DavidM

The new Motor mag has the '04 PCYTY which has the Zed in it. The Zed comes 4th (which is very good). Cameron McConville managed 1:43.2 out if the Zed at Winton which is an impressive lap time. In the save article he mangad 1:43.5 out of a 285kW HSV, 1.44.8 our of RX8 and 1:45.2 out of a Z4 3.0.

Though, the acceleration times for the Zed were dissapointing and the RX8 beat it over both 0-100kph and 400m increments ... it was only over 1000m that the Zed managed to get ahead by 2 - 3 car lengths. Pretty poor showing ... a year ago when they had the S2000 there, it would have whooped the Zed in terms of acceleration, but surprisingly it would have been about 1sec down on the lap time. Still that was on a different day so direct comaprisions are hard to make.

ps. Gallardo wins ahead of M3 CSL and RS6.

KY350

Those three cars all cost at least double the price of a Z, so good show.
What numbers did they get for the 0-100km/h and 0-400m for the Z? I am amazed that the RX8 beat the Z in those disiplines.

DavidM

What numbers did they get for the 0-100km/h and 0-400m for the Z? I am amazed that the RX8 beat the Z in those disiplines.

I'm just going from memory as my copy has not arrived yet, but it was something just under 6.7 sec for 0-100kph and just under 14.7 for the 400m run. On the other hand the RX8 managed arund 6.5 for the 0-100kph and around 14.5 over 400m. The HSV was in high 5s and flat 14s respectively.

Even over 1000m the Zed's time was not that impressive. It was quicker than the RX8 few a couple 10th, but certainly slower than what the S2000 is capable off (and I'm sure far off what the Zed is capable off).

zuff

And my theory proves right again...good race drivers can't drag cars!

The theory works both ways though...

ypwpat

BUt that's not true though.
How could 350Z be beaten by RX8 which have no Torgue at all?
I just bought the latest Car magazine yesterday and their Figure was.
0-60mph
Audi TT 3.2= 6.4sec
Crossfire = 6.5sec
RX8= 6.4sec
350Z = 5.9sec

DavidM

And my theory proves right again...good race drivers can't drag cars!

Good theory, but in this case it's the Jurnos extracting the acceleration times from the the cars and Cameron McConville does the lap times and top speed runs.

Also it's the same jurnos that managed 6.3 and 14.3 out of the Zed in the other comparos ... and I always though there was room (ie. couple 10th) for improvement.

Audi TT 3.2= 6.4sec
Crossfire = 6.5sec
RX8= 6.4sec
350Z = 5.9sec

In Germany 'Sports Auto' mag have tested the Zed now 2x and each time they sqeezed out a sub 6sewc time for 0-100kph. They managed 5.8 and 5.9 on the two occasions.

One of the US mags just recently managed 5.3sec for 0-60mph and 13.77 over 1/4mile.

Still, I fully understand that the times are very dependant on conditions, but nonelless I'm surprised that in the same conditions (and same driver) managed better times out of the RX8 and blitzed the Zed in the HSV.

DavidM

Here are some numbers from the '04 PCOTY:

350Z Track:
- 0-100kph = 6.68
- 400m = 14.61 @ 159.6kph
- 1000m = 26.31 @ 206.2kph
- Winton = 1:43.18

RX8:
- 0-100kph = 6.58
- 400m = 14.58 @ 156.6kph
- 1000m = 26.50 @ 199.8kph
- Winton = 1:44.62

Crossfire:
- 0-100kph = 7.27
- 400m = 15.07 @ 151.0kph
- 1000m = 27.37 @ 193.8kph
- Winton = 1:44.87

Z4 3.0:
- 0-100kph = 7.02
- 400m = 14.92 @ 153.2kph
- 1000m = 27.10 @ 196.7kph
- Winton = 1:45.28

HSV R8:
- 0-100kph = 5.92
- 400m = 14.08 @ 167.4kph
- 1000m = 25.13 @ 216.4kph
- Winton = 1:43.50

Commodore SS:
- 0-100kph = 6.48
- 400m = 14.50 @ 162.5kph
- 1000m = 25.95 @ 207.8kph
- Winton = 1:46.13

Gallardo:
- 0-100kph = 5.55
- 400m = 13.36 @ 179.7kph
- 1000m = 23.57 @ 236.6kph
- Winton = 1:37.51

Interesting to see hw slow the Gallardo was ... 5.55 and 13.36 sounds good untill you realize that a 911 runs good 0.3sec quicker on both counts. In Germany and US they squeeze flat 4 to 100kph and low 12s across the 400m .... not sure why this one could not produce those numbers. Though, the laptime is impressive ... it's about lineball with what they managed from a 911 TT couple years ago.

Same with the Z4 3.0. I've seen it locally clocked to 100kph at flat 6sec and it did mid 14s across the 400. On the other hand the RX8 numbers in terms of acceleration are really impressive. On htis day it had the Z4 whooped in every respect ... I just don't understand how that is possible.

ps. Just for reference, here are the S2000 numbers from last year:

S2000:
- 0-100kph = 6.36
- 400m = 14.53 @ 158.2kph
- 1000m = 26.12 @ 209.0kph
- Winton = 1:44.09

ypwpat

maybe the Driver Sux

DavidM

I read a bit more of it. Looks like the weather at Avalon (ie. where they did the acceleration runs) was not perfect and they had intermittent drizzles. That means that some cars did not have the traction they required (or would normally have). For some reason they commented that RWD cars suffered the most.

Also I read the Winton section and the biggest compaint about the Zed was 'too much understeer' and VDC which cannot be fully disabled. Though, I found out that there's a fair few cars on the market now that do not allow the driver to fully disable the TC/VDC. Besides the 350Z, RX8, Z4 and Crossfire suffer from that as well.

KY350

Aside from the RX8, all the other numbers seem a few tenths too slow. Especially the Gallardo. Was the drag strip damp?
I read in a previous mag that some journo's had trouble getting fast times out of the Gallardo, recording mid 5's insdead of 4's as indicated by Lambo. When they reported this to the Lambo officialls, they were informed of a "launch technique" which required the car to be in sports mode etc, that required setting about 2 or 3 switches to get a fast launch. When the journo's did this, they got into the 4's for the 0-100km/h. This makes me wonder whether the Motor journo's actually activated the proper launch technique on the Gallardo. I think not. Also possibke that driver did just suck, as evidenced by all the slow times.

ypwpat

I'm sure there is a way to 100% disable the DSC in RX8.

DavidM

I read in a previous mag that some journo's had trouble getting fast times out of the Gallardo, recording mid 5's insdead of 4's as indicated by Lambo. When they reported this to the Lambo officialls, they were informed of a "launch technique" which required the car to be in sports mode etc, that required setting about 2 or 3 switches to get a fast launch.

Maybe. They did not mention anything about a 'launch technique' in PCOTY or anything about any difficulties with the Gallardo.

Though reading the Road&Track test of the Gallardo (http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....&page_number=1) mentions that launching the Gallardo to it's best time involved not much at all. Here's the quote "With all wheel-drive, it is very difficult to spinGallardo's tyres during standing-start launches. "

I'm sure there is a way to 100% disable the DSC in RX8.

What makes you say? I'm not sure either way.

DavidM

I read in a previous mag that some journo's had trouble getting fast times out of the Gallardo, recording mid 5's insdead of 4's as indicated by Lambo. When they reported this to the Lambo officialls, they were informed of a "launch technique" which required the car to be in sports mode etc, that required setting about 2 or 3 switches to get a fast launch.

Maybe. They did not mention anything about a 'launch technique' in Motor or anything about any difficulties with getting the Gallardo of the line.

Though reading the Road&Track test of the Gallardo (http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....&page_number=1) mentions that launching the Gallardo to it's best time involved swithing the TC off and not much else. Here's the quote "With all wheel-drive, it is very difficult to spinGallardo's tyres during standing-start launches. Our best runs are accomplished by turning off traction/yaw control and simply romping on the throttle with no power braking.". With this they managed 4.0 for 0-60mph and 12.3 @ 189kph. The test results are here http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/d...2004172749.pdf

I would say that Motor was not just a little bit off with the Gallardo figures but more like 1.5sec to 100kph and at least 1 sec over 400m. Not only that but they are well down on terminal speed at the end of 400m with 'only' 178kph. 190kph is what is expected from this car ... it sounds like the car that Motor had was not using anywhere close to all of it's power. Afterall, 911, Meseratti or any AMG Merc usually beat the 400m time and have better (or about the same) trap speed as what the Gallardo managed here. 178kph is something that you see out of 300kW HSVs at the end of 400m, not from a car that weights 1500kg and has 375kW.

I'm sure there is a way to 100% disable the DSC in RX8.

What makes you say? I'm not sure either way.

KY350

STi does 0-100 in 5.5s.
Gallardo is all wheel drive also and has almost 2x the power of STi and "about" the same weight.
Something does not compute.

ypwpat

ONE WORD.

STUFFED up Driver. Probably Too much Grog before test Driving

DavidM

STi does 0-100 in 5.5s. Gallardo is all wheel drive also and has almost 2x the power of STi and "about" the same weight. Something does not compute.

Yep, I've seen mags get 5.5 out of an STi, but also I've seen low to mid 6s. Still, you are correct, even on the best of best days for the STi, I cannot see how it can come anywhere close to the Gallardo considering that the Gallardo is only about 20kg heavier, also has 4WD, has much wider tyres and pumps out 375kW (ie. almost 2x what the STi does).

Either 'they' were being deliberatley slow (ie. not full throttle) ... which I find hard to believe, or this Gallardo has some problems (or they did not swhich off the traction control). Just for reference here are the times for the Gallardo that other mags are getting:

Sports Auto:
- 0-60kph = 2.2sec
- 0-100kph = 4.0sec
- 0-160kph = 8.4sec
- 0-200kph = 13.0sec

Road&Track:
- 0-60mph (96.5kph) = 4.0
- 0-100mph (160kph) = 9.1sec
- 400m = 12.3 @ 117.4mph (ie. @ 189kph)

Car&Driver:
- 0-60mph (96.5kph) = 4.1
- 0-100mph (160kph) = 9.2sec
- 400m = 12.4 @ 118mph (ie. @ 190kph)


Good good 1sec quicker over 100kph as well as 400m as well as good 10kph down at the end of 400m comapred to Motor. You're right "Something does not compute.".

Too much Grog before test Driving.

That is certainly another possibility ;-)

KY350

All the other mags have consistently close 0-100km/h times. So Motor's times are more than 2 standard deviations from the mean, so we discard their times. (I sound like a Maths proffesor!)

DavidM

Some interesting info on the 350Z vs RX8 in the PCOTY. I did some calcuation to see how much did the RX8 beat the 350Z by (in terms of acceleration), and here's how things went (if they put them next to each other on their best runs):
- RX8 outlaunches the 350Z and jumps ahead (not sure how much).
- About 6.6sec later, the RX8 hits 100kph first and is still ahead ... has to be by at least couple meters (more like 3 - 4).
- Another 8secs later they are crossing the 400m mark. At this stage the 350Z is slowly pulling the RX8 back, but crosses the line 1.5m behind the RX8
- Then the 350Z finally get's ahead and slowly pulls away. Over the next 11secs the 350Z pulls away 11m (yep 1meter per second) ahead of the RX8, and at that stage hey pass the 1000m mark.

All in all, that does not look like a great showing by the 350Z (or in other words a really good showing for the RX8).

ypwpat

well do you want to read what the AUstralian RX8 owner said about the mag?
here's the link

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22796

zuff

tehehehehehe

blame the traction control...lol

In the end the truth came out...the rx8 is a gutless POS! Albeit a very balanced POS!