I think Subaru have done well to keep the weight rise down to 150kg's. I've just sold a Focus to buy my Scoob. The kerbside weight for a 1.8 Focus was 100kg more than a 2.0 Sierra. No wonder they are sluggish even with 140bhp (mine was modded).

Lee

 

OK, I have the Autocar full road test from 4/2/98 of a 5dr 98MY car in front of me along with this week's test. What Autocar are now quoting for the old car is sometimes incorrect, plus they have selected certain in-gear figures to "highlight" the performance difference when it is virtually same (or even better) 90% of the time...

The 1998 5dr model was tested at 3500 miles probably in January 1998 -- nice and cool for the turbo. New model tested at 3100 miles in October.

0-100 for old car was 15.8 secs not 14.9 as quoted this week. New car: 16.9s.

0-60 was 5.5s and 30-70 was 5.6s. New car: 5.7s and 5.8s respectively. Maybe they managed 5.3s with another car/test, but it shows that a tenth or two difference is minor.

1/4 mile was 14.2s at 87mph. New car: 14.5 at 95mph.

They highlight that the old car did 30-50mph in 4th gear in 6.0s but the new car takes 8.0s. Comparing the low speed/high gear figures the in-gear differences are noticeable, but if the new car is such a porker how come 30-50mph in 3rd gear took 4.4s in the old car but 4.3s in the new car!

Another example: 50-70mph in 4th. Old car took 5.2s, new car 5.3s. And to top it off 80-100mph in 5th. Old car: 11.1s, new car: 10.3s. Yes, new car is faster!

It's also interesting that Autocar's own scales measured their 5dr in 1998 at 1306kg (not this week's quoted 1235kg -- which is what they list at the back of the mag), and the new the 4dr weighs 1385kg. I don't think an old 5dr weighs _that_ much more than an old 4dr?

Comparing all the in-gear 20mph acceleration figures, the car is definitely slower in high gears at lower speeds, but otherwise the differences are generally one or two tenths of a second and as the speeds increase the new car is the same, occasionally faster.

Everyone loves the 2nd and 3rd turbo shove:

old car new car
2nd gear 30-50 2.5 2.6
2nd gear 40-60 2.4 2.6
3rd gear 40-60 3.8 3.6 (yup, faster)
3rd gear 50-70 3.4 3.6
3rd gear 60-80 3.6 3.8

Is the difference as large as the press are making out or is it just the extra refinement that makes the old car seem more thrilling?

Another figure to show the general difference is the standing kilometre. Old car: 26.7s at 120mph. New car: 27.9 at 120mph.

Paul

[This message has been edited by strong (edited 28 October 2000).]

 

Emmm. All very interesting. But I've spoken at great lengths to the guy that took his MY00 up north for EVO to do their testing against the new model and he commented that he had tried to test the new car as honestly as possible without any (or much) pre knowledge of the differences. IE just got in and drove it. He appeared to like the car and said that he would have been hard pressed to tell that it was any slower than the current model (and he spends a fair bit of time on the track). I also respect his opinion very highly.

To cut a long story short. I need to change my current car, toooo many miles and lets be honest folks, what car out there can touch a Scooby! and yes, I have already ordered a bug eyed monster. Heck, maybe I'll even grow to like the looks. Anyway, there is the Sti to look forward to in a year or so! The only other serious consideration was an S3 and that was 3 grand more and felt too soft for me (and a Mistu is too expensive to run big miles like I do).

To be honest, I can't wait till the 1st week in January.

Have fun people....

[This message has been edited by Mike Owen (edited 28 October 2000).]