| Spaceywilly |
04-26-2012 01:04 AM |
I think the winding road article did a good job of explaining this
Quote:
So, timing-wise the FR-S is a little slower than a Mini Cooper S and feels it. It’s a second or more slower than a late-model Honda S2000, which seems about appropriate. Again, it is also more than a second slower than a Subaru WRX, and feels at least that different. Compared with turbo cars (in our examples, the WRX and Cooper S) you really notice the difference in part-throttle street-driving, where the turbo gives you a nice kick, and small, normally aspirated engines (S2000 and FR-S) don’t.
So the possibly strange-sounding part of this story is that some fraction of you are going to understand that the lower power of the FR-S is actually part of what makes it compelling. Low-ish power is good.
Say what?
Yes, the lower power level of the FR-S is part of the charm in the right hands. That’s because of two scenarios. One occurs on the street where the FR-S allows you to work the car harder without getting up to arrest level or life-threatening speeds. Said the other way, the FR-S makes you work harder to get up to the same pace you might run with other, faster, cars. What some call work, others call pleasure. When things are too easy, some find that they aren’t that involving.
If right about now, you’re saying “hogwash” or some similar word, well, you’re just not an FR-S person. If you can’t imagine that what we’ve just said could apply to any mortal being with a brain, then this car is not for you.
But for most, the FR-S is easier to understand if you forget about one group of possible comparisons based on turbo hot hatches and sedans—the Mazdaspeed3, the Mini Cooper S, the, the GTI, the WRX, and the WRX STI, and the Evo. These cars, like the Mustang and Camaro mentioned above, are just plain different in character than the FR-S. This group is generally faster, often more exciting, and also cruder than the FR-S.
Closer comparisons come from the S2000 (sadly, no longer with us), BMW 128i, Porsche Boxster and Cayman, and the Mazda RX-8. While each of these cars has a desirable powerplant, in a way, most people think of the chassis dynamics and refinement of these cars first. What is astonishing about the FR-S is that it combines the cruising comportment and function of the 128i with the dynamics of the Cayman, or Boxster, or S2000. Which is to say that the ride and quiet of the FR-S are better than the old Cayman, with similar handling pleasure. Or that many people who liked the 128i for daily duty, could now pick the FR-S and get better handling in the process. And, of course, the FR-S is something between 40- and 80-percent of the money of these cars, while getting upper 20’s fuel mileage.
|
|
