Buyers usually don’t have many questions about how to evaluate a new machine. The protocol is clear: you need to check how comfortable the seats are, how the multimedia works, whether you can put everyday things in the trunk, and find out how much space there is for those sitting in the back. However, if you have to try a more sporty car, the situation becomes a little more complicated.
Information about how fast a car reaches 100 km/h is not enough. Often, sprint seconds do not determine whether a car can really be called sporty.
How do journalists test?
Car reviewers are often asked how sports cars and production models fare in critical situations. For example, the authors of the American magazine Motor Trend pay attention to the smallest details when preparing for tests.
The fuel tank is filled with the fuel recommended by the manufacturer, the electric car is charged as close as possible to the landfill or right there on the spot, but in the case of self-charging and rechargeable hybrids, the testers ensure that the battery is full. Attention is also paid to the air pressure in the tires. It is necessary to make sure that it corresponds to the expected load (number of riders) as well as the temperature regime, because the tires get very hot on the track. If the pressure is not optimal, it is not possible to fully evaluate the performance. Finally, the car is weighed to find out how the mass is distributed between the front and rear axles. This indicator is closely related to the car’s handling.
However, in the life of ordinary motorists, all this is, of course, not mandatory.
Power isn’t everything
For example, if you want to buy the ultra-powerful version of the city crossover CUPRA Formentor with 310 hp and acceleration to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds (the super version VZ5 develops even 390 hp), the dynamics of the car can be easily assessed by driving on an uncongested highway and pressing the gas to the floor. However, sportiness is also determined by many other factors, so the 1.5-liter engine version with 150 hp, as well as the hybrid with 245 hp, can also provide a very pleasant ride. Whether it will be depends on how the manufacturer designed the car.
“When talking about sportiness, people usually think of a quick burst, but in my opinion, it’s more about interesting control, or a pleasant interaction between man and machine, and it is affected by many factors today,” says Klubs auto reviewer Tom Tymoshko.
And these factors are: power-to-weight ratio, weight distribution between the axles, height of the center of gravity, drive type, transmission type, suspension type and settings, brake power, driver assistance systems and others.
“Most people want the same things, namely comfort and safety at a reasonable price. But the question is how the manufacturer has mixed certain features in the particular model and whether they suit the potential buyer. For example, the S-class Mercedes-Benz with 500 hp. It is an exceptionally dynamic and comfortable car that will run one and two in the Mazda MX-5 drag race. But if we’re talking about which is more fun to drive, the small, lightweight roadster wins, even if it has the weakest 1.5-litre engine,” explains Tom.
For example, the characteristics of the engine can also be important. “Manufacturers are currently facing big challenges because they have to create economical engines. They are all working on this problem, but each is doing it in their own way. For example, there are models where the main thing is maximum fuel economy, and the manufacturer does not try to endow the engine with a pleasant sound and does not worry about how impressive the torque curve is,” says Tom.
Brand traditions are also important. “You have to be careful with generalizations here. Even the manufacturers of comfortable limousines tend to create extreme machines with race-level performance, and boring brands happen to have very interesting models,” says Tom.
However, historical traditions are undeniably important, that is, we know quite well what to expect from each brand. Also, what is the relationship of each specific manufacturer with sportiness.
“Strictly speaking, the cars in the same class are very similar at the moment, and it’s about ten percent of the differences and what each manufacturer dedicates them to according to their priorities. As a result, there are a wide variety of cars on the market, which fall into one of two categories: the first is a simple means of transportation, and the second is a car that you want to drive, because driving itself is fun. Of course, the closer the car is to the sporty type, the more fun.”
For example, the CUPRA Formentor version with a 2-liter engine can surprise you with a sportier chassis, lightness and dynamic handling. On the other hand, Toyota, Kia and Audi of the same segment are likely to give completely different feelings.
Test drive as a conversation
The ideal option for the buyer of a sports car is to sit behind the wheel and go for a drive along a pre-planned route. It should include a well-observed winding section of road and, preferably, a variety of surfaces.
“It may sound paradoxical, but a sports car can also be safer. And it is not only about the ability to overtake other cars faster, although that is also important, but also about mutual understanding between the driver and the car. If you feel the grip of the front wheels through the steering wheel, if the car is stable in a corner and does not slip too much with the front or rear wheels, if you feel the wheels locking during sharp braking – then you simply feel safer. In turn, this is directly related to psychological comfort,” says Tom.
In any case, the main thing is a harmonious combination of properties. If the car is sporty and able to maintain contact with the driver, then at the end of every trip there is that great feeling – I want more.
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2023-08-22 10:58:22
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