Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes
Impressive, but not especially interesting to me, because they are fighting physics to do it and most likely with tires that'll last a lap or two (especially given the braking tricks that are usually used here). I'm sure there are good things about the car, but I'd rather start with something that isn't fighting itself nearly as much, even if it is slower. I feel the same way about 911s, nice, but not impressive anymore because it appears the only way to make them as fast around turns as better laid-out chassis is to simply make them wider and wider with tricks like 4 wheel steering, to offset the engine being behind the rear axle. At some point, the design gives way to physics, but up until that point, you're spending a lot of money, time and R&D to make something inherently inferior "fast". If people want it, great I guess, but I'd rather they put that time and effort into a BRZ type car.
In other words, they've maxed this out, it's a snarling monster trying to tear itself apart to accomplish this feat. Start with a more optimized chassis and you'll be better off, modify said chassis to the same extent and you'll probably smash this "record" too.
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If only you were right about the 911. Sure, the engine being behind the axle creates some minor polar moment issues, but the weight balance it creates is actually ideal, don't believe the 50/50 BS. Having more weight on the rear axle allows for the rear brakes to contribute to braking much more and results in faster lap times. What car doesn't benefit from being wider or having aws?
F1 cars run absurd rear weight balances, especially on tracks where braking giving more advantage than handling. I've argued for years that the Cayman is a better chassis for Porsche to develop than the 911, but even 3.8L conversion Caymans can't outbrake a 911 or make up lap times against the seemingly backwards design. And a FM design certainly isn't the answer. Sure they're fun, but if a TdF Ferrari can't outrun a 911, what's Porsche going to do to make that setup magically faster?