Hey check this article out. Really great graphs of stats worth the look. I am also really surprised of how the cayman did.

http://www.motortrend.com/features/112_0706_americas_best_handling_car

i dont understand why its 'americas best handling car'?
only 1 or 2 of the cars there are american?

i dont understand why its 'americas best handling car'?
only 1 or 2 of the cars there are american?Because it's a comparison of cars sold here...

i dont understand why its 'americas best handling car'?
only 1 or 2 of the cars there are american?

only 1 of them; the 'Vette. i think it means the ones sold in America :-k

lol...


I just read through that and I've read a lot on the GT3 but never driven one, but after this paragraph I have this strange desire to go borrow one and explore that other 10 - 15 percent! lol


"The Porsche 911 GT3, to me, is perfect. I wouldn't change anything. I like the engine, the handling, the [ceramic] brakes. This is the car every race driver would like to have on the rack. It's neutral and has a wide powerband, the brakes are stable, it's well balanced, it has good traction. It's perfect." Angelelli also admitted that even with all his experience, he probably only probed 85 to 90 percent of this car's astounding limits, and he opined that its behavior probably becomes unpredictable at the limits-especially under power. When asked whether a Cayman with the same engine, brakes, and tires wouldn't be better still, he fretted about its less rigid chassis. We'd sure love the chance to try that option."

great article .. loved all the cars ..GT3 .. keeps scoring :D

If you liked that article you guys should check out what richard hammond had to say about the gt3 rs in the new top gear magazine:D

I wonder how much time it took to write this.

They almost got everything down, for goodness sakes! That's a remarkable feat, considering that this is a pretty complex subject.

Yeah, but this article is overall FUBAR. No matter what anyone wants to say about anything, you can't take a single damn word of what these guys say seriously.

According to THEIR scoring, the Mini Cooper S....is a better car then the Corvette Z06...

Sorry guys, this is where I sign off on this one.

Yeah, but this article is overall FUBAR. No matter what anyone wants to say about anything, you can't take a single damn word of what these guys say seriously.

According to THEIR scoring, the Mini Cooper S....is a better car then the Corvette Z06...

Sorry guys, this is where I sign off on this one.
And you've driven a Cooper S?

As a matter of fact...YES, unlike most of the members on this site, I have a job, credit, and the ability to con dealers into thinking I'm going to buy things.

Holy ****, that's a crapload of work they did! They did almost every possible scientificly accurate test on every car!!!11 That article makes my head hurt.....

Wow, this is very interesting. I think it's pretty accurate since they tested out many features of the car including steering feel, accuracy and weight etc etc. It's nice to see the GT3 coming first, i wonder how would the GT3 RS do? And i wished they included the Impreza WRX STi so we could compare it with the evo...

Yeah, but this article is overall FUBAR. No matter what anyone wants to say about anything, you can't take a single damn word of what these guys say seriously.

I assume that any source that has anything negative to say about the Z06 must be a joke and shouldn't be listened too? They've driven the car, you haven't. You read articles about it and argue over what you've read. Well this isn't the first one that I've read that doesn't like the feel of the Z06 on the road. Yes the praise it on the track, but on the road not so much.

I'm bored of the whole Z06 subject and the "it cannot be touched" mentality.

No I havn't driven the new Z06, but I've driven the last generation, and it seemed to ONLY kick ass. Yeah, the Mini is obviously going to be more civilized on a normal road, it's a sports coupe. The thing is is that they are comparing the cars in several different aspects, fun to drive and handling are two of them, I do doubt that the Mini's livability, which honestly ain't that high in my opinion from what I felt with my OWN ass, is THAT much better then the Vette's fun and destructive power to rank it higher. Is the Z06 the perfect car? Hell no, but is it better then the Mini Cooper S or more then half of the cars they have on that list? To me, hell yeah.

^The Mini isn't a coupe, it's a hatch.

And you've driven a Cooper S?I have too... Fun but not a Corvette. Hell, it's not even an 02 SS Camaro as far as handling.

As a matter of fact...YES, unlike most of the members on this site, I have a job, credit, and the ability to con dealers into thinking I'm going to buy things.Isn't that fun??? lol... I like going to Wichita car dealerships and pulling up in my Town Car and getting out in a pair of ripped up sweats and an old T-shirt. lol... They either think I'm rich and strange or I stole the Town Car! lol

Holy ****, that's a crapload of work they did! They did almost every possible scientificly accurate test on every car!!!11 That article makes my head hurt.....Yeah but the problem is that science doesn't always translate to the road.

I assume that any source that has anything negative to say about the Z06 must be a joke and shouldn't be listened too? They've driven the car, you haven't. But I have and as fun as the Mini is it's just not a Z06. If you've ever paid any attention to my posts then you'll know I'm not a fanboy, or think that American cars rule, hell... I don't even like Corvettes that much, but the C6 Z06 is everything and MORE than anyone can say about it.

^The Mini isn't a coupe, it's a hatch.
shut up... :)

^What the f*ck was that for? Just 'cos you had a tiff with me the other day you say that?

I remember you say ''this is a place where people come to learn about cars, so we like to keep all our information as accurate as possible.''

So, if you thought about that, I was actually helping you and your little ''theory'' out, don't go jumping down my throat because I actually corrected somebody when they were wrong...nobody does that to you.

Wow, interesting. I was being sarcastic and joking with you but if you want to get serious and start cussing at me we can do that too... When have you ever seen me just respond like that when I wasn't joking? If I was serious I would've gone on about it. Use your fu*cking brain. And don't cuss at me again.

^Well I did not know that, my apologies. Just thought it was a bit silly to criticize someone for correcting information, that's all.

Sorry.

I apologize as well. I just looked at my post and realized that I forgot to put a smiley after it. I really am sorry Benny...

^My fault aswell....shouldn't have reacted that way aswell!

DAMN RIGHT! lol... No hard feelings.


What was the topic? lol

OK - and to say the last thing on the offtopic - Coupe means two/three doors, so the Cooper is a hatch as it is a coupe. This is why monkeyfkker joked at it.

peace

Edit: btw on the topic - the whole table look as expected excluding the Z06. It may can be not the perfect car in handling(accuracy and feeling) but for sure it has to get you more driving fun.
Personaly I think it was a little bit of waste of time for reading the article - much words for not really much info.

Actually I made a joke about it because Benny was doing the same thing I usually do... lol

this was a good article. I think thw elise should have done better though.

They chose the wrong Lotus. The Elise is by far the better handling Lotus model. Unless I am mis-reading the inclusion criteria, they should have chosen the Elise. Also, why not also assess the Porsche Boxster S?

They chose the wrong Lotus. The Elise is by far the better handling Lotus model. Unless I am mis-reading the inclusion criteria, they should have chosen the Elise. Also, why not also assess the Porsche Boxster S?


Umm they did not choose the wrong lotus, the exige is pretty much a race version of the elise. It has the same engine EXCEPT the exige is supercharged. The Exige does its 0-60 in 4.1 while the Elise does it in 4.9.....to me I think they used the BEST lotus.

Funny enough that the Z06 was right behind the GT3, thats a really great example of how in tune that car is and how America can really build a car that can mess around with alot higher classes.

Figures the the GT3 won though, that thing can turn on a dime at 120mph.

Umm they did not choose the wrong lotus, the exige is pretty much a race version of the elise. It has the same engine EXCEPT the exige is supercharged. The Exige does its 0-60 in 4.1 while the Elise does it in 4.9.....to me I think they used the BEST lotus.

Funny enough that the Z06 was right behind the GT3, thats a really great example of how in tune that car is and how America can really build a car that can mess around with alot higher classes.

Figures the the GT3 won though, that thing can turn on a dime at 120mph.
I respectfully disagree. This was a competition for the best handling car. Not the fastest. The main knock on the Lotus was, "The steering is heavy, and the rear end breaks loose with little warning. "You need to use the steering wheel a lot-to turn in and then correct." That would indicate to me a poor match of power plant to weight and brakes. If anything, the exige is over-powered. The Elise is the right combination of power, vehicular weight and brakes. It is a complete joy to drive. I must say that I have not driven either Porsche tested.

I LOVE THIS QUOTE!!!!

"For the record, the almost-affordable Ferrari F430 was eliminated because the GT3 outperforms it in all our standard handling tests-for $60,000 less."

I respectfully disagree. This was a competition for the best handling car. Not the fastest. The main knock on the Lotus was, "The steering is heavy, and the rear end breaks loose with little warning. "You need to use the steering wheel a lot-to turn in and then correct." That would indicate to me a poor match of power plant to weight and brakes. If anything, the exige is over-powered. The Elise is the right combination of power, vehicular weight and brakes. It is a complete joy to drive. I must say that I have not driven either Porsche tested.
this is why after your quote, the driver went on to say it needed more power.????
He'd also like to lower the rear spring rates for more grip and to add 100 horsepower.

as for the test, i knew the cayman was good, but i'm shocked by how good it was. I think if there was a track cayman it would be even better than a GT3. The GT3 was great to, and the exige did well to. Overall i'm glad i read most if that.

But I have and as fun as the Mini is it's just not a Z06. If you've ever paid any attention to my posts then you'll know I'm not a fanboy, or think that American cars rule, hell... I don't even like Corvettes that much, but the C6 Z06 is everything and MORE than anyone can say about it.

So who do I listen too? You or the magazine? With all due respect, I know what your talking about but it's hard not too listen to the articles I've read too. I've read reviews that the Z06 is poor on the road but I've read reviews that say it's the perfect everyday car. In an ideal world, I'd be able to make this decision myself by driving the car but I can't. I'm 19 and I'm hardly living the high life at uni.

I knew you would write something senseable, it's just a shame you don't get the same from everyone. I was going to use the term fanboy in my original post but decided against it because I knew it would have inappropriate. And I'd have my head bitten off. My point was that these magazines have their opinion and I find hilarious when people call them a "joke" because they don't give the Z06 full marks. Evo Power has never driven the car, so how can he critcise the marks given by a team who did? I don't know about you, but that confuses me.

Come on dill hole, Monkey has never driven the car before either and you were basically ready to give him a back massage for his input. I never said the Z06 was an "UBER AWESOME TOTALLY BADASS CAR AND BETTER THEN EVERYTHING" or any other fanboy ****. I put that I doubt that the positives of the Mini severly outweight the positives of the Z06. I don't need to drive a car that has 500 horsepower and destroys most things on the track that cost in well excess of 150,000 to know that it's pretty damn cool

Mature. Dill hole? What are you 10? As pathetic as that was, I'll disregard my first instinct and give up some of my time to write a response. Dill hole...haha. God, that's quality. If you care to read again, Monkey has driven the car. And if you care to read the article again, the points weren't given for the car's track ability.

Clearly the parameters are way different when we're forced to share the road. The intensity of the driving experience is necessarily dialed back from what it is on a racetrack, but the sounds, smells, tingles, and twitches generated by a great car can bring abundant joy on a Sunday drive.

To me anyway, the price of a car, it's hosepower and how ever many cars it can spank the ass of on a track is irrelevant. That's what the points were given on. I was going to type why it was so low but I might as well be lazy and quote them again.

Our Corvette Z06's surprising ninth-place ranking owes much to its last-place chassis-control ranking. Quite simply, this car's surplus power and surfeit of rear grip overwork the stability control, the driver's nerves, or both, on public roads. Combine that with imprecise steering and a chassis that's easily upset in bumpy curves and pretty soon in a handling test, you're looking at a low ranking.

The drivers weren't professional racing drivers. Not everyone who buys the Corvette is a professional racing driver. I think you missed the point of the points system. I've been driving two years and I'm hardly experienced but I assure that you on a twisty, country road, I'd have more fun in a Mini than in a Z06. Mainly because I think I would get too excited in the Corvette, floor it at the wrong time, spin, go off road and make love to a tree. The positives of a Z06 probably do outweight those of the Mini, but for this test, it might not. And you didn't clearly state that that was what you were pointing out. You called them a "joke" and "people who you should not listen too".

Next time you insult me, try something a bit more exotic than "dill hole".

The positives of a Z06 probably do outweight those of the Mini, but for this test, it might not. And you didn't clearly state that that was what you were pointing out. You called them a "joke" and "people who you should not listen too".

Alright, I'll give you that, and I appologize for freakin out and callin you names.


However, they did say,"excessive horsepower"......Balderdash!

Don't worry about it. And yeah I agree with you on the excessive power comment.

I actually read this whole article in the magazine on a recent business trip.

Couple of points. They do not bag the Vette in the article. But the article is all about handling not power. The vette has tons of power, but its handling isnt its strong suit because the rear is light and it sometimes lacks the traction to handle all the power it puts out. That comes across in the lab and track tests in the article.

That being said, the vette actually does pretty well in a number of the tests. But overall, its lack of rear wheel grip is what drags it down. Sorry if people are upset the article ranks the mini-cooper S over it overall. But remember, this article is about handling in a number of venues, that is it. In a straight line, I have no doubt the vette would tear the cooper a new one.

Now.. what this really boils down to is this. I really want a Caymen S. They are such sweet cars and the feel of the car is unbelievable. Funny to say, but this is the only car in the group I have actually tested. lol

I agree with what you're saying Aglarang but I've also driven the C6 and the C6 Z06 (The Z06 to it's limits and a bit beyond) and the one thing I learned is that you have to learn the car's curve. Then you have to learn what rpm and what gear you need to feather it through whatever degree turn you're in. Once you get that down the Z06 will shatter most current cars through twists. Before you start thinking it, I am NOT a Corvette lover nor an American car fanboy, but I am a well trained, experienced race car driver and I know how to get the most out of a car. The Mini Cooper, although much less powerful than the Corvette, will absolutely AMAZE anyone who's never been in one before. You can watch videos of it, you can even watch it in person, but until you drive one hard you can't imagine what that little slot car can do.

Remember this one thing about articles related to cars... Although the test drivers are all professional drivers they don't have that much time with the cars they test drive. Therefore they don't have the chance to learn the car enough to throw it around hard. They get in them and test them pretty much cold. I'm not saying that the reviews aren't somewhat accurate I'm just saying that you can't go by them and only them...

I agree with what you're saying Aglarang but I've also driven the C6 and the C6 Z06 (The Z06 to it's limits and a bit beyond) and the one thing I learned is that you have to learn the car's curve. Then you have to learn what rpm and what gear you need to feather it through whatever degree turn you're in. Once you get that down the Z06 will shatter most current cars through twists. Before you start thinking it, I am NOT a Corvette lover nor an American car fanboy, but I am a well trained, experienced race car driver and I know how to get the most out of a car. The Mini Cooper, although much less powerful than the Corvette, will absolutely AMAZE anyone who's never been in one before. You can watch videos of it, you can even watch it in person, but until you drive one hard you can't imagine what that little slot car can do.

Remember this one thing about articles related to cars... Although the test drivers are all professional drivers they don't have that much time with the cars they test drive. Therefore they don't have the chance to learn the car enough to throw it around hard. They get in them and test them pretty much cold. I'm not saying that the reviews aren't somewhat accurate I'm just saying that you can't go by them and only them...


I agree 100% - It takes time and practice to push a car to its max. The graph is definitely something to go by, but like he said, you can't rely on that alone as a complete standard source to judge the cars.