'ring results

[Vertigo1]

Well, having taken the old TDI140 SE around there 14 times, the new car had its first visit last week.

Was quite surprised how much difference there was tbh. The extra power helped on the faster bits and the improved handling and roadholding was helpful in the corners. My best time in the old car was 10:26 (BTG) although I was on for about 10:15 once but got baulked near the end. Managed just under 10 minutes in this one (only did rough timings) and wasn't trying anywhere near as hard as in the last one.

Also had a ride round in an Atom which was an experience!

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

Almost as fast as Jeremy Clarkson in his X-Type Diesel.....

 

[markwiggy]

Not as quick as Sabeen in the tranny van though !!!

Mark

 

[Deleted member 22276]

With a massive hangover (new years eve), lack of sleep, 3 guys and 3 guys worth of luggage and 1 icey/slushy lap in my old A3 2.0FSI I did it in 12min!

Going back for new years in the S3

 

[Vertigo1]

Almost as fast as Jeremy Clarkson in his X-Type Diesel.....

Faster. Reckon my best was around 9:56 and I had 36bhp less than him!

 

[JohnS3]

Has anyone "practiced" using a playstation? Does it help much?

 

[DaveS3Turbo]

I would imagine this would help yes, gets you ready for the lines of the corner more. The track is supposed to be like for like done with GPS.

DM

 

[Vertigo1]

I used GT4 on a PS2 before I went the first time and it does help to get you more familiar with the basic layout but that's about it.

What it doesn't do is prepare you for the bumps, off-camber corners or the changes in altitude. The track varies in altitude by 1000ft between its highest and lowest points and the first time you come up to Quiddelbacher Hohe for real it looks like a wall of tarmac in front of you!

 

[JohnS3]

Just bought a copy of GT4, now all I need is a comfy seat and a few hours spare.....

 

[Amchlolor]

Almost as fast as Jeremy Clarkson in his X-Type Diesel.....

It was an S-type diesel.
Heavy old barge of a thing, probably far less suited to ring driving than an A3.
His extra 36bhp is probably completely negated by the extra weight.

I wouldn't fancy attcking the ring in an A3, so respect to those that do.
Handling and grip are probably fine, but I find the brakes frustrating.
So inconsistent from corner to corner.
You never know if you're getting a hard pedal or a mushy one.
It's not brake fade, it's just inconsistent pedal feel.

I do fancy doing it if I get an Alpina D3 though.
Coincide it with a MotoGP.

 

[s3mike]

Forza 2 is good for the 'ring.

The elevation changes are much more marked than on GT4.

Not sure which is better but the Forza view looks very similar to real in-car views I have seen.

Must go there sometime to have a go!

 

[magnus911]

S3Mike you're right about Forza - much more detail in terms of actual dynamics of the track. Also the negative camber on the road makes a noticable and realistic effect on the handling.

I think I heard that Lewis Hamilton prepared for the Brazilian GP this year by racing it on the PS3...as he'd never seen the track before. And definitely Alonso a few years ago said in an interview that he'd used the PlayStation to learn a race track that he'd never visited before a GP so if it's good enough for them...!

 

[Amchlolor]

MotoGP riders use the Playstation to learn tracks too.
To be fair, they all say the only thing you learn is the basic layout.
Just helps them get up to speed a bit quicker, when they only have an hour's practice or so.
I've never seen any of them suggest the games are so real as to give real, proper, hints/suggestions/training.
That would be mental.

 

[JamS3]

Not remember that Top Gear fellas where clarkson tried learning the Laguna Seca race track in California in a Honda NSX on the playstation then went there to do the real thing and could get nowhere near his computer lap time doing the real thing in the real car?

 

[Amchlolor]

I'd love to see some thinking "right, the A3 can take this flat in 3rd in the game" before understeering into the armco.
Really, anyone who uses a game for anything other than "left,right,right,left" is a spaz.
Even then, you better hope your game is up to date...
Be funny someone using an old version of Assen, for example.
"Right,left right...SHHHHHHIIII..."

 

[magnus911]

Bowfer, no-one's suggesting that. You're being silly for thinking any of us is that stupid. It's purely a "which corner is coming next" thing...

Jam, I remember that episode well...I also remember him saying he was pretty confident the car could do the time but in real life he didn't have the balls to do it...

 

[Vertigo1]

I find the brakes on mine to be fairly consistent and reasonably powerful tbh. The biggest problem the A3 has round there is understeer - huge gobfuls of it in the case of my diesel barge.

Alpina D3 would be very interesting. One of the guys I went with had the ultimate 3 series, the CSL, which is an absolute animal around that track and sounds unbelievable.