Anyone else read this.

Its funny how autocar is suddenly declaring EVOs and Scoobs as past it when about 12 months ago it was still singing the praises of the same cars. All of a sudden apparently these A to B machines are no quicker than a hot hatch over a challenging B road.

Standard of journalism is v poor throughout this weeks edition of autocar with lots of factual errors esp in the Spring Second Hand Performance Car special. eg they reckon you can get an x plate Tuscan for 39k (err 10k cheaper I think you'll find Mr Sutcliffe).

Frankly I think they could do better.

 

Just ignore them - it's sensationalist journalism that's all.

At the end of the day most of it comes down to the driver. Does anyone here seriously think they'd be quicker over a challenging B road in an STI 8 than Colin McRae in a hot hatch.

No - didn't think so. Unless of course Richard Burns is a board member ;-)

The point is that we all know that these cars have the potential to be quicker - it just depends on the enthusiasm and skill of the driver.

Regards,

tiggers

 

I think the STI8PPP may indeed be matched by some of the current hot hatches down a challenging B road, if the driver of both were skilled. The suspension just isn't as well suited to B roads as the 'old' UK turbo or current WRX. The beauty of the STI is that a less skilled driver (facing an equally unskilled driver) can rely on loads of torque and BHP to win in the straights and under breaking has good fade free brakes.
It was the same as the old RB5 vs JDM STI arguements, even EVO claims the WRX PPP is probably better than the STI8PPP.
Saying that I found the STIPPP more fun hence I bought one
Chucky

 

Find a well driven clio cup up your bum and you will be hard pushed to lose it, unless it's wet, or unless you're going to take unreasonable risks. The RS driver will be disappearing backwards in the mirror with forearms the size of popeye straining to bursting point tho (a joke - this is not supposed to be a slanging match)

For real-world driving, there's a considerable number of quick cars out there that can hustle along at a fair old pace. Also, a following car has considerable advantages... Hell, I could keep up with a hugely fast sti7 with freeflowing exhaust in my very lightly modded MY00. From driving the sti, I know just how fast it is especially compared to my car, but it was all down to who would nail the accelerator first.

Fact is that the scooby is bloody quick both on paper and when driving, but the differences in performance to other machines are, IMHO, not that huge when you actually drive the things within limits that are appropriate for road conditions.

Perhaps journalists are noticing this, and perhaps they're hopefully making something else the target of the thieves - Every cloud has a silver lining

 

My Bro has just sold his Civic Type-R only a year old, for the UK STI-8 PPP, and if you keep the CTR in the zone round the twisties i think their isn't a doubt in my mind that it would have been glued to the back bumper of a scoob or evo. they are very good cars, it also has somthing to do with the shorter wheel base, albeit when he gets used to driving the scoob he will probably be shifting faster than the CTR then

 

Having test driven one, i have to say I found that the front wheels gave way much too easily. Suffered from understeer, not that it is a bad car, just that i think you will find 4WD cars will stick on corners for just that little bit longer. Else why are all the rally teams using 4wd

 

I wouldn't say that is necessarily true, remeber the pug 205 gti held the title for many years and that was FF. and the wheel spin is only apparent up to 35mph in first and second if its wet, also saloon platforms are leaving the rally scene for shorter wheel bases and look who is winning again pug with the 206 yes its 4 wheel drive this time. I wouldnt say either that the understeer is huge and it is there to make the drive more enjoyable. but also dont forget we are talking about a 15k car here

these are just my opinions after my bro owning a CTR and Now an STI-8 PPP after you have lived with a car it does give better grounding. the one thing that was poor with the CTR is you couldn't push it to much in the wet as the back occasionally would break away. which could leave your confidence a little low.

but the STI-8 has its problems not the PPP, it can be laggy on the turbo in places you feel as if you need to change down a gear, but then again it could be becasue we are used to the way the Civic was revy right round to 8500rpm.

just got to add, I'm not saying one is better than another merely saying there is some element of truth in saying the hot hatches are getting closer for a lot less money.

in truth there is only 1 hot hatch and thats the Type-R the RS is a no no because of its price. It is a good 3 door hatch back which is good for the shopping collection delivering bread, and the odd track day or B road madness.

same goes for the the scoob without the bread delivery but you can get 4 people in it comfortably.

[Edited by CTRnutter - 3/26/2003 11:55:43 AM]

 

I wonder how many of the " The Focus RS torque steers everywhere and is undrivable " brigade have actually driven one ??? Lol

Jas

 

-

[Edited by Andy Mid. - 3/26/2003 1:04:40 PM]

 

Sideways

With a username like that you must own one yourself



[Edited by wilf - 3/26/2003 1:13:37 PM]

 

Guess its down to how far your prepared to take it. If i treat the road like a track and never slow down i doubt mr clio will keep up..... but risk going to jail... not a chance!!! So mr clio keeps up..

So its all relative

Jza

 

torque steer, yep drove one whilst having the CTR and the only step up from the civic was either the EVO 8 or the STI PPP he chose the sti purely because it is softer and hence more of an everyday car & its better looking inside and out

 

I feel quite sad that the EVO 8 is the last EVO. I hope subaru dont stop trying to improve things when the competition is gone.

 

Not me squire . I read it in Evo, and am in my own world an armchair expert

I would try one, but it didn't have 4 doors. The comment was in there as a cheap joke / bait. Knew someone would bite

 

I tried to drive an RS the other day only to be told by the dealer that they are all now sold..apparently mostly to ppl that have never seen or driven the car! Hope the torque steer isn't that bad or there are gonna be a lot of ppl with £1000 deposits that are not happy!

R