Top Gear Demonstrates why Torque Steer is bad

Fairlane · 11-09-2006, 07:50 PM

Anyone just watch Top gear on SBS. Man that Astra VXR was just scary, it was quite hilarious watching the Stig get it around track. Understeer ahoy.

Dazza XLT · 11-09-2006, 07:53 PM

What about the last corner in the VW... Lost it big time, on and very nearly flipped it on that grass!

BlueRaven · 11-09-2006, 08:31 PM

Apparently the Vectra didn't fare too well either?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKfhx...elated&search=

seano14 · 11-09-2006, 09:07 PM

in the Astra VXR the stig was shaking his head on the run out of T1

Pieoter · 11-09-2006, 09:24 PM

Good too see you guys can distinguish torque steer to understeer

:

csv8 · 11-09-2006, 09:30 PM

And the VXR is coming here, as a HSV !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**ebxr8240** · 11-09-2006, 09:45 PM

You'd think it was rear wheel drive with spool ....
Now imagin how bad it would be in the rain????
Motor mag would say it was reasonable due to its maker or badge on it....l
It needs stiffer rear end, heavier sway bar....
Starts with S ???? Hahaha

Fairlane · 11-09-2006, 09:45 PM

Well the Stig was suffering from understeer.

Clarkson gave a good demonstration of the Torque steer when he took off in a straight run.

**Mechan1k** · 11-09-2006, 10:49 PM

You know when you have great torque steer .... when you launch and swap lanes without touching the steering wheel ... my Proton was great for that ... even on 2nd gear snap changes ... wheel spinning to the right though (needed to hold the wheel 90 deg to the left to keep it in a straight line).

Danny · 12-09-2006, 01:27 AM

MOTOR Still said that the VXR was Better than XR5...

My Mate from HSV was with morley on that comparo and reckoned it was noticably better.... Not understanding this.

XRated · 12-09-2006, 02:11 AM

Top Gear: They're pretty damn quick the Vectra VXR!

Same clip but from the start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVfF_...elated&search=

vino3o2 · 12-09-2006, 04:58 AM

I didnt think that the torque steer demonstrated in the Vauxhall was anything major...Ive seen much, much worse, same hp as a 308GTB!! what a little monster!!

merlin · 12-09-2006, 07:32 AM

Did anyone see in the same episode the bit about "scooterman" - Now that would be a top job - driving drunk chicks home in their own car. Hmmm

:

blackahcdx · 12-09-2006, 07:40 AM

The VXR that Top Gear tested in that episode (which is so very old) was not a production spec VXR, it was an SRi hatch with VXR bodykit and engine, not suspension tune and details ect.

Marshy79 · 12-09-2006, 08:36 AM

Yes aparently there was a lot of changes made to the VXR after the episode that Top Gear had it.

Aparently its quite a great little package now.

Pretty sure basically they took the car to Lotus who fixed it up.

AWD Chaser · 12-09-2006, 09:19 AM

Give the HSV VXR to drive.com.au - then we can see how it is the best car in the field by default - lol.

EBII Fairmont · 12-09-2006, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin

Did anyone see in the same episode the bit about "scooterman" - Now that would be a top job - driving drunk chicks home in their own car. Hmmm

:

That would be a sweet job. How about the lady with the audi. It seemed she got a bit cut up by the comments from James.

BAFalconXT · 12-09-2006, 12:50 PM

Think about the handleing when the edits and flash tunes come, some nice front wheel burnouts too!

The Monty · 12-09-2006, 01:43 PM

Cool, reminds me of turning corners with bald front tyres in hail in my Camry.

Franky · 12-09-2006, 06:36 PM

The episodes on SBS are about 2-3 years old, most of the cars tested last night have been replaced by better or updated models. I've seen the new series where they test the latest Zafira VXR which is pretty similar to the astra and it was garbage to drive.

ondori · 12-09-2006, 11:36 PM

The ST was tested after the VXR test and they loved it, that is the XR5 in a three door..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slgiayznbuc

Pieoter · 13-09-2006, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

my Proton was great for that ... even on 2nd gear snap changes ... wheel spinning to the right though (needed to hold the wheel 90 deg to the left to keep it in a straight line).

Thats **** wheel alignment not torque steer.

Fordoldie · 13-09-2006, 05:15 PM

Both the SR5 and VXR look/sound like great small cars with a punch.
I enjoyed watching that.
Speaking of Torque steer. I bought a Cordia GSR 1.8T back when it was rated fastest accelerating production car this side of the globe - just because it was. That thing tried to go everywhere but straight depending on road surface but ***** it was fun.
For that reason I think the VXR will appeal to the real driver looking for that fun

The SR5 also has a real attraction about it

**Mechan1k** · 13-09-2006, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pieoter

Thats **** wheel alignment not torque steer.

hee hee ... no problems with the wheel alignment in the Proton ... just excessive torque steer on launch ... was great fun

Pieoter · 13-09-2006, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

hee hee ... no problems with the wheel alignment in the Proton ... just excessive torque steer on launch ... was great fun

In thats was the case you wouldn't need the move to wheel to keep going straight. Torque steer won't make the impossible happen. If you hold the wheels you don't have issues.

There are some very wrong misconceptions about what torque steer actually is.

**Mechan1k** · 13-09-2006, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pieoter

In thats was the case you wouldn't need the move to wheel to keep going straight. Torque steer won't make the impossible happen. If you hold the wheels you don't have issues.

There are some very wrong misconceptions about what torque steer actually is.

The reason for the car to pull to the right ... was the fact the driveshafts on a FWD vehicle are shorter on one side ... the side with the shorter shaft ended up with the wheel spin ... otherside had a little more traction ... therefore more grab ... shooting the car across a lane.

Gotta bring the car back in the direction it is meant to be going ... hence needing to turn the wheel under hard acceleration.

As i mentioned ... i never had an alignment issue .. car drove nice and straight under "normal" conditions.

Obviously you haven't driven a light FWD vehicle all that often.

Pieoter · 13-09-2006, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

The reason for the car to pull to the right ... was the fact the driveshafts on a FWD vehicle are shorter on one side ... the side with the shorter shaft ended up with the wheel spin ... otherside had a little more traction ... therefore more grab ... shooting the car across a lane.

Gotta bring the car back in the direction it is meant to be going ... hence needing to turn the wheel under hard acceleration.

As i mentioned ... i never had an alignment issue .. car drove nice and straight under "normal" conditions.

Obviously you haven't driven a light FWD vehicle all that often.

If you keep your hands on the wheel when using WOT you won't have a problem. Keep the car going straight at first and you won't need to correct it.
Modern FWD's have equal length driveshafts

**Mechan1k** · 13-09-2006, 11:07 PM

I never mentioned I had to hold the wheel constantly "all the way down the street" ... I had to hold it on initial launch under wheelspin (also when shifting into 2nd in some conditions) ... and seeing as the Proton was using Mitsu components ... the gearbox sat on driver's side ... having a shorter driveshaft on the driver's side. It was only a 99 model ... but with the a few little mods here and there it made a very healthy 110fwkw from a 1.6L engine and a vehicle that weighed 950kg ... torque steer was an issue on launch and 2nd gear changes.

Not sure on how equal "current" FWDs are like now ... but the gearbox does have to sit off-centre due to engine placement in the engine bay ... you will find most FWDs will have a shorter driveshaft on one-side.

I had to keep a hand on the wheel and the other on the shifter ... use to rev to the 10,000rpm cut-out very quickly ... the MIVEC motor was a fun motor indeed ... that engine conversion was the best thing I did to that vehicle.

Pieoter · 14-09-2006, 12:07 AM

For example the MINI. Have 100% equal length driveshafts. Being an engine transplant brings about a totally different situation. It was most lickly made far worse by worn suspension and other components. Hold the wheels steady and you won't have nearly as much problems, only if your lazy do you have problems.

A 1.6L with mivec is the 4G92 with a factory 8200rpm limit. Id like to see 10,000 with a few little mod.

ltd · 14-09-2006, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fordoldie

Both the SR5 and VXR look/sound like great small cars with a punch.
I enjoyed watching that.
Speaking of Torque steer. I bought a Cordia GSR 1.8T back when it was rated fastest accelerating production car this side of the globe - just because it was. That thing tried to go everywhere but straight depending on road surface but ***** it was fun.
For that reason I think the VXR will appeal to the real driver looking for that fun

The SR5 also has a real attraction about it

The XR5 also has all of its allotment sold. There is now a 9 month waiting list for the next allotment of XR5's, and most of them are sold.