Top Gear GT86 Review by Clarkson (Season 19, Episode 3)

[ashtray]

Top Gear is a serious automotive journalist show - not for entertainment purposes. All their lap times are audited by a third party Accounting firm for accuracy. Not.

TG can post and show anything they want. It's a TV show - I wouldn't put their lap times in stone, as they can vary with the weather. Also, their competitions are staged (!) a bit - but it comes together very well. (The GT500 has a top speed of the Land Rover filming it! )

[EBMCS03]

Originally Posted by oldpueblo

I realize this isn't exactly what you're looking for, but it is a comparison:

This is the BEST review I've seen so far. they are honest and I know exactly what they mean when they say the Hyundai is sloppy. its a great car on paper but when you drive it. the car is sloppy. The Elise is HARD CORE... a RAW car and thats exactly it. perfect. I would love to see them review the Cayman S. especially the New Cayman S and see what they have to say.

Edit: Darn just looked up the Cayman S review... not as descriptive as the Elise/FRS/Genesis one.

[Margovincent_22x]

Originally Posted by touge-n00b

While I'm in no way discounting the GT86s laptime, you have to remember that the E46 was lapped by the black (first) Stig, and he was a bit slower than current Stig. Also, I'm convinced that this third Stig is an even faster driver than the second Stig. So the lap times are a *bit* skewed.

Still a mighty impressive time in the wet. But come on guys, who are we kidding? Clarkson said it himself in the video: who give's about lap times, really?? That's not what this car is about!

I was able to experience the gt86 in the track with pro drivers and they said that even if there is only 200hp in the hood, it pulls like hell in the curves ><

[scottynoshotty]

all im guna say is if the track was completely dry and you put some quality rubber on there(which im pretty sure all of us who will be tracking will be doing asap).. that would have been under 1:30..which is seriously quick for a car that so many people love to call "slow"

[Ingen]

Originally Posted by Pete

Me too, and on a wet track with the stock tires. I hated the stock tires in Houston, too much traffic to F around.

Hah. I hate Houston, because it has too much traffic to even drive around.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Ingen

Hah. I hate Houston, because it has too much traffic to even drive around.

If there weren't all the good jobs and low cost of living I would leave. I like cold weather anyway.

[Grateful Dave]

People who are into the numbers of a car and dog the GT86/FRS/BRZ, forget that the car has a low center of gravity, light weight, good weight distribution (53F/47B) and a good suspension set up. This is how the car beat other cars with more horsepower. I really don't give a sh*t what they think anyway. Every time I get behind the wheel of my FRS, I have a smile just like Jeremy's.

[Lverasky]

Nice go go go

[Carban]

love when hes "reading and drifting"
awesome review!!

[Dezoris]

Car is fun but needs some work to be faster to dial out that over steer.
Sure it's fun to chase the tail around but it's not composed.

That's the problem, do you neutralize and balance the car by adding a front sway bar and sticky tires or just let it be a crazy tail wagging animal.

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

Car is fun but needs some work to be faster to dial out that over steer.
Sure it's fun to chase the tail around but it's not composed.

That's the problem, do you neutralize and balance the car by adding a front sway bar and sticky tires or just let it be a crazy tail wagging animal.

According to Randy Pobst, you just buy a BRZ for neutrality...

[dun3]

Jeremy pretty much made it made it clear that there is practically no difference between the 2.

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by Sport-Tech

According to Randy Pobst, you just buy a BRZ for neutrality...

The BRZ enters a turn with initial understeer.
But at the limited they both just slide all over the place.

Fun of course just not fast,

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

The BRZ enters a turn with initial understeer.
But at the limited they both just slide all over the place.

Fun of course just not fast,

Actually if you watch Randy drive both at the limit on-track (see the MT site), the BRZ is somewhat more stable and neutral. He makes this quite clear in his post-drive commentary as well. Plus .7 seconds faster around the Willow Springs track.

The same contrast was seen even back in the hoary early days when the Best Motoring track video of the twins came out, there was a 40 page thread about it.

As to Clarkson's views - great entertainer, but I'll take the word of a 4-time World Challenge GT series champion and 2-time Le Mans class winner over Jeremy's when it comes to the subtleties of car handling.