Has anybody seen the last Topgear show and the SLS cab test? The stig took it around Dunsfold in 1.19.6! Faster than the scud and only half a sec slower than Italia (and many other comparable cars). Can somebody help me understand how this is possible?
A weird thing...
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Don't see your point. The Merc has 70 HP on the scud. 458 press challenge car version 2.0 would have probably done 1:16 like the 12C, had Top Gear let them run it again.
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Yeah - but if I'm not mistaken, the Merc also has about 600 pounds on the Scud (as well as an entirely different mission in life - so suspension, brakes, etc.)...
I kinda think it's weird too.
Or Shenanigans!
This is the roadster so, it's closer to 800 lbs.
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This new Stig seems to be a lot quicker than the old one, who tested the Scuderia and the 458.
Besides, this is Top Gear. I would take these times with a grain of salt.
Besides, this is Top Gear. I would take these times with a grain of salt.
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More like a large rock of salt.
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Agree with Boxer.
Why is that?
Cause the whole programme is now total and utter bull hooks.
Agreed.
Agree these laps times are next to useless.
Hard to draw any relevant facts from their lap times - done on different days, no control on the tires (which have a huge difference on track times), different drivers, different track temperature... sometimes even in wet conditions. Evo does this too with their track, really annoys me. Tests done on the same day with the same driver are more meaningful (although if one car has cup tires and the other doesn't, that skews the results).
-- Gordie
Hard to draw any relevant facts from their lap times - done on different days, no control on the tires (which have a huge difference on track times), different drivers, different track temperature... sometimes even in wet conditions. Evo does this too with their track, really annoys me. Tests done on the same day with the same driver are more meaningful (although if one car has cup tires and the other doesn't, that skews the results).
-- Gordie
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It is an entertainment comedy show, not a serious car show.
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Spot on. It's a lads out loud and out and about. The cars are just props. Not too serious are they?
Comedy show or not, the Stig tests are relatively serious. Yes, weather varies, but the driver stays (almost) the same. (plus they mark the wet conditions). Their tests are no worse than Autocar's or Evo's. In fact, given their very high profile, they are more likely not to play ball with serial manipulators like Ferrari. They are probably more trustworthy than any other British mag.
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I think your probably right in this case Krzys
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I have to agree with Krzys on this point. I can imagine that Ferrari begged Top Gear to run the new press 458 for a lap time against the 12C, whether Ferrari will admit it or not.
SLS Roadster notwithstanding, the lap times have never seemed overly contrived to me, although I admit that conditions always vary and most of the show is fabrication.
In fact, through all of this 12C/458 brou ha ha and studying the testing results, it appears to me that the only publication that makes a real effort for objectivity is Sport Auto. That is not a self-serving comment as a 12C owner. Rather, they are the only ones that use the same driver and repeat the same battery of tests for each car, but also make note of the prevailing environmental conditions and remark on their effect on the test results. Still not perfect, but probably as close as is feasible, save for having every sports car ever made available for testing on the exact same day (and run at the exact same time of day). Sadly, for all of their effort, they are still subject to driving press cars rather than customer cars.
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Highly unlikely. Ferrari is not exactly enamored with Top Gear and definitely not with Clarkson.
In terms of the Stig, person in the white suit changes frequently these days.
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Maybe so. But I doubt that has any bearing on whether or not they want their cars to be represented as the fastest, which they obviously do.
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