http://www.users.totalise.co.uk/~scoobydoo/imprezaweb/reviews/handling.htm

 

This article discusses the merits of different engine / drive wheel arrangements and compares several cars in terms of handling. I thought it was interesting, if older. New to me. Anyone else see this before?

 

Steve

That article is a real eye opener. We just bought an 05 Forester SX. During the test drive I took the Forester down a section of road the winds down a mountain in a slalom effect. My first pass was faster than I would normally drive this route with little braking. The car went down with no body lean and handeled perfectly. So much so,,, that I drove back up and went down a second time. On this second pass, I approached the down grade at normal speeds and didn't brake at all.

 

All I can say is this vehicle felt like a,, "Slot Car". I couldn't believe how well this Forester handeled! Needless to say,,,,,, I was sold!

We all drive subs cuz the virtues of the handling, right?

 

But the article seemed a little bit biased toward Subaru.

 

It is a well known fact that if you let go acceleration on a shart curve in AWD, the rear will spin but the car will regain steering when acceleration is reaplied. This is great for rallies but may take a street driver by surprise. I am surprised the test drivers didn't see that in the lift off test. On the other hand it helped in geting the best result in speed corner test.

 

Daily drivers: do not take your foot from gas pedal when you are in the middle of the turn.

Racers: do take your foot from gas pedal when you are in the middle of the turn.

Well, my Subie was given to me as a derilict (cost too much for my stepdaughter to repair, so she gave it to me), and what I fell in love with first was the engineering of the car (one look under the hood and I was hooked, then I looked under the car and fell in love with it all over again). This car came to me with bad balljoints, and a half dead clutch as well as nearly bald tyres, so I have not really pushed it much as far as "the virtues of the handling" are concerned, but I do love the way it drives when I get into tight spots and need to get out of them. . .

Daily drivers: do not take your foot from gas pedal when you are in the middle of the turn.

ummm in the OBS that I have I DO let off the gas at the Apex IF I feel understeer then it corrects itself and sometimes gets the more controllable oversteer effect

friendly, it very much depends. What's the corner's radius? What gear are you in? What tyre pressures are you running? Is it wet?

 

"Traction Control" was actually invented to counter the otherwise sound advice you are giving. Too many drivers think they will have an accident if they go through a corner off the throttle.

 

So much depends on how you entered the corner. There are no rules of thumb. Except that a Subaru will give you time to think about it before it spins you round!

There are no rules of thumb.

Never use your thumb as a rule. . .