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

[ydooby]

720p on Vimeo:

[rice_classic]

[dem00n]

Speaking of Randy Pobst, anyone else notice him using only three fingers on the steering wheel when hes testing it on the track at high speeds?

All cars of course.

[smallfun]

If that lap board is correct, I'm surprised they got it to go around faster than an RX8 and 350Z, Mk V GTI and S2000. I was thinking compared to those other cars it would have placed further down the list.

[SnapOv3st3r]

Originally Posted by smallfun

If that lap board is correct, I'm surprised they got it to go around faster than an RX8 and 350Z, Mk V GTI and S2000. I was thinking compared to those other cars it would have placed further down the list.

That is more conducive of the type of track the Top Gear track is. Not every track is the 86 going to lose to an S2k, 350z, RX8...etc.

[blu_]

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.

This. You can't compare lap times between the different stigs. The 2nd stig was putting down laps a good 2 seconds faster than the 1st stig. I also agree with you about the 3rd stig being faster than the 2nd one.

Our cars are not faster than the E46 M3. Its still not bad at all though.


edit: I very much doubt are cars are faster stock than the most of other cars just mentioned either....

[SnapOv3st3r]

Originally Posted by blu_

This. You can't compare lap times between the different stigs. The 2nd stig was putting down laps a good 2 seconds faster than the 1st stig. I also agree with you about the 3rd stig being faster than the 2nd one.

Our cars are not faster than the E46 M3. Its still not bad at all though.


edit: I very much doubt are cars are faster stock than the most of other cars just mentioned either....

You ever raced on a track before?

Do you propose they go and retest every car on the board, because someone else drove them?

[shawnperolis]

Originally Posted by blu_

This. You can't compare lap times between the different stigs. The 2nd stig was putting down laps a good 2 seconds faster than the 1st stig. I also agree with you about the 3rd stig being faster than the 2nd one.

Our cars are not faster than the E46 M3. Its still not bad at all though.


edit: I very much doubt are cars are faster stock than the most of other cars just mentioned either....

I'd say that even if the first Stig was a bit slower, the difference between them would be pretty negligible because of the wet track that the GT86 had to work with.

[blu_]

Originally Posted by SnapOv3st3r

You ever raced on a track before?

Do you propose they go and retest every car on the board, because someone else drove them?

Uh no I don't propose that. But having different drivers who post vastly different track times is totally relevant if you want to make the claim that car x is faster than car y. All I'm saying is that the top gear lap time board has flaws.

[blu_]

Originally Posted by shawnperolis

I'd say that even if the first Stig was a bit slower, the difference between them would be pretty negligible because of the wet track that the GT86 had to work with.

He was a lot slower... Surprisingly slower actually. Also the track for the gt86 lap wasn't that wet. It was damp with a few puddles. They didnt even call it a wet lap. And that track favors power over cornering so it's a stretch to me that the 86 would be faster than a well balanced car that's a lot faster in a straight line.

[SnapOv3st3r]

Originally Posted by blu_

Uh no I don't propose that. But having different drivers who post vastly different track times is totally relevant if you want to make the claim that car x is faster than car y. All I'm saying is that the top gear lap time board has flaws.

That's why you don't look at it as car X is faster than car Y. Because it is not 100% that you will Always hands down beat the other car in EVERY situation. Example....throw a Lambo on a tight AutoX course against a Civic and watch the Civic post a faster time. Some of the laps are WET laps on top of that.

You don't claim that it's a faster car, just that it ran faster on THIS course with THIS driver and leave it at that.

Originally Posted by blu_

He was a lot slower... Surprisingly slower actually. Also the track for the gt86 lap wasn't that wet. It was damp with a few puddles. They didnt even call it a wet lap. And that track favors power over cornering so it's a stretch to me that the 86 would be faster than a well balanced car that's a lot faster in a straight line.

Disagree that the Top Gear track favors power. It is not that long of a track and not even really a track to begin with.

[ICantAffordAnLFA]

More good comment from Clarkson on tonight's show.

[Deslock]

Originally Posted by blu_

the track for the gt86 lap wasn't that wet. It was damp with a few puddles. They didnt even call it a wet lap.

FWIW, Top Gear is inconsistant with its labeling.

Clarkson commented about how the track was wet when the Exige ran in S0401@51min (he even compared it to NSX and 911 wet times), yet he didn't mark anything on the Exige's time.

The Focus RS500 (S1604@31min) is marked wet while the DB9S (S10E07@25min) isn't, but the videos show similar conditions.

Also, watch S14E2@32min to see the Z1 and R8 go around a "damp" track (not nearly as wet as what the GT86 was on).

After having watched more recent Top Gear episodes, I'm no longer surprised by how quick the GT86 was in the wet since the 3rd Stig is faster than the others.

Originally Posted by ICantAffordAnLFA

More good comment from Clarkson on tonight's show.

Yep, I was amused by his quip.

[blu_]

Originally Posted by SnapOv3st3r

That's why you don't look at it as car X is faster than car Y. Because it is not 100% that you will Always hands down beat the other car in EVERY situation. Example....throw a Lambo on a tight AutoX course against a Civic and watch the Civic post a faster time. Some of the laps are WET laps on top of that.

You don't claim that it's a faster car, just that it ran faster on THIS course with THIS driver and leave it at that.

All I was doing was responding to someone who said "I'm a little surprised the gt86 is faster than the M3," by saying they had different drivers who put down vastly different times, therefore you cant make a 1 to 1 comparison of different cars tested over the years by the different stigs. If anything you are just elaborating on my own point.

Originally Posted by SnapOv3st3r

Disagree that the Top Gear track favors power. It is not that long of a track and not even really a track to begin with.

I guess its debatable, but its 1.75 miles long, which I wouldn't call short. It has two sections that slow cars way down and the rest is various straights and sweepers, with some tight sections. No it doesn't have a mile+ long straight but a well balanced car with power that can get through chicago and hammerhead at a decent clip and is stable in the highspeed corners is going pretty damn fast compared to a momentum car. IMO There just aren't long sections of continuous corners to equalize a car like the gt86 with an M3.

Also, not sure how its not a track. Yes its basically a converted airstrip, but tracks don't have to be purpose built.