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Re: [non-Scirocco] S2000 + high specific output



At 01:19 AM 11/4/98 , Kevin Collins wrote:
>Jason wrote:
> 
>> And therefore, back to the original subject of the S2000...  Yes, it will
>> be cool to see a 200+hp 2.0 liter normally-aspirated production engine in a
>> car which does 0-60 in the 5-6 second range.  The problem will be that in
>> every day driving, it will be a slug. 
>
>Uh, I was with ya all the way through that little dissertation until this
>last paragraph - 5-6 second SLUG??  I don't think so.  No M roadster to be
>sure, but slug?  Not!!

Okay... okay... fine, be picky. :)

Slug is a relative term, of course... and I picked the wrong one-
"sluggish" would have been more appropriate.

What I meant is illustrated perfectly by the case of the BMW 325i sedan.
The published 0-60 times for the (fantastic) car are all around 6.9
seconds.  However, look more closely at Car and Driver's Road Test Page,
and you'll see that the "Street Start 6-50mph" is 8.1 seconds.  That is a
**H--U--G--E** difference.  
	Fine, with a high-rpm clutch dump race to 60mph, the 325i would leave my
little Scirocco 16v gasping for air. And me inhaling noxious fumes.
	Next, put our cars next to each other on the street, and watch us race
without spinning our tires... I feather the clutch from idle, he does the
same thing, and we're off.  And suddenly, that tremendous 1-second-to-60
margin disappears and you have 2 cars that are equally as fast.  
	And then look at those 30-50mph and 50-70mph elasticity tests in C/D.  I
haven't looked in a while, but I'd venture to guess the figures would be
around the same.
	So, my point is <whew> that you can have 2 cars with an extremely large
difference in published 0-60 times (6.9 vs 7.7 is a huge difference), but
which feel very similar in speed when driven "normally".  
	That's why it's my feeling that the Honda will feel "sluggish".... that
is, compared to other cars which do 0-60 in the 5-6 second range.  It will
be interesting to read the road tests of the 2000 when it comes out.  0-60
in 5.8 seconds with a 5-60 Street Start of like 7.0; that's my guess.

	Jason



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