Chimaera Handling

[scubaman250]

Can anyone tell me how well these cars handle round corners,

[GreenV8S]

quote:Can anyone tell me how well these cars handle round corners,

Well its all relative isn't it? What are you comparing against? They'll run rings round run of the mill saloon cars, although it's their straight line performance that will really blow your socks off.

Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)

[Jason F]

quote:Can anyone tell me how well these cars handle round corners,

Mine tends to go round quite well indeed.. And quite fast if you want toooooo.. Not as good as an MR2 by any stretch but I have taken a quite sharp corner at about 60odd and she was fine. One thing to bear in mind is the car will not feel like it is travelling as quickly as it is either.

[MajorClanger]

A selling point for the car for me was the previous owner telling me that in his experience 'he'd never found the limit in the dry on warm tyres' !!! In the wet and on ice yes, plenty of limit !!!

MC

[Griffithy]

Had a nice experience some days ago with a low&wide BMW 3xx boyracer on my tail. Going through a town we passed a roundabout. I found no need for slowing down for it - Griff it is, so must be similar to Chimaera - as did the guy behind me.
It was very funny to watch the BMW in the mirror and seeing it leaving the roundabout with the rearend ahead.
Best entertaining were the white/green faces of the 2 GTI-type looking guys now following in a secure further distance afterwards.
But as Peter states, most fun is usually to leave this kind of people at the lights going through all their gears and revvs they have, while you are effortlessly and smoothly pulling away in the far distance, still silently enjoying the look of his lady in your mind.

[manek]

Handling is better than most other cars on the road but you won't beat an Elise or a Porsche in the twisties because they have better chassis, suspension and brakes. Replace all those and you're talking...imho

[hughjayteens]

quote:
Had a nice experience some days ago with a low&wide BMW 3xx boyracer on my tail. Going through a town we passed a roundabout. I found no need for slowing down for it - Griff it is, so must be similar to Chimaera - as did the guy behind me.
It was very funny to watch the BMW in the mirror and seeing it leaving the roundabout with the rearend ahead.
Best entertaining were the white/green faces of the 2 GTI-type looking guys now following in a secure further distance afterwards.
But as Peter states, most fun is usually to leave this kind of people at the lights going through all their gears and revvs they have, while you are effortlessly and smoothly pulling away in the far distance, still silently enjoying the look of his lady in your mind.

BMW 3s are very easy to lose in the wet - I once was turning a tightish bend in mine and the phone rang - I lapsed concentration for a nanosecond as I dropped the phone and got it about 45 degrees sideways with one hand!!! I was quietly impressed with my killeronehandedoppositelock once I had shat myself!!

A Chim can corner MUCH faster but as mentioned, it ain't no Porka....

[yum]

When I bought mine, I suddenly found that the roads I know so well actually had much shorter straight bits that I had previously thought, and the corners come up faster than you expect. Just as well the handing is good.

It takes some time to be able to use that handling, and the learning experience is great fun. While the handling may not be quite as good as some others (eg 911, Elise), but I would challenge you to find a better all-round sportscar that can match a TVR for looks, noise, pace and value.

R

[johnnyS]

If you are looking for driving tips I would say that understeer is unlikely to be a problem.

[Griffithy]

-------------------------------------------------------
BMW 3s are very easy to lose in the wet - I once was turning a tightish bend in mine and the phone rang - I lapsed concentration for a nanosecond as I dropped the phone and got it about 45 degrees sideways with one hand!!! I was quietly impressed with my killeronehandedoppositelock once I had shat myself!!
-------------------------------------------------------

I had this Phone/Snow/Ice experience once in a Mercedes Estate and completely lost the car.
We had to dig out the car of a snow filled ditch.
Very funny for passing people.
I now know that that Estate, because of the long body behind the rear axle, is extremly dangerous in wet and icy situations.
Who says TVRs are dangerous?

[RCA]

As previously mentioned, I too am yet to really find its limits in the dry, It does stick to the tarmac very well with good rubber, but when you take it out in the wet oh my god!!! just forget about cornering at speed, unless that is you are a pro at steering with your newly appointed rear wheels and looking through the rear screen!

[budd]

I suggest leaving the boy racing to the boys in they're ridiculous max power type cars,to see what a TVR will really do and learn how to do it get on the track , with track days at most circuits there's on excuse.

[sharkychim]

im still fairly new to this tvr lark but working on an airfield and living in germany has helped (lots of space on the airfield, "sideways, dont know what youre talking about officer") and the autobahn, well passed a polizei scorpio last weekend at just under 150mph and he didnt bat an eyelid!! get yourselves over here and enjoy high quality roads/beer/scenery(for the wives) and an abundance of bmw's to embaress

[scubaman250]

Just found the limit in the Chimp, its about 20 miles an hour and then just press the accelerator a little to hard and next thing I was pointing in the wrong direction, This is the first time that have I spun in the car in the two weeks that I have had it, It had just started raining and it was been driven by a friend, who I trusted with the car, this trust lasted ohh 8 minutes, never again.....I am now more paranoid about spinning having seen him do it so easy

[Marshy]

1) Thin shoes (Cats, DMs, wellies and ski boots are out)

2) Squeeze the throttle, nay tickle it, and NO sharp movements.

That still won't stop you from getting all agley if you hoon into corners too fast, but it helps the rest of the time.

Disclaimer: IMHO, etc.

[manek]

It depends a lot on the tyres too, doesn't it? I was driving a friend home the other day (on being asked if she wanted cautious, normal or adventurous, she went for 'adventurous') and, since I knew the road and there were good sight lines round the corners, I was able to chuck it around a bit.

The rears are SO2s and the fronts are SO3s -- but I was well-pleased with the way that both sets of tyres gave me loads of feedback so it was very clear when the limit was approaching. Some tyre noise and a bit of sideways G, and a good time was had by all aprties, perfectly safely.

[zertec]

Modern TVRs have a good traditional suspension arrangement of double unequal length wishbones. Provided that the suspension components are in reasonable condition these cars can be made to handle really well by setting up the suspension properly. You will always have the ability to oversteer with that much grunt feeding through the rear wheels but used properly a well set-up TVR can match an Elise round twisty bits and outdrag it everywhere else. Most problems originate from behind the wheel, the steering wheel that is.

As ever the single most effective investment in handling (that as an added bonus can be transferred to your next vehicle, although it does need topping up) is driver education . We can't help with that but we can of course help with setting-up the car.

rgds
Clive

>> Edited by zertec on Tuesday 19th February 09:46

[andymadmak]

When I got my first Chim back in 94 I was resigned to it being a point and squirt car with bugger all by way of handling finesse. But I was wrong! At the time my company also sponsored a racing driver (Neil Cunningham, a kiwi racing formula Renault) and he showed me on a couple of track days just what the Chim could do with a more sensitive approach to the controls. Mallory Park and Donnington Park are both fantastic places to learn the limits on a Chim!
I learned sooooooooo much in a short time about smoothness and car control. I got to the point when I could accurately steer the Chim on the throttle (by regulating the understeer or pushing the tail out!) without fear of losing it.
Only ever tried it a couple of times on the road but it all seemed to work there too.
Now I have a 400se and that really is hard work in comparison, but never let anyone say a Chim cannot handle or be made to dance. They can!!
Andy 400se

[bazza2000]

That sounds like a fantastic experience Andymac!

Does anyone know of any good courses to do to learn the skills necessary to get the most out of these cars?

[apache]

I want to do a track day but have just bought a set of Toyo's (stick like that stuff to a blanket wet or dry btw)and am reluctant to toast a new set of rubber.....does it really screw em up?