[NefCanuck]

So from the sounds of things they had the track set up to really showcase what the Mini (and its competitor's) could do under extreme conditions but I'm curious as to whether you think that your rankings would have changed had the course been a little more "forgiving"

NefCanuck

[naz]

2001 ZTS,Jun 2 2008, 10:40 AM Wrote:OE rubber all round, they are surprisningly open and honest about things.

WRX's do well handling wise but in a radiaclly different way

As per last year the Mazda was just terrible

[right][snapback]265684[/snapback][/right]

your focus is using RT615 falkens? it would probably have smoked everything there on the basis of tire alone

Sube the long travel suspension and focus on wheel control instead of body control makes it feel worse on a slow tight course for sure.. but i personally would select it as a track weapon over any of the others listed

i'm surprised the mazdaspeed stuff sucks so badly.. i'm curious enough to try it myself

EDIT: nef what do you mean by 'forgiving' course

[NefCanuck]

naz,

What I meant was that the course would likely have been designed to play up the Mini's strengths and downplay any weaknesses versus a course designed more generically, which would in turn likely make its competitors look that much worse...

Iit'd be like throwing a mid-szed car on that course... the mid-sizer would likely lurch & lean in the sharper curves like a drunk on free beer night unless the car was an uber-pimp model...

NefCAnuck

[naz]

NefCanuck,Jun 2 2008, 10:33 PM Wrote:naz,

What I meant was that the course would likely have been designed to play up the Mini's strengths and downplay any weaknesses versus a course designed more generically, which would in turn likely make its competitors look that much worse...

Iit'd be like throwing a mid-szed car on that course... the mid-sizer would likely lurch & lean in the sharper curves like a drunk on free beer night unless the car was an uber-pimp model...

NefCAnuck
[right][snapback]265755[/snapback][/right]

IMHO the course doesn't matter. if they threw a WRX in there it would roll like a boat and depending on driving style it would understeer like crazy. that doesn't change the fact it is extremely capable and easy to drive fast.

i dont think you can't hide the stuff that matters.. i think the most you can do with course design is add more straights to let the high hp cars get better raw times.

[ZX3guy2000]

dbl post

[ZX3guy2000]

naz,Jun 2 2008, 04:29 PM Wrote:

2001 ZTS,Jun 2 2008, 10:40 AM Wrote:OE rubber all round, they are surprisningly open and honest about things.

WRX's do well handling wise but in a radiaclly different way

As per last year the Mazda was just terrible

[right][snapback]265684[/snapback][/right]

your focus is using RT615 falkens? it would probably have smoked everything there on the basis of tire alone

Sube the long travel suspension and focus on wheel control instead of body control makes it feel worse on a slow tight course for sure.. but i personally would select it as a track weapon over any of the others listed

i'm surprised the mazdaspeed stuff sucks so badly.. i'm curious enough to try it myself

EDIT: nef what do you mean by 'forgiving' course
[right][snapback]265747[/snapback][/right]

I think the mazdaspeed would perform differently. Looking at the pics that is the either the base sport model or the GT, but it isn't the mazdaspeed version. (but then again, not sure if the suspension setup is different.)

Just checked the original post and confirmed the mazda 3 sport....

[NikiterZTS]

yes it was GT 2.3L

[ZX3_2NV]

I'll be hitting up the course tomorrow should be fun did they have any problems taking an extra person?

[NikiterZTS]

ZX3_2NV,Jun 5 2008, 11:39 AM Wrote:I'll be hitting up the course tomorrow should be fun did they have any problems taking an extra person?
[right][snapback]266017[/snapback][/right]

nope

[dBlast]

ZX3_2NV,Jun 5 2008, 11:39 AM Wrote:I'll be hitting up the course tomorrow should be fun did they have any problems taking an extra person?
[right][snapback]266017[/snapback][/right]

I think I saw you. I was at the 10am session Friday morning but I arrived about an hour early so I was watching the earlier session. Were you wearing shorts and a ball cap angled off centre? I think I also saw KOS with his 30 yr old RHD Mini.

The test drive was awesome! I wish I could test drive all cars this way before purchasing them. You really got to test the handling limits of the various cars albeit only up to second gear.

The Mini S was pretty impressive with nice crisp go kart like handling. The Mazda 3 felt like a minivan through the course in comparison. The Volvo C30 tires were squealing with every turn (obviously under-tired compared to the rest.) The VW GTI's brakes seem spongy although not too bad in handling but nowhere near as crisp as the Mini.

On this course with a back to back comparison you could really tell the cars apart. If you were to test drive them from the dealership on a road course with the salesperson next to you would not be able to push the cars to the levels on this closed course. You would probably have a more difficult time deciding which car is better.

After this test drive, the Mini Cooper S Clubman definitely moved up a number of notches on my list of next possible cars to purchase.

[NikiterZTS]

dBlast,Jun 6 2008, 08:04 PM Wrote:

ZX3_2NV,Jun 5 2008, 11:39 AM Wrote:I'll be hitting up the course tomorrow should be fun did they have any problems taking an extra person?
[right][snapback]266017[/snapback][/right]

I think I saw you. I was at the 10am session Friday morning but I arrived about an hour early so I was watching the earlier session. Were you wearing shorts and a ball cap angled off centre? I think I also saw KOS with his 30 yr old RHD Mini.

The test drive was awesome! I wish I could test drive all cars this way before purchasing them. You really got to test the handling limits of the various cars albeit only up to second gear.

The Mini S was pretty impressive with nice crisp go kart like handling. The Mazda 3 felt like a minivan through the course in comparison. The Volvo C30 tires were squealing with every turn (obviously under-tired compared to the rest.) The VW GTI's brakes seem spongy although not too bad in handling but nowhere near as crisp as the Mini.

On this course with a back to back comparison you could really tell the cars apart. If you were to test drive them from the dealership on a road course with the salesperson next to you would not be able to push the cars to the levels on this closed course. You would probably have a more difficult time deciding which car is better.

After this test drive, the Mini Cooper S Clubman definitely moved up a number of notches on my list of next possible cars to purchase.
[right][snapback]266197[/snapback][/right]

for 34 grand u can buy a better looking if not better perfomance car.....that price turned me down right away

[ZX3_2NV]

dBlast,Jun 6 2008, 05:04 PM Wrote:

ZX3_2NV,Jun 5 2008, 11:39 AM Wrote:I'll be hitting up the course tomorrow should be fun did they have any problems taking an extra person?
[right][snapback]266017[/snapback][/right]

I think I saw you. I was at the 10am session Friday morning but I arrived about an hour early so I was watching the earlier session. Were you wearing shorts and a ball cap angled off centre? I think I also saw KOS with his 30 yr old RHD Mini.
[right][snapback]266197[/snapback][/right]

Yaa that was me I saw a blue Focus with a jackson racing supercharger licence plate cover but i didn't know who it belonged to and i thought there was someone in my session but i didn't see any Focus in the parking lot so i didn't know who it was so it was KOS with his old school mini i saw it i tripped out when i saw it was rhd pretty rare if u ask me

[Flofocus]

jesus its hard reading your posts. periods man, periods.

Don't write like that for your ford interviews! :P

[ZX3_2NV]

like ive said before and ill say it agian this is a forum im not working or need to be offical so my run on sentences and bad puncuation spelling will stay but i have got rid of most of the msn longo like ur and w/e

[NikiterZTS]

omg roflcopter is owning lolercoster

[2001 ZTS]

The goggles, they do nothing!