Top gear: old vs new cars

[scharreltje]

I recently watched the top gear episode with the AM lagonda. In this episode they're also testing new Focus RS's and 205 gti vs 206 etc... eventually the old cars (jeremy) won, but i dont agree, they just picked the wrong cars, new cars are faster right? do you agree?

[antonioledesma]

Originally Posted by scharreltje I recently watched the top gear episode with the AM lagonda. In this episode they're also testing new Focus RS's and 205 gti vs 206 etc... eventually the old cars (jeremy) won, but i dont agree, they just picked the wrong cars, new cars are faster right? do you agree?

yes and no. If you watched the vid, you can see the old nissan 300zx vs the new 350z, which is in theory faster.
Of course if you compare the non-turbo 300zx, the 350z would win.
Another comparative... in a JC's video, he runs in a ooooold golf gti vs some not so new hatchbacks (when the vid was done, those cars were new). Was a nice surprise that the 20 year-old gti won the small race.
Another example... my dad had a 93' chrysler spirit rt (turbo, 155 hp, don't remember the torque), and brand new (then) stratus rt (168 hp,turbo). I raced my dad, I was driving the stratus and he the spirit... and he won me in a 3 kms straight. New turbos have a less limited rev band and when the turbo whacks, it feels weaker.

All new cars are supposed to be faster (more hp, torque, bigger engines), but you don't see the fact that the power/weight ratio changes. Newer cars are bigger in size, but heavier with all the equipment they have such as airbags,power windows, power everything.

another example, the renault r5 turbo 2 has 185 hp (1.4-1.5 liters, don't remember) and is faster than the clio sport (172hp) and gives the clio v6 a hard time

[T.J. Detweiler]

Its just like antonioledesma said...
It depends in some cases thats true but in others thats not... I bet we all know exemples of older cars better than the anoucet sustitutes...

except for the Golf.

Very subtill.... But true...

[Gnome]

Originally Posted by scharreltje ... new cars are faster right? do you agree?

There's a huge difference between fast and good!

I mostly prefer new cars, but I think that partly is because I still am young.

the Aston Martin V8 Vantage was better and faster than the DB7 and the DB9 Volante but a bit slower than the Vanquish (0-60 is 4.4) while the Vantage is 4.5 but the quarter mile times are the same that is pretty good judging a V8 vs. a V12. The V8 also has more HP at 550 and torque of 550 as well while the V12 has 400. and the V12's top speed is @ 190 the V8 is at 186 which is PRETTY DAMN GOOD for a 10 year difference! i love the V8 Vantage

[skituner]

the older cars are faster cause they arent weighted down with a boat load of electronics and safety features.

[oldsnail]

just like the mr2.
they compared the first generation base model to a third generation.
at least they could of included the top mode of a 19 year old carl or at least a second generation one.

[alex_jean22]

I don't know wich ones are the faster but the new ones are a lot more easy to drive. I have a magazine whre they compare the new Clio 1.2 vs the old Renault supercinq Five. To avoid an obstacle, the Clio is 6 km/h faster. To brake in straight line, the clio is 3 meters shorter and 12-20 meter shorter when it's wet. In a turn, the Clio is 14 km/h faster.

[antonioledesma]

Originally Posted by dani_d_mas I agree with you in many of the things you've said... but the Renault 5 Turbo 2 is not as fast as the Clio V6 (the new one is much faster than the old one), and the Turbo 2 has nothing in common with the 172 (now 183hp) Clio Sport. The car which is faster than the Clio Sport is the Renault 5 GT Turbo, 120hp... and the reason of that is the weight: 860kg (R5) against +1000kg (Clio). I think old cars have good things and bad things, and not all the old hatches can beat a new one (Lancia HF Integrale vs Lancer Evo VIII). If I had to chose, I probably would go for the new one because, although may be they are not as funny as the orginal ones, the new models offer more equipment and are more comfortable, and the spirit is still there (except for the Golf...).

so many opinions, so much truths
the renault 5 turbo 2 isn't as fast as a clio v6 with top speeds, but the R5 has an astonishing 0-100 kmph acceleration, even better than the v6. Maybe the R5 and the clio sport don't have so many things in common, I see the relationship such as the 300zx and the 350z (different in some things)... but I'll stay with your comment.

I love to ride and drive a friend's caribe gt/golf gti, but I also like his jetta 03.
so... every generation has its good and bad things