Automobile Magazine - June 2004 - Best Track Cars

Viper SRT-10, SRT4, Evo RS, 911 GT3, Noble M12 GTO-3R, S2000, Challenge Stradale, Superlight R..

Nice article, Good Pics; Everyone should pick this up!

 

Add the Elise to the list as well.

 

Seems they liked the RS, since it's mentioned alot in the story.

 

They liked em all, who wouldn't they are all dirvers cars meant to excite! Hopefully more will read it and get more first hand experience and understanding into the track day. It pains me to see these cars go to waste underutilized on the street.

 

Plus, it's good to see how close stock cars are. the SRT4 only 1.6s behind the S2000 in the dry. and behind the Evo RS. In the WET the RS would rock em all, and the SRT4 would be right behind it.

Maybe someone will do a wet comparo as well soon.

 

Wow only 1.6 behind an S2K? Not bad for a FWD car, not bad at all.

 

SRT-4 WHAT!?! i dont think so. thats gotta be a typo.

I agree that it is fast, well faster then an RSX..0-60 = 5.7, but it is not good at handling at ALL...

"Go around a corner, however, and this beast's chassis shows its vulnerable underbelly. With way more engine then suspension, it takes some work to go around a corner smoothly. Come in too fast and excessive body roll makes it hard to turn in. Get on the gas too soon and, despite its Quaife LSD, the front end wants to push off the outside turn. Modulate the throttle too abruptly during cornering, and the chassis pitches and bucks in response to the turbo kicking in/out. Around town, this behavior requires a little extra thought in the twisties. At the track, it means slower corner speeds than almost everyone else." (Road & Track: Speed Magazine)

a Celica GT-S (0-60 = 7.4), Nissan SE-R Spec V S-Tune (7.3), and Ford Focus SVT (7.4) all had a faster slalom speed and lap time then the Dodge SRT-4 (5.7).

 

You obviosuly have not driven one. I have and have a good amount of footage if you want to host it. of running around corners nearly just as fast as Evos, just not as much straight line speed. plus it's stock brakes dont' last long. It is a very good chassis and handler, and the Speed article I've always been skeptical of. especially since that quaife LSD up front on the SRT4 makes it even steerable with the throttle.

not good at handling at all.. careful you've got twainisms dropping..

http://removealldoubt.blogspot.com

That's at a road course at 10/10ths BTW..

 

Also for the two more expensive cars that were slightly faster thatn the SRT4 in speed, I question that the tires on them could make up for the SRT4s MUCH MUCH stronger acceleration. and the Celicas >$27k price tag thats not much for the dollar. making up for 70ftlbs of torque and 120 ft lbs against the Sentra and Celica respectively on KDs and Parada spec2 is hard to fathom. I'd like to see some footage of it.

Either way go drive one first hand at 10/10ths on a track and then come back and let us know how it handles.

 

What track did they use for the track times?

 

2004 SRT-4's have BFGoodrich KDW's....they are a pretty damn good tire. The 2003's didnt have as good of a tire but they also didnt have the limited slip either so the test must have been a 2k4.

 

and im pretty sure that toyota or nissan put's BFGoodrich KD's on there street car, they must be KDW's. Ive driven my eclipse in the rain on KD's a few years ago and it was a nightmare.

 

To answer my own question, Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL.

 

hey did you guys see the toyo tires add? its got an Evo VIII :-D hehe they really liked the RS alright!

 

The hell with the performance of an SRT-4. Just look at it. It's a frikkin neon. HAHA!