Quick vs powerful

There are a lot of reports on here about impressively powerful Supras (600bhp plus seems common, the most I've seen is 900 but I dare say there are even sillier figures out there) but what I wonder as a non-Supra owner (I currently have an Impreza STi with a measly 305BHP) is are these cars actually quick on a real road?

I appreciate that it must be possible to do ridiculous speeds on a motorway if you have no concern for your license (or other road users) but it takes more than just power to make a car that is fast point to point.

So, this is my invitation to the assembled Supra hordes to regale me with stories of how they blew away Scoobies, Evos, 911s on a real road or racing track (but not in a straight line).

There are some fantastic cars here and I am a huge fan of Supras (I saw a lovely red one in Plymouth last week that did nothing to dissuade me from buying one) but I don't want to swap my Impreza for something that is slower point to point (even if it does have a more power than the space shuttle).

go take a test drive in one, then you will see that a supra can out gun the cars mentioned above and if its modded to 600bhp then the cars above have no chance really, the only thing you will miss about the scooby is the handling, but get RLTC (short for race logic traction control, as standrd one is shit) then you will have good grip

with a good suspension setup (aftermarket) and CW toe / camber setup, good tyres and RLTC. The supra is a very good handling car and would not be far behind an Evo, impreza on the twists and to be honest due to the power blips being able to be given between bends may actually be quicker. Stick a bit of water into the equation and im afriad the 4wd will win almost everytime.

As standard to standard i think yet again the 4wd is quite a bit faster point to point, but as always the key is the ability of the driver and to read the road

Hey mate i was in the same boat! I used to have a Supercharged CTR pushing 300hp! Obviously was not so good off the line...but did beat Subaru's up 2 350hp and evo fq340's after 60!

I wanted (still want.... currently without a car) a fast car Supra or skyline with around this hp!

The answer to ur question is Yes....if u were to race a true 600hp supra (beat example terry s) It would leave you.....Maybe not quite hw u'd think double ur hp should....But u'll be left behind

go take a test drive in one, then you will see that a supra can out gun the cars mentioned above and if its modded to 600bhp then the cars above have no chance really, the only thing you will miss about the scooby is the handling, but get RLTC (short for race logic traction control, as standrd one is shit) then you will have good grip

I'd love a test drive but who's going to let me have a go? I am investigating buying an already tuned car so if you have any recommendations for dealers in the North that would let an experienced performance car driver have a proper test drive, they would be welcome.

I know that the Supra is going to be a bit more hairy than a 4WD car, especially in the wet, but I am looking for something a bit more involving. Having said that, the handling and traction on my STi are fantastic so I want to make sure I am not disappointed (or too scared ;-) ).

i use to have a 370bhp evo7 and now i have a 670 bhp supra

dual carrige or motorway and the supra wins by a mile

back lanes, evo wins unless very smooth;)

Stick a bit of water into the equation and im afriad the 4wd will win almost everytime.

I am sure that's true, but having spun my Impreza in the wet, I still drive with a reasonable degree of respect for the conditions when it's raining - even Subaru cannot defy the laws of physics .

As standard to standard i think yet again the 4wd is quite a bit faster point to point, but as always the key is the ability of the driver and to read the road

Again, I agree, but the tunability of the Supra is one of its key attractions. I would expect to see off a standard Supra in the dry on a bendy road, but I don't want a standard Supra (is there even such a thing ).

Does anyone here run semi-slick tyres to make up for the lack of traction on a RWD car?

i use to have a 370bhp evo7 and now i have a 670 bhp supra

dual carrige or motorway and the supra wins by a mile

back lanes, evo wins unless very smooth;)

That's an impressive pair of cars - you're a lucky man.

That's an impressive pair of cars - you're a lucky man.

you should see the size of my wifes tits:D

you should see the size of my wifes tits:D

Does anyone here run semi-slick tyres to make up for the lack of traction on a RWD car?

With RLTC on the supra, you dont need to, it allows you to put the power down very well. Though im sure summer tyres would help ...in the summer

And your right not many standard supras about. you need to get in a car with someone as a passanger with someone who knows a road and their car very well so they can show you just how capable the car is.

On top of the mods mentioned already I belive that a double de-cat will allow the turbos to spool quicker helping the Supra pick up speed between corners.

With RLTC on the supra, you dont need to, it allows you to put the power down very well. Though im sure summer tyres would help ...in the summer

The RLTC stops the wheels spinning but it does nothing to increase the traction. If I get a Supra, I'll definitely get RLTC - I don't want to end up backwards in a hedge (or worse) because of a moment's over-enthusiasm.

And your right not many standard supras about. you need to get in a car with someone as a passanger with someone who knows a road and their car very well so they can show you just how capable the car is.

I am hoping to go to one of the West Yorkshire meets. I have been doing a fair bit if travelling overseas with work recently and I have missed the last two so I am hoping to make the May one and get someone to take me for a spin. Let's hope I get an offer from someone who is a good driver!

Where in Yorkshire are you?

I'd love a test drive but who's going to let me have a go? I am investigating buying an already tuned car so if you have any recommendations for dealers in the North that would let an experienced performance car driver have a proper test drive, they would be welcome.

come to the next meet in wakefield, check the calender at the top its the first tuesday of every month

I know that the Supra is going to be a bit more hairy than a 4WD car, especially in the wet, but I am looking for something a bit more involving. Having said that, the handling and traction on my STi are fantastic so I want to make sure I am not disappointed (or too scared ;-) ).

you will miss the handling without any doubt, but with the scooby, you have the sense that your invincable, but with a soop your not, the car rules you, and you have to treat it with the upmost respect, you learn to have more or a calmer attitude in a soop and not to take risk like in a scoob, after all whats the point in taking chances?

also a scooby is regarded as a chavs car, you have a lot of individuality in a soop where you dont in a scoody as they are everywhere and nearly always driven by arse holes (and i said nearly as my mate has a catalunya sccob and he aint fast), this is only my opinion, a supra you have to drive a scoog you just throw around

There is always a faster car on the road. Its all down to driver ability in the end.

I have watched a jap video where an rx7 , supra and evo race on the track in the wet and the RWD come first and second the evo comes last.

I have also seen a little mk3 MR2 with a celica 190bhp engine beat some seriously faster cars on track.

Its all down to personal preference in the end. Do you want to drive a sports coupe with wonderful looks and driving plesure (the drivers cockpit in the supra is the best i have ever seen) or would you wish the drive a saloon car with a saloon cockpit and a seating position like a tractor? :evil:

you need to get a ride in one and make your own mind up! is it going to be your everyday car?

i only drive mine in the dry so traction is not a problem, and i still think rltc is a waste of time unless you drive in the rain

i have a trd lsd in mine and i have no problems with traction

Have you seen this supra video clip..http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=62496

.......some nice sliding going on.

I think the supra will just need some getting used to, i don't really think that as a forum we're full of track day / handling enthusiasts, the majority of money spent on supras seems to be cosmetics and BHP.

I do not feel that the supra is that arse happy, but it may well be compared to a modern 4wd but i've not driven one so have no idea! I think a few sessions on a local roundabout trying to provoke a reaction from the car will educate you as to its limits, the way and feeling when it loses traction and the effect of your responses on what happens next!

this subject has been covered to death on here and elsewhere, here are some pointers:

4wd is not a silver bullet, better traction does not equal better lateral g levels, braking etc so it's just a part of the overall picture, don't get obsessed by it as if it makes up for everything else.

a 600, 700 or 900 bhp car, well that's ranging from twice to three times the power of the subaru, erm ok yes so call it what you like, this is fast with a capital F make no mistake.

I used to have a 4wd integrale that contended with the best of the sub/evo crowd, the supra is in a different league but with extra power requires extra respect for the car and the road, you can do silly speeds in very little time...

the supra's tunability sets it aside from the rest, but even stock, for the money there arn't many cars that get into the 180+mph bracket.

When you drive a subaru or any 2l turbo car you know full well there are any number of similar cars that will come along and give you a good run for the money, you don't really need feel like that in the supra. Furthermore you need to thrash the 2l cars to within an inch of their life to extract every drop of performance out of them (and reliability suffers), the supra can perform with ease, it rarely needs to be stressed, certainly not thrashed.

that's my two penith, having experienced them all...

I'm trying to make mine faster while letting it be driveable still, i wasn't a fan of the sequential system so i've binned it for a single. Even with the twins and stock (UK, so more spongy) suspension, the supra can handle corners as long as it's not pissin wet and you're driving properly. 4wd is more forgiving that 2wd but it's not that much quicker in the corners

p.s. i'm near middlesbrough dude, take you for a spin in mine when it's finished in a few weeks if you want

4wd is more forgiving that 2wd but it's not that much quicker in the corners

that's pretty much my opinion on it, it can make a bit of difference in the right circumstances, that's about it!

Put some decent rubber, suspension and rltc on the car and it's going to handle very well indeed!

The supra is very stable at high speed - well that's my findings with mine anyway, the faster you go the more stable it feels, it takes high speed corners with ease...

There are a lot of reports on here about impressively powerful Supras (600bhp plus seems common, the most I've seen is 900 but I dare say there are even sillier figures out there) but what I wonder as a non-Supra owner (I currently have an Impreza STi with a measly 305BHP) is are these cars actually quick on a real road?

 

I appreciate that it must be possible to do ridiculous speeds on a motorway if you have no concern for your license (or other road users) but it takes more than just power to make a car that is fast point to point.

 

So, this is my invitation to the assembled Supra hordes to regale me with stories of how they blew away Scoobies, Evos, 911s on a real road or racing track (but not in a straight line).

 

There are some fantastic cars here and I am a huge fan of Supras (I saw a lovely red one in Plymouth last week that did nothing to dissuade me from buying one) but I don't want to swap my Impreza for something that is slower point to point (even if it does have a more power than the space shuttle).

man i know what you're saying, my last car was an STi Type R 2 door with 306bhp and my god did it move, it would destroy my supra on back roads, i know it would no matter what all these supra snobs say around here! on a motorway its goodbye scooby tho

so basically what flat4 (our resident subaru die hard fan club) is saying is in all other circumstances appart from his back roads, it's bye bye subaru, that's probably about the size of it. So, if you spend your whole life baiting faster cars to a stretch of coutry lane you've got sussed, then don't buy a supra (I'd also question the subaru and evo too though, there are other ways to get around the twisties quickly)...

Flying on back roads these days when every arsehole owns a car and drives it is asking for big trouble.

The ring is still the best handling test IMO, and yes evo's scoobies, 911etc are a light lunch for a tuned and properly setup Supra in the dry at least.

And for you dreamers, Mk2 golfs stripped out and tuned dont even feature.

Buy what suits your driving style, if you have a fuild steering style go 2wd and if you thow the steering about like a kid in his first Corsa, and think that you ought to hold the throttle on the floor while cornering everytime, stick with 4wd for your own safety.

if you wanna go round bends fast get one of these, scares the sh*t outta me http://media.putfile.com/stuartzx12r