What's an upgrade from an STI/EVO

[NutBucket]

AWD makes up for a less than skilled driver IMHO. Also, in a normal "family sedan" that's front heavy more neutral through a corner.

 

[Zivic]

@Zivic, when people suggest a 335i what makes that car more "nimble" or more sporty than say a G8 GXP/CTS-V? or does it come down to interior, ease of drive ability?

G8 has a huge trunk and has lots of seating room

I dont dislike cars like the cts or g8... just dont consider them an upgrade to the evo/sti. I think others refer to the badge and refinement of the bmw vs the push-rodness of the gm

 

[manimal]

Hey manimal, is that C5 vette easier to maintain and tune than your workers Cobra?

That particular c5 was a pain. In general costs should be about the same unless you wait for sales. Maintenance wise it should be a toss up as well.

 

[exdeath]

What RWD car will keep up with the WRX 0-60 in 4.9s for $25k?
What RWD car will keep up with the TT-RS 0-60 in 3.6s for $56k?
What RWD car will keep up with the GTR 0-60 in 2.9s for $96k?

03 Cobra (on Mickey Thompsons) on all accounts. Just a single 9 year old car; there are many *many* others.

Oh wait never mind you said keep up with, not destroy.

 

[Ferzerp]

Not a step up in any performance attribute at all....

Sure it is, if you buy the proper one, but they aren't cheap, and won't be AWD. Not saying I'd suggest one as they are totally different cars, but they are a step up.

If you like to make changes though, you're stuck with 2010 or older, which will handle like crap unless you spend a lot of money on handling.

 

[Jumpem]

03 Cobra (on Mickey Thompsons) on all accounts. Just a single 9 year old car; there are many *many* others.

Oh wait never mind you said keep up with, not destroy.

You're talking old. I'm talking new. The new GT500 does it in 3.9s. The TT-RS will still do it a bit quicker for a bit less.

 

[Throckmorton]

AWD is not about "launching." Its about cornering.

You're right, cornering is less fun with AWD.

 

[ScottFern]

Nissan GT-R

 

[Arkaign]

You're talking old. I'm talking new. The new GT500 does it in 3.9s. The TT-RS will still do it a bit quicker for a bit less.

Put sticky feet on that GT500 and it'll drop considerably, ditto with the Vettes. Not to mention that both the GT-R and TT-RS would (and do) get destroyed from a roll by the GT500 or Z06. The GT-R in particular is extremely impressive, but 0-60 is vastly different from say a 60-130 pull. I'm actually far more impressed with the handling prowess of the GT-R than the acceleration. IIRC a stock Z06 will do 0-150-0 before the GT-R actually hits 150.

But yeah, sticky tires are one of the most incredible upgrades for big-power cars.

http://www.lsxtv.com/news/video-bone-stock-c6-z06-sets-new-record-10-71-at-130-mph/

10.71 1.4 @ 130 is ouch. Of course that also takes good skills, but the trap speed alone tells the tale.

R&T Test of the TT-RS :

http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/car/2012-audi-tt-rs

the TT RS lunges to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds, with the quarter-mile mark hurtling past at 12.6 sec. at a speed of 109.6 mph.

I think Audi is one to exaggerate performance a bit, while BMW on the other hand is notoriously conservative with their numbers.

 

[Dman8777]

The advantage of AWD is that your ability to accelerate fast is independant of the weather. When done properly, "launching" an AWD vehicle for a bit of fun at a stop light can be done without damaging anything.

I had an 09 WRX a few years back and had ample oppurtunity to drive my dad's 135i. My dad's car weighed a bit more than mine but the extra weight didn't help much. Unless it was warm and dry, full gas = spinning rear wheels.

 

[Arkaign]

The advantage of AWD is that your ability to accelerate fast is independant of the weather. When done properly, "launching" an AWD vehicle for a bit of fun at a stop light can be done without damaging anything.

I had an 09 WRX a few years back and had ample oppurtunity to drive my dad's 135i. My dad's car weighed a bit more than mine but the extra weight didn't help much. Unless it was warm and dry, full gas = spinning rear wheels.

True, most cars, even AWD ones, come with tires that aren't really the best for performance, and AWD helps a lot in lower traction conditions. The truth is that it's best not to drive like a hoon in any car in low traction conditions, unless you really know your car perfectly and there aren't any other cars or obstacles in immediate risk of contact should something go squirrely.

And getting great performance tires for a FR setup like a 135i, Vette, Stang, etc, usually mean that you get fantastic grip on good surfaces, but even worse grip should it be raining (or early morning damp).