The "feeling" of Speed. Question!

[K.K.]

A PHer who recently test drove the Sagaris said that his T350 "felt" quicker. I have also heard that a Griff "feels" faster than any Speed 6 Tiv. I know the 0-60 times are faster for the Tuscan/Tam/T350 than for the Griff and likewise the Sagaris is quicker than them all - so WHY is it that the more sophisticated Tivs become, the less quick they "feel"? Or is this not the case (I have only ever driven a Tam). I know my Tam "feels" breathtakingly quick at over 5,000rpm, but below this its not nearly as hair-rasingly scary as some of the Griff, Chim stories I hear? Or is it... but I just don't know it?

KK

[the pits]

Well jet aircraft don't feel very quick do they? The smoother and more composed a thing is the less you feel the speed. Ever driven a modern big saloon? They can silently creep up to big speeds and catch you out into corners because you don't feel the speed. I guess that just proves that speed isn't something you feel, you can only see it relative to other stationary or slower objects. Acceleration is what you feel.

Turbo cars tend to feel faster than n/a's because the power is concentrated into one fat dollop of power rather than spread evenly through the rev range - they also tend to have more torque for a given horsepower figure.

But chassis composure plays it's part in how fast a car feels too. 160 in my brother's 996 turbo is a non-event on a wide, smooth (empty!) motorway. Impressive but ultimately a bit boring. 80mph in a caterham is much more exciting. As is 50mph in a kart.

The comment about the t350 feeling faster than the sagaris perhaps should have said 'feels wilder' the car moves about a bit more, hunts camber changes, wriggles about in your hands and requires constant steering corrections down a bumpy b-road. The sagaris is suprisingly more composed, OK not by a huge amount but the way it looks you'd expect it to be worse than a t350, so any differences will tend to get exaggerated by people like me!

The Sagaris is the first tvr I've driven where I got out saying it could handle a bit more power - it really doesn't need it but it could handle more without any change in the rest of the car. I got out of the other tvrs I've driven just saying 'phew!' But don't confuse that with thinking the Sagaris doesn't feel fast - I can promise you it does with knobs on!

>> Edited by the pits on Tuesday 29th March 17:58

[TSS]

When I drove a Sagaris along the A5 I got stuck behind an Audi and was contemplating overtaking him at the next opportunity. I hadn’t looked at the speedo and thought we were doing about 60 – the Sagaris felt as if it was hardly moving and would blast past the Audi easily. When I checked we were actually doing 90.

I think cruising at anything less that 150 is going to feel slow in that car

[mongoose]

it the low down torque of the v8's that push you back in your seat as soon as you hit the accelerator.th v8 produces a very high percentage of its power low down,the s6 doesnt,but then makes more power at high revs.my 4.0l tuscan felt woefully inadequate when compared to the griff in this respect.but the tuscan really was a quicker car.if you keep the revs high,where the power is on a s6,then itll feel a lot faster going up through the gears,because it is!a guy i know at college who recently drove a tamora,wasnt that impressed with the performance.the fastest thing hes driven is a '88 325bmw.when i asked him how he drove it,it turned out he handnt used the full extent of the rev range(changing up at 5kish)!boy had he missed out-what a wasted test drive!just try changing up at 6.5-7k in each gear and then tell me it doesnt feel fast

>> Edited by mongoose on Wednesday 30th March 10:46

[tonyhetherington]

At the weekend I did approx 180mph in Phatgixer's SL65, Shady's DB9, and Rob's 996TT. the only way you realise how fast you're going is bylooking at the speedo.

Converesly...I've done 135 in a Westfield, and boy do you know you're doing that speed!!!

So, the simple answer I guess, is that it depends on the compsure, the sound deadening, and the surrounding area as to what "speed" feels like!!

[K.K.]

mongoose said:

...just try changing up at 6.5-7k in each gear and then tell me it doesnt feel fast

I have never, yet, taken the revs beyond 6,000 rpm! My car has only done 2,000 miles and not sure whether the engine is ready yet (advice appreciated). I have run my Tam in from new very properly sticking to all the rules. After the first 1,000 mile service I opened her up to over 4,000 rpm and then to 5k and very recently to 6k. I suppose she's ready for the big 7.5k but I'm not sure that I am! All I know is that after 5,000rpm this car really comes into its own!

[targarama]

K.K. said:

mongoose said: ...just try changing up at 6.5-7k in each gear and then tell me it doesnt feel fast I have never, yet, taken the revs beyond 6,000 rpm! My car has only done 2,000 miles and not sure whether the engine is ready yet (advice appreciated). I have run my Tam in from new very properly sticking to all the rules. After the first 1,000 mile service I opened her up to over 4,000 rpm and then to 5k and very recently to 6k. I suppose she's ready for the big 7.5k but I'm not sure that I am! All I know is that after 5,000rpm this car really comes into its own!

Just wait until its fully warmed through and I'm sure using the revs will be OK. I didn't hear any 'keep the revs down' warnings on the 2,000 mile Sagari as Silverstone yesterday.

Thinking about it, I've never really been above 7,000 revs myself. Must adjust the red light - I keep seeing it and changing up (I think it is set at 7k).