Toronto test drive impressions

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by gabeh

After sitting in an FRS with the seat at max height I found that the forward visibility just didn't cut it for me (I"m 5-6") and cancelled my order. If anyone is looking for a red base M/T it's coming soon to Yorkdale Toyota. Ask for Eddy.

You can always put a cushion on the seat to raise your seating position.

[Saibot]

Originally Posted by Scion FR-S

You can always put a cushion on the seat to raise your seating position.

Therrs actually a lever to raise seating position lol. Guess eddy didn't know his stuff :p

[TheJuggernaut]

Originally Posted by Scion FR-S

Hmmm...after Juggernaut's comments I am not sure if I will even bother test driving the auto, it's a long drive to get there. But then again if the auto is used in manual mode none of his complaints would really apply.

No for sure, go drive it. Just don't buy the auto. The rest of the car is all the same so the evaluation is perfectly valid. I've just always felt that wheel-mounted paddle shifters belong on formula cars which have 180 degrees lock to lock so I can't stand using them (note that Ferrari puts theirs on the steering column on street cars unlike their F1 cars). But this transmission does respond properly to them, better than many sequential hydraulic manuals like on BMWs.

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by Saibot

Therrs actually a lever to raise seating position lol. Guess eddy didn't know his stuff :p

LOL either you were a little into the suds or it was just too late last night when you posted this - he did say the seat was "at max height".

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by TheJuggernaut

No for sure, go drive it. Just don't buy the auto. The rest of the car is all the same so the evaluation is perfectly valid. I've just always felt that wheel-mounted paddle shifters belong on formula cars which have 180 degrees lock to lock so I can't stand using them (note that Ferrari puts theirs on the steering column on street cars unlike their F1 cars). But this transmission does respond properly to them, better than many sequential hydraulic manuals like on BMWs.

Yes I think I will. I was just doing laps at Catalunya in the DTM Audi in PCars using my paddle shifters on the G25 wheel and I experienced once again how much fun it is to be braking very hard and executing perfectly blipped downshifts prior to the apex. I know my limitations, I doubt I can ever do that in a manual car, and the need to do all braking followed by downshifting prior to corner entry in my "real" car seriously interferes with my enjoyment of hooning it around corners.

But I still prefer upshifting with a clutch. Too bad you can't have the best of both worlds. Oops - you can, buy a 370Z manual with the Synchrorev Match tech option! Too bad it's well north of $40k.

[Arthur]

Did you leave it in "D" or did you use the "M" mode? In "M" mode I found it behaved exactly like a manual in that it wouldn't upshift or downshift unless I told it what to do with paddle inputs. Shifts were very fast, I was extremely impressed with it - so much so that I might find the manual disappointing as it may not be as huge an improvement. I liked that it had a gear shift indicator in the cluster too (numerically tells you what gear you are in).

Originally Posted by TheJuggernaut

No for sure, go drive it. Just don't buy the auto. The rest of the car is all the same so the evaluation is perfectly valid. I've just always felt that wheel-mounted paddle shifters belong on formula cars which have 180 degrees lock to lock so I can't stand using them (note that Ferrari puts theirs on the steering column on street cars unlike their F1 cars). But this transmission does respond properly to them, better than many sequential hydraulic manuals like on BMWs.

[Heero]

I'm currently driving a MX6 with a KLZE swap + Shortram & Exhaust...

Current car has roughly 200 horses and 165 HP... I wonder how the FRS compares...

I look forward to switching from a V6 2.5 to a 4 cylinder 2.0 eng! Gas savings galore!

And yes... 200 HP, 165 torque is plenty for me :\

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by Heero

Current car has roughly 200 horses and 165 HP.

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by Arthur

Did you leave it in "D" or did you use the "M" mode? In "M" mode I found it behaved exactly like a manual in that it wouldn't upshift or downshift unless I told it what to do with paddle inputs. Shifts were very fast, I was extremely impressed with it - so much so that I might find the manual disappointing as it may not be as huge an improvement. I liked that it had a gear shift indicator in the cluster too (numerically tells you what gear you are in).

Great info - did you happen to notice which way the lever goes for manual shifting? I am hoping it's back for upshift like a race car with a sequential transmission - that is the pattern in racing sims and it will be hard to go the other way given the many hours I have "driven" that way.

[Arthur]

Sorry I didn't try shifting with the lever, was having too much fun with the paddles.

[Heero]

Originally Posted by Scion FR-S

Doh... torque***

Man... Manual cars get old after 3 days of daily driving LOL...

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by Arthur

Sorry I didn't try shifting with the lever, was having too much fun with the paddles.

Found info needed in Moto's review - they got it right, pull back for upshift, just like racing cars. Many brands get this wrong. When you are accelerating hard your natural inclination is to grab something and pull towards it to help you fight g force - so shifting back makes sense.

[Ad8707]

Anybody else got their VINs. I got mine 2 days ago and it was shown on the computer "en route to Toronto"

[Enemies]

Originally Posted by Ad8707

Anybody else got their VINs. I got mine 2 days ago and it was shown on the computer "en route to Toronto"

FR-S, right?