didn't get a chance to push it through any twisty roads so I don't know if it would wallow. I doubt it, though. Especially if the shocks were set to Sport mode, which I don't think they were.
Once the engine warmed up I took a crack at the gas pedal - it's quick. Good torque, noticeably more than the V10. The roads were damp to wet and it took very little effort to spin the tires and invoke traction control. After the test drive I tried the same thing on the same road with the M6 and it was able to break loose just as easily, so take from that what you will.
I hit an on ramp and cut loose in manual shift mode. Again, very quick acceleration but maybe not quite what I was expecting. I was expecting to get shoved back hard, like the GTR. On paper the M5 should produce just as much grunt from a roll - 560hp/500ft-lb of torque. Customer cars a regularly breaking a corrected 500rwhp on the dyno when stock, indicating the car may be making a bit more power than advertised.
I exited the freeway and then hit the onramp to take us back. This time, on the salesman's recommendation, I did my WOT blast in automatic mode. It felt faster, quite a bit so. I think I might have been shifting it at too high an RPM manually? Not sure. But we were hauling ass at the end of the ramp, passing 110mph. It's weird though because the car never felt that fast. It was isolated, but the power is legitimately there.
Something I was disappointed in was the roughness of the DCT shifts. I was expecting smooth, rapid transition. There was actually a bit of a kick on shifts. Not as disruptively bad as SMG, but still more than I would expect from a dual clutch box.
All in all I came away liking the M5, there isn't really anything wrong with it. But it also lacks personality. It doesn't feel special, it doesn't feel like the carefully crafted spawn of the evil geniuses of BMW M Division. It feels like a tuned 5 series.
~E63~
Next, I drove over to Silver Star A.G. - the nearest Mercedes dealership. I strolled through the front door and a very polite man with a very proper German accent asked how he could help me. I said "I'd like to test drive an E63 AMG." He exclaimed "Ja!", clicked his heels together, saluted, and disappeared to fetch the keys to a black E63 that was parked right outside the front door. It turns out that I was in luck - they had just gotten this car in a couple of days ago and it was the only E63 they had.
Again, I stood outside the car to listen to the cold start. The exhaust makes a bit of a roar - it's deep, guttural and toneless. None of the "voice" that the M5 had.
The first thing I realized about the Mercedes is that I don't understand where anything is. It's a German car but everything is different. The seat controls are on the door panel above the armrest. The cruise control stalk sits above the turn signal stalk, which caused me to endlessly flick the cruise control before a turn - much to the salesman's bemusement. The shifter is _awesome_. It's short, squat, and carved out of aluminum. It looks very sci-fi. The Affalterbach coat of arms is embossed into the leather on top of the shifter - again, awesome. The cockpit is less driver focused and roomier than the M5. I think the back seats have slightly more room, too.
Another thing that surprised me - the Benz has better visibility out of the windshield. The M5 hood line is close to parallel with your line of sight out of the front of the car. The hood blocks more of your view than you might expect. It's not a big deal, but I immediately noticed in the Benz that its hood line slopes downward from the windshield toward the nose of the car, providing a better field of view for the driver. It's a small thing but it stood out.
Another thing that caught my attention was the fact I heard two distinct squeaks/rattles in a car that was literally brand new off the delivery truck. This wasn't a demo that had been beaten on. I didn't take the time to track them down, they might have been quick fixes, but considering the M5 made zero unwanted noises it stood out to me. Also, I remember a friend saying he heard squeaks and rattles in the E63 he drove, too.
I got to push the E63 through a couple of sharp corners and I was very pleasantly surprised by how nimble it was. The ride is very firm for a luxury car, firmer than the M5. It turned in very aggressively with no complaints.
The acceleration was brisk but definitely a couple of steps off of the BMW. This E63 did not have the Performance Package, which means it was making "only" 518 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. I think my M6 could probably take the E63 in stock form. But the thing about the E63 is that there is a raging beast under the hood. It is one flash away from _600 real wheel horsepower_ and _700 pounds of torque_. It doesn't matter if you have the Perf Package or not - the end result with a flash is the same. A straight line monster.
The transmission felt really good for an automatic. The upshifts were quick and smooth and while the downshifts were a bit lazy they were still more than adequate.
Overall I would call the E63 a pleasant surprise and I would definitely want to spend a little more time comparing it and the M5 if I were to focus on just those two cars.
~991 S~
The car made noise on startup, but it was mechanical noise. There was just as much engine clatter as there was exhaust note. It sounded good, just a lot different.
This car is the car that was much different than expected. The salesman wanted to drive the car off the lot and take me to a spot where it would be safe to open it up.
They did not have any cars with the 7 speed stick shift so instead it was PDK equipped with the "sport" steering wheel that includes traditional paddles behind the wheel rather than front mounted buttons - this turned out to be a very good thing.
So the first thing I noticed when the salesman drove off the lot is this car is FURIOUS. I mean... it's ANGRY. It's just a pissed off car. I was actually kind of taken aback because this is the "pedestrian" 911 and it's far angrier than I recall a friend's GT3 having been. It created a bit of a weird dichotomy because the car itself is very civil and comfortable, and yet there's just so much tension right under the surface. And the torque! This car had so much more low end torque than the M5 and E63! How?! How is it possible for a N/A 3.8L 6 cylinder to create so much more low end grunt than a pair of twin turbo V8s?! I was really surprised.
So we got to the test drive spot and switched places. It was now my turn to drive the pissed off Porsche. And it was still pissed off! It was mad like a scalded cat. And yet it was so easy to drive - maybe too easy? The electric steering is absolutely a step down from the 997. The 991 steering felt a lot like the E63 and M5 - which isn't BAD, it's just not on the same level as the rest of the car.
This car is just furious in every gear. I don't understand how it's possible. And the exhaust sounds great. No other car sounds like a Porsche flat 6.
But here comes the shocking part - the PDK transmission. It's stunning. It's so good. It viciously snaps up and down every gear and yet it doesn't disturb the car at all. A WOT 2-3 upshift at redline and there wasn't so much as a wiggle from the rear end or a shiver from the gear change. Just more speed. The PDK in the 991 is the best paddle shift transmission I have ever experienced. It makes such an incredible whip crack noise on every downshift. The whole car is fierce from end to end and yet it never bites you. My mind is completely changed - if I were to get a 991 now it would be PDK. It's too good not to get. I was getting so many visceral thrills from other aspects of the 911 that the lack of a stick shift was no big deal. This car is so. angry. I can see how it did the Ring in 7:37.9 - it just doesn't give a fuck about anything other than expressing its fury.
~R8 4.2~
So after a rather eye popping experience in the Porsche it was time to drive the Audi. The saleslady kept pushing me toward the V10 rather than the V8. I told her that I know the V10 is much faster but it's simply not in my league right now and that the V8 is a better fit. I've also been told by a couple of different people that the V8 is the more tossable car of the two, but I've also heard there's no difference. So who knows. I was being begged to try a much faster / more exotic car but I stuck to my guns despite the temptation and insisted on the V8. The porter cleared a path out of the showroom and fired it up. It made a glorious bark and roar, the kind of tone you only get from a mid engine sports car. Once it warmed up it became surprisingly quiet. The saleslady and I got in and off we went. Getting out of the driveway was a bit of an affair due to how low the nose is but I pulled it off without a scrape. I asked what the route was and she told me that I had permission to take it into the canyons. !!!!!!! YES MA'AM. So off we went. First I jumped on the 101 to try out the acceleration and cruising. It's quick, but not that much quicker than the V8 powered M3. Definitely the slowest car of the day in terms of acceleration. Also, this car had the R-Tronic transmission, which is Audi's version of SMG. And just like SMG... it kinda sucks. Shifts are disruptive. The V10 has been updated with a double clutch, but the V8 has not. That said, if I were to get an R8 it would be a stick shift. The stick R8s come with a wonderful gated shifter.
Anyway, we got onto the highway and the saleslady asked if I was disappointed with the acceleration. I said I knew it wasn't super quick and that I was more interested in the overall experience vs. the straight line speed. But the 991 S had set a _really_ high bar. Interior wise the Audi was the most dated. The seats were very good but the nav was way behind the times as was the driver info display. But for what I want that's not really important. Plus the R8 is getting some sort of refresh in 2013 that should help improve on some of these deficiencies.
So we got to Topanga Canyon Road and started up the hill. Just driving around earlier I noticed the R8 lacked the pent up fury of the Porsche. It felt kind of lazy in comparison. But once we got into the twisties the car really came to life. The grip is _unbelievable_, it just never lets up. And the V8 sounds awesome when barking and spitting from behind your head. The steering also felt better than the Porsche. The R8 really transformed into an animal once it got into its element. The ride was very firm but not teeth jarringly harsh. I came away really impressed and I can see why EVO concluded that the R8 is a better driver's car than the 991 S.
That said, I can't help but wonder... If the 991 S was so furious on fairly straight roads, what would it be like on the canyon roads I just experienced in the Audi? My gut tells me the Porsche would take it at least a notch or two higher.
Also, the Porsche's interior is a big step ahead.
But still... the Audi takes "special" to a higher level than the Porsche. It's a bonafide exotic car. And if power is what matters then GMG offers a twin turbo setup for the R8 delivers all the power one could ever want.
On the other hand, the 991 S really lacks for nothing. The worst I can say about it is that it lacks the gravitas of the R8. The 991 is faster in a straight line and around a corner. It has a better interior. And when optioned with the sport suspension and PDK it still costs less than the bare bones Audi.
~Conclusion~
All four of the cars were fun but it was the Porsche and Audi that made the strongest impressions. The theater and exotic looks of the R8 are compelling but that... that raw _ferocity_ of the Porsche is just something I never expected. The 991 is of a single mind - it wants to humiliate and destroy the road in front of it in a way typically reserved for race cars. And yet it sacrifices nothing. But the R8 is a rock star in its own right, it's also completely drivable in traffic, the V8 noise is beautiful, and the way it clings to the road is amazing.
I've a frankenSTi. Love it. Will probably love it more when the weather gets bad and I can screw around.
Unrelated:
Should I upgrade my front end to this?
N/m it looks like a Mitsuoka but its not.
Looks familiar though.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Of all those cars...
the Porsche by far. I am impressed with the new 991 inside and out.
But yes, the R8 V10 is leagues better than the V8. I'd also drive it in stick, because it's a pretty easy car to deal with. But I see you're in SoCal so traffic is a bitch understandably.
the Porsche by far. I am impressed with the new 991 inside and out.
But yes, the R8 V10 is leagues better than the V8. I'd also drive it in stick, because it's a pretty easy car to deal with. But I see you're in SoCal so traffic is a bitch understandably.
FEAST YOUR EYES ON THE (Japan Only) SUBARU IMPREZA CASA BLANCA:
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/12/if-looks-could-kill-meet-1999-subaru.html (more pics and a couple videos @ link)
Time to meet the Impreza Casa Blanca - a special edition version of the first generation Sport Wagon with the 1.5-liter boxer engine that was introduced in Japan in 1999 to address the craze consumers had for retro styled cars at the time.
And yes, you read that correctly: the Casa Blanca isn't a abomination creation from some unknown coachbuilder but an official Subaru product and it was produced from 1999 to 2000 in a limited run of 5,000 units!
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