Do new sports car have too much grip?

"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
11/21/2016 at 18:55 • Filed to: None

Grip is nice to have, but I think most sports cars now have too much of it. In order to get the most out of sports car now you will be way over the speed limit. By the time “HOLY SHIT, THIS IS GREAT ON ITS LIMIT” you are way over and you have a date in the court. This also bring up tire width, the viper for example. The tires are so wide & grippy that its boring on the street. You need a track to really enjoy it at its limit. Whats you opinion on this?

*Track cars are excused from this.*

DISCUSSION (20)

Honeybunchesofgoats > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:02

My cars are 15 and 16 years old, so I can’t comment. I have noticed that there was an inverse relationship between me getting my license suspended for speeding and my newfound passtime of taking exit ramps without using the brakes, though. :/

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:03

One of the best things about my Mini and cars such as the BRZ is that you can put them on their limit without running the risk of being pulled over for speeding.

RyanFrew > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:06

There are loads of cars that you can break loose pretty easily: Toyobaru is the best example. That said, I’m glad the manufacturers are putting performance first. If you want the car to be more slippery, it’s not hard to fit narrower wheels/tires.

Decay buys too many beaters > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:11

Yes, it’s why I’ve got a Miata and an FR-S, and driving my dad’s C7 for the first time this past weekend left me feeling cold.

MyJeepGetsStuckInTheSnow > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:18

Nothing sucks more than being on a track daydreaming going down the straight with you foot mashed to the floor of a S2000/Miata. Sports cars belong at trackdays and are fun on the street. Stop driving like an ass on the street at 9/10ths and getting tickets. There is a place for that and it isn’t on windy back roads with other traffic. I saw a post recently about a guy snap over steering his Miata on a wet curve and puttting it on its side. People who do shit like that should get a swift punch in the face.

DynamicWeight > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:22

Enjoy.

Joe6pack > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:31

Is it grip, or is it a combination of extreme power combined with stability/traction control nannies. Cars with 3, 4, 500 hp couldnt put that kind of power down before. Yes, tires and structures are better, but there are still limits to adhesion driven by physics. Remember when Clarkson turned off the traction control on his AMG. The car was undriveable.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:33

I agree. More welded diffs and 215 section all seasons.

Autofixation > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:44

No such thing as too much grip. Let’s not complain about the advancement of vehicle engineering.

TheJWT > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 19:55

I don’t know if I’d say they have too much grip, but pretty much every newer performance car I’ve driven has left me with the feeling that I didn’t get anywhere the limits of the car. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but in the real world all you can really experience is how quick the acceleration is. I was driving a GT4 back from the dealership a few weeks ago in traffic, and while it’s a stupidly good car in every respect, I couldn’t help but feel like if all I’m doing is flooring it in the gaps between traffic, what’s the point of having a car that can handle this well in the first place?

Phatboyphil > RyanFrew
11/21/2016 at 20:18

The toyoburu is an exception, not the rule. Also I’d be VERY cautious about putting smaller tires on any car. Because cars are much heavier nowdays and need more tire just to support the weight.

NJAnon > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/21/2016 at 20:30

Are the sports cars not supposed to go to the track? You aren’t supposed to be trying to break your 1973 Porsche 911 loose when you’re in the turning lane. You break it loose when going into turn 4 at Road Atlanta. :P

RyanFrew > Phatboyphil
11/21/2016 at 20:45

Dude...what? No. Weight isn’t an issue at all. The 370z, which is kind of a de-facto sports car, weighs about 3,400lbs and comes with a 275 tire on the rear. The 2014 Yukon, by comparison, weighs about 5,500lbs and can be had with a 265. Hell, there are semi-trucks running 275s. It just boils down to having a tire that’s rated for the right PSI, which isn’t a challenge. Now, that said, you would need to ensure that the smaller wheel/tire package could clear the brake rotor/caliper, but that wouldn’t be too hard on many cars, short of a new m3 or z/28 or something along those lines.

Other cars that are easy to safely break loose with “spirited driving” include the 124 spider, Miata, EcoStang, Focus RS, most new hot hatches (if you can turn-in right and avoid understeer), 228i and 235i.......

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
11/21/2016 at 20:58

Eh, I’ve been in a stock FRS around a curve at 80. It has a high limit. You can enjoy it slowly, but it still has a high limit.

AntiSpeed > TheJWT
11/22/2016 at 00:30

Driving an exotic car on the street is like scoring a date with a porn star and watching Friends re-runs all night.

Axial > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/22/2016 at 00:34

Too much grip?

I think you too little power!

jordang1028 > RyanFrew
11/22/2016 at 02:30

If all posts on the interenet were backed by statistics and facts such as yours, the interenet would be a wonderful place. I tip my hat to you, sir.

Nauraushaun > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/22/2016 at 03:25

Speed sells. But speed is for children and internet warriors. Real men drive cars that can get loose ;)

ateamfan42 > Phatboyphil
11/22/2016 at 10:55

Because cars are much heavier nowdays and need more tire just to support the weight.

The load rating of a tire has to do with more than just the section width. It is possible that a narrower tire might have a higher load index (and therefore higher load rating if inflated properly).

When fitting any different size tire, it is important to pay attention to load ratings and make sure the new tire can support the same load (and is inflated differently if necessary).

uofime-2 > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
11/22/2016 at 12:52

you shouldn’t be pushing the limits of a car on the street regardless of how high or low they are because that’s a great way to hurt someone or break things