Just finished watching 2006-03 bmi. pretty interesting results considering rx8 gets its *** kicked in almost every race they conducted. Tsuchiya is one of the oldest and most respected race car drivers in japan.

 

Yeah, noticed that the Z is still above it. Too bad I don't understand what he's saying. It sucks more when I think back I was so close in purchasing a S2000 instead of the 8. Then again I'm loving the 8 more and more.

 

Vette 14'th....hmmmmm, I don't think I trust what ever that is....

 

I'd love to hear a translation of his explaination of that list... They like RWD cars so I'm not shocked to see the STI and Evo down on the list. But the Z4 in 2nd, Track Model Z in 3rd, and the Elise in 12th is bordering on the absurd. Actually it is absurd and he's inhaled too many tire fumes.

 

HAHA.... yeah I was wondering about the Z4 myself, he never likes AWD except the rear biased GTR. I was thinking maybe the track cars were not performing well on that particular touge course he used.

 

On the previous episodes he was pushing a bunch of exotic supercars around a track and found that the corvette wasn't that great in the handling department. I think Tsuchiya is a drift happy happy driver by nature and noticed the way he push most non-jap cars, almost expecting a smooth oversteer out of them.

Maybe I'll try to get a subtitle track for this video somewhere.

 

The Vette not a good handling car..... , I wont say more....

 

BMI had one criticism of the vette, and handling was it. I have yet to drive one myself, but based on what i read it seems great.

 

perhaps you are confusing handling and grip.

handling is what happens after you lose grip, what happens when the car is sliding, how does it react? Is is neutral or does the tail snap?

corvettes probably have good grip but I wouldn't know because I've never driven one.

Go to a racetrack and run in heavy rain and snow and you'll get an idea of how a car handles.



And if how do we know what the drift kind was ranking. Maybe he was ranking them in order of best cars for Dorifto or something...

 

BMI usually has positive things to say about the RX-8. It's too bad many on the internet don't understand Japanese. They simply watch a race replay, see that the RX-8 didn't win, and then conclude well it must suck then.

In this BMI video Tsuchiya-san actually gives the RX-8 a score of 9 out of 10, while he gives the S2000 an 8 ot of 10. (Based on the cars' autocross and drift handling feel.)

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-multimedia-photo-gallery-6/best-motoring-video-new-miata-vs-2nd-gen-vs-rx-8-a-82996/

 

An important aspect of how he rates car in this segment of the show is mentioning how forgiving the car is at the limits. He uses a rating for 1 to 10, i.e. grip to slip; and he will always say (depending on how fast he say 1 to 10 literally) the transition of a car going from grip to slip.

 

I felt Jeremy Clarkson actually explained handling very well, and I generally don't agree with Jeremy Clarkson. Americans feel that the handling of a car is how many lateral gs it can pull, but in reality it's how the car responds when it's sliding. I'd broaden that to how well a car responds to inputs before and after sliding, whether the car feels like it can read your mind or whether it's just an obedient servant. I find a lot of cars can pull high gs, but you tend to drive them like you're muscling them to your will. The cars that are truly reknowned for good handling are the ones that seem to respond before you even turn the steering wheel. Those cars are few and far in between.

 

Oh OK, I see what you mean and thanks for the explanation everyone else. I know the Vette has serious grip (I've ran 2 on a SHORT track at the auto show in motion) but I don't know how well they react when they lose control.

 

I saw that almost a month ago, along with all other episodes . I will expain some

Covertte they said its really dangerous because he cant really predict where its going to go. It slides and very uncontrollable(When going fast + Pedal fully depressed). It has high power output but whats the point of having it when you cant even control it (new one has 505 Horse? I think, and it reminds me of Viper, which is another "high power but cant drive it" kind of car and it will never reach the level for Porshe/Ferrari, which has high power AND controllable car)

The 8 they said its really confortable to ride. Very good respond. in the Video you can see its really smooth. Altho it still a little bit slow (Torque)

Keep in mind that they test all cars with the DSC/VSC, whatever its called completely off. So its pretty fair.

 

I still think he might be too hard on the Vette, but what do I know...he is the top race car driver...not me...

 

RX8 above the Lotus Elise, NSX, and the Vette!?!?!?!

I mean I really like the RX8, but wow. All I can say is maybe price was a factor?

 

I really think this ranking was on handling feel, not on "If I had to bet my first-born on a race, what car would I take?" The S2000 and Elise are both prone to terminal snap oversteer (especially the Elise, much less so on the AP2 S2000) while the RX-8 is one of the easiest cars to drive.

 

too bad on race track the "uncontrollable" Z06 will murder any Porsche.Ferrari short of an Enzo/Carrera GT

 

Well Tsuchiya is known as the "drift king". I think one of the races he drove the RX-8 (albeit modified) in and he won. My guess is the RX-8 is much easier to drift than the 'vette and therefore ranks much higher in his regard.

 

i wouldn't take BMI 'races' too seriously.... there's too much screwing around by the drivers in those races lol

 

if you mean the yumekobo rx8, he cheated to win.

 

I dont really think so.

Z06 has the horse but nothing else.

It might be able to kill some kind of Porsche / Ferrari.

Enzo? I seriously dont think the Z06 can even get close to it.

I have a question tho. I know how Rotary works but, its kinda sad that Z06 can get better mileage than our 8 do ....

 

16/26 is kinda close to 18/24. if the rotary gets as much mileage as a *real* 1.3L, then it'd pretty much be the perfect motor =P

but i wonder what the real-world gas mileage is...when you have a heavy right foot and drive 'em like you should

save the big block c2 sting rays, the current z06 is probably THE best corvette ever

 

i am one of the supporters for BM series. I have to say that most of the tests that they have done are pretty close to reality. in addition, all their drivers are Japanese professional racing drivers. in the picture you see, Tsuchiya is talking about how the car feels towards its limit(grip). the best drivers always drive on the limit of cars. In other words, the Z06 certainly has a higher limit than the rx8 and s2000. But, once it goes over the limit, byebye Z06. It is nearly impossible to get the Z06 back. Same thing applies for a lutos, it is a great car and can push all the way in corners. Nontheless, its MR set up destroys the feeling of the car when drivers go above the limit. For the 2000(got a ride in autocross myself), it is an amazing machine. when drivers screw up in corners, the cars tend to correct itsefl and save the driver a lot of grief. Mind you that, i rode it whith no traction control. For the AWDs, they tend to go where ever they are going before you start correcting them. in other words, if they go off their limit, they just keep going at the direction that the drivers come into the corners. so i would say that the result is very fair except the part that they have the Z higher than the 8.

 

Z06 is the best one. but its still nowhere close to some Porsche or Level of Ferrari.

All Z06 has is horse, just like all corvettes. Well I admit that they put alot of work at other areas. but still, horse is still the first thing they have(and just like most of the american home made cars, aka muscle cars, high horse and nothing else, Viper SRT-10, for reference.)

Maybe they should learn something from Ford GT. Which is a great car, about the same hp but alot better than Z06. (but it cost almost like twice as much... so ...)