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Motor Trend Best Driver's Car

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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 12:23 PM
  #1  
Knight Rider's Avatar
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Shelby GT500 Member
 
Joined: April 13, 2006
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From: McAllen, Texas
Motor Trend Best Driver's Car

http://www.motortrend.com/features/p...car/index.html

Shelby won 5th place and was well liked by the editors. Guess who finished last. I'll give you a hint:
"Claustrophobic cockpit and tight footwell conspire against driver confidence," notes Markus. Loh says, "Shifter is large and awkward, though the transmission is not bad, and pedal placement is not meant for heel-and-toe maneuvers." St. Antoine adds, "The steering wheel is huge -- and ugly. The gauges and shapes seem overwrought, as if Chevy had to prove it could deliver a 'designer' cabin. This is stuff to wow fellow adolescents at the drive-in, not drivers."
Low, as well. "It's a beautiful car to look at but to drive it? Understeer -- frustrating understeer," declares Pobst. "It's almost like before stability control when they'd make cars understeer a lot just so they'd be safe. As a driver, I find that frustrating. When I got done with my hot laps, I didn't want to drive it anymore."
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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 12:27 PM
  #2  
07S197's Avatar
Swamp Donkey Man Cans
 
Joined: August 20, 2007
Posts: 4,367
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From: Massachusetts
Quote:
"Claustrophobic cockpit and tight footwell conspire against driver confidence," notes Markus. Loh says, "Shifter is large and awkward, though the transmission is not bad, and pedal placement is not meant for heel-and-toe maneuvers." St. Antoine adds, "The steering wheel is huge -- and ugly. The gauges and shapes seem overwrought, as if Chevy had to prove it could deliver a 'designer' cabin. This is stuff to wow fellow adolescents at the drive-in, not drivers."
Quote:
Low, as well. "It's a beautiful car to look at but to drive it? Understeer -- frustrating understeer," declares Pobst. "It's almost like before stability control when they'd make cars understeer a lot just so they'd be safe. As a driver, I find that frustrating. When I got done with my hot laps, I didn't want to drive it anymore."
OUCH!!!!!
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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 01:09 PM
  #3  
Antigini-GT/CS's Avatar
Founding MOTM
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Joined: May 2, 2007
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From: El Paso, Tx
Don't worry guys, that's an isolated incident in the first few builds...
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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 01:44 PM
  #4  
07S197's Avatar
Swamp Donkey Man Cans
 
Joined: August 20, 2007
Posts: 4,367
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From: Massachusetts
So, Doc......... your sayin the more I drive it the less I will want to not drive it???








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Old Sep 17, 2009 | 11:01 PM
  #5  
hi5.0's Avatar
FR500 Member
 
Joined: August 15, 2005
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From: Honolulu
Too bad the trans didn't take a dump during the eval. It would have been most fitting. "Best driver's car - if you could drive it (not in the shop for one thing or another)."
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 03:38 PM
  #6  
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Bullitt Member
 
Joined: October 5, 2006
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That was a good article, I read it today. I have to say it was interesting to see the Miata place so well, although I happen to agree.

Certainly not the most powerful, but a wonderfully balanced car that is a flat out blast to drive.
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 03:56 PM
  #7  
The Reverend's Avatar
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Joined: July 28, 2006
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The Miata kills me on the Auto-x course everytime. Decent car; zoom, zoom, zoom.
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Old Sep 22, 2009 | 04:00 PM
  #8  
Antigini-GT/CS's Avatar
Founding MOTM
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Joined: May 2, 2007
Posts: 1,588
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From: El Paso, Tx
I have a friend who supercharged his Miata and left it at 5-6psi. He would go around the road course we have local quick enough before boost, but with all that power he had no problems sliding that back end around if he wasn't gentle enough on the throttle. It was a fun little car to ride in!
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Old Sep 23, 2009 | 09:27 AM
  #9  
rhumb's Avatar
 
Joined: January 30, 2004
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From: DMV
Originally Posted by exgto
That was a good article, I read it today. I have to say it was interesting to see the Miata place so well, although I happen to agree.

Certainly not the most powerful, but a wonderfully balanced car that is a flat out blast to drive.
As it has been said: it's not how fast a car goes, but how a car goes fast that matters most. Often that gets lost be both manufacturers and tuners in the quest for heroic numbers to brag about, ending up with cars that really aren't that enjoyable to actually drive.
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