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Can someone explain to me which is a more important factor to evaluate in a car. It seems that most magazines lean towards the skidpad, but I often hear that the slalom is much more important.
I have a general understanding of both the tests, but I don't think I really understand how to analyze and evaluate the numbers against one another. For example, the M2 WRX tested by Sport Compact Car had a skidpad rating below .84, but was the fastest in the slalom they have ever tested. To me the .84 would not lend to fast slalom times.
Hopefully, this wasn't too much of a stupid question.
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In a simple way.. skidpad is just a measure of ultimate grip of the car and depends a lot more on tires than suspension setup. Slalom would test how well the car behaves in quick transitions and directions changes. I'd value the second test a lot more over pure skid pad grip.
The Salom is basicly the emergancy lane change while the skid pad is the vehicles wheels,tires and suspensions ability to grip the surface and is guaged by G's ie the Lightning has a .85g skidpad number. Now the Salom is guaged by MPH and the RX should have at least a 65 MPH skid pad rating and the only ones is 600 m and I think a 400m but I could be mistaken. But you are right that the Salom is more important as no one goes around in tight circles to go somewhere.
The above descriptions for skidpad are accurate - a measure of ultimate grip provided by the wheels, tires and suspension.
The slalom test will also test these components, but also tests steering control and quickness, body roll, and ability to transition weight and force from side to side. It is a very good measure of how a vehicle handles overall. Cars that have scored well in the past - WRX, MINI Cooper, Porsche 911, Ferrari Modena - are traditionally cars with excellent suspension, stiff chassis, and excellent steering ratio. We'll have to wait and see how the 8 stacks up, but I'm betting it will be in the top 3-5% of all vehicles.
Originally posted by randyc Take the same car and put stickier tires on it. Instant better numbers.
The same can be said for the slalom, Although the skid pad can be bias it does give a good look at the balance of the car at the limit. Numbers can vary from driver to driver just like they can in the slalom because it comes down of how well you can balance the car with good steady throttle and keep it going in a large circle. The skid pad is not just turning the wheel to lock and punching it.
Of course, but there is still a major difference. In a skidpad you are trying to maintain a steady state condition. Your corrections are only to maintain that.
In a slalom, you are involving a lot more of the suspension, and testing transient response of the car. A whole different thing.
In other words, put fat sticky tires on the stock yugo and in a slalom, you will still suck. Sure, a little faster... but not as much improvement as what you would see in the skidpad example.
But hey, what do I know?
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Originally posted by Sputnik How can a person with such a low post count know something about handling?
---jps
I talked to some of the people yesterday working on the Fast and the Furious 2. For some reason, they wanted my advice and I am meeting with them this weekend. I told them I had not seen the first movie yet.
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I have some interesting cars.
ahahahahaaa!! AHAHAHAAAA!! :D are you serious???
they want help, eh?? make sure to tell them to feature Vin's red RX that he had in the first one... it wasn't nearly as bad as that fricken' orange supra... :p
seriously though, try and pry them away from the SCC esthetic, if that's at all possible...
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