Dark Blue Mark

Thanks Adam, v good comments.

I was wondering when someone would comment on the driving position. Being sat above the rear wheels would give good feedaback I would have though.

MB

LG John

Fair point, everyone used to say that about the VTS, "Backend is plain old unsafe on lift of" Er!? No it wasn't, it was its best character when you knew how to catch it and you could provoke serious degrees of movement and still bring it back no problems

I also know the way the VTEC system works and how the sudden kick could overload the tyres. The difference being I'm the sort of idiot that would drop 2 gears and dump the throttle to see how long I could hold her sideways in a straightline

SiDHEaD

* whistles *

halowrx

Classic scoob wrx - Skyline GTST (back wheel drive)

Worried at first, week later starting to smile, four weeks later wondered what all fuss was about.

People just dont know how to drive and/or moderate to conditions. Im running about in skyline in ice, wet etc its fine just bit more focus required

Dark Blue Mark

Just an update, was on the way back from Swindon last night, through Salisbury and had a play with a silver S2000.

He was in front, and stuck behind a lorry, me close behind. We both get past the loory and I spotted a lot of water in the road ahead (doing about 80) I backed off as I recalled the horror stories and thought he was going to end up in a hedge! The S2000 didn't even flinch, and it was a bigish stetch of water.

Road opens up to dual carriageway so naturally I plant it and go past him. Now both accelarating a ton round a wet mild bend, he was still going for it no bother whatsoever. Impressed.

Also, although I could clearly outpower it, it wasn't a massive punishing. Surprised at the pace of it.

Bear in mind it was raining quite hard, there was a LOT of standing water around, the roads are fast and twisty, and bloke in S2000 had his missus on the car

So, it looks like they can be driven hard all year round

MB

Chris L

For most enthusiastic drivers, RWD is still reckoned to be the best. However, for most 'average' drivers, FWD or AWD is more predictable and safer in most circumstances. It's often been said that Scoobs / Evos flatter you and your driving skill - that's true. The reason for this is that many people confuse grip with handling - they are two distinctly different things. It is much easier to extract 90% of the performance from a Scoob / Evo than it is a RWD car. However, a good RWD will ultimately reward you with more than an AWD drive car. The problem is you have to be a much better driver to extract the extra performance.

For example, an Elise is a far superior handling car to a Scoob, but a Scoob has masses more grip. If you are swapping from FWD / AWD to RWD you will notice the difference in handling / grip / driving style etc. It's about adjusting and improving your driving.

The S2000 is a fine car and the newer models do seem to be more forgiving. But it is a totally different driving experience and you will be required to change your driving style - if you don't, expect to meet a hedge very quickly. I'm sure a lot of these stories and problems come from people who are simply not used to RWD cars. If you're going to get one, then a few hundred quid spent on a decent driver improvement course will be a huge benefit.

I'm about to do a similar thing - my new car is an RX-8 also RWD. It's been a long time since I've driven a RWD car and I will be booking myself straight onto the Prodrive training day that Mazda provide when you buy the car!

LG John

DBM what are you driving at the moment if you are powering past an s2000? I played with a s2k on the way up to knockhill when my classic was modified, (decat, tek3, etc) and from 30-onwards there was very little difference - certainly not enough for me to have overtaken him!!

foz01

Heres an S2000 that should pass most scoobs at Knockhill, although most pics are old, will be ther on the 5th March all being well?http://www.evoposters.net/carsa/album197

As for the handling as long as you aint a complete **** they are fine!

A1exander

I have only just sold my S2k. I had no prolems with the handling and only lost it twice when pushing it in the rain but nothing that could not be caught. I love my STI but I still would like another S2000 in the future for summer use. They are a quick car but you have to keep the revs up above 6,000 RPM but once you hit the limiter (approx 9250 rpm) you will be back in the sweet spot again when you change up.

SiDHEaD

Just been out for a play in mine, got back brakes smoking

Mmmmm

Road and track magazine

S2000
Lateral accel (200-ft skidpad) 0.90g
Speed through 700-ft slalom 65.9 mph

2004 Subaru STI
Lateral accel (200-ft skidpad) 0.88g
Speed through 700-ft slalom 68.4 mph

S2000 has slightly more grip, although the soobs quite a bit quicker through the slalom.

Having said that as said above I am sure the scoob would be an easier to drive and more forgiving.

Dark Blue Mark

Saxoboy, STi5 with an estimated 330 bhp / 300 lbs ft

Only just crawled past one when I had a UK99 full decat TEK 2.5

They aren't slow by any means. Think John Banks had a tussle with one in his UK car, and obviously won, but was surprised that he didn't pull a big gap.

MB

LG John

"STi5 with an estimated 330 bhp / 300 lbs ft"

Ah That explains it! Good 60bhp more than a tek and with shorter gearing as well

ADP

I have an S2000, the car just requires some respect, its not scary, it gives great feedback and I know exactly how quickly I can take situations............the impreza that I used to own was fine, but understeered like a pig and was boring by comparison. Driving the S has seriously sharpened up my driving in general, Im confident I drive much nearer to "properly" than I ever did before.

SideShowBob

Have had mine for a while now, after having an RX7, and I actually found the RX7 to be more predictable, and had more confidence pushing it hard.
Saying that, the S isnt too bad, it just seems to be less communicative of when its going to let go, and how its going to behave once it has, so you have to be cautious and really learn the car.

My only scary moments have been in a straight funnily enough, but that was me being an idiot and accelerating hard on wet slippery roads, and finding out that it'll break traction quite easily in second, which can send the car all sorts of directions (like straight towards blockbusters front window). Correctable providing you dont do the classic panic breaking, which luckily I know RWD well enough now not to do, but I can understand why some people are caught out.

Basically, its a seriously fun car, that handles well, but will catch you out if you drive it stupidly.

Type R

My only RWD advice is well worth spending a day getting to know your car with an instructor to find the limits, saved me a few times.

4X4 and FWD are simply uninspiring to drive, espeacily the S, front engined, RWD, lots of fun to be had

Dark Blue Mark

4x4 is uninspiring?

Depends what you mean. I can take corners at riduculous speeds, safely, but drifting nicely. Pretty inspiring I think!

MB

Engineer@Uni

Gentlemen, fact remains that RWD is a powertrain designed for connoiseurs. Stay away from RWD if you are not prepaired to comit to learning how to handle/control it. For the rest of the world, that is in contact with their "inner driver", just like all new cars, a RWD needs to be learnt before it can be used to great effect. FWD and 4WD are more instinctive in stressful situations and are easier to handle when things go ar$e-up, and they also are safer in limited-traction conditions like snow, sleet, rain, ice, gravel etc. But, The S2000 has the world record for Specific Power (BHO/litre) at 120, with ferrari a close second at 118. That tells you it's one of the most remarkable naturally aspirated engines in the world. It also has a breath-rakin X-frame chassis that is very rigid and an absolute gem in this car. In fact, many examples that are sueprcharged to over 330 Bhp have little more chassis strengthening than strut bars and anti-roll bars. The chassis is *that* good.

Buy the Honda, mate. It might be one of the most unique cars you ever drive.