There is always a debate raging as to what car is faster, or which car corners or brakes or accelerates better and inherently it seems that whatever car it is that YOU own tends to be the better performer than the car the person you are arguing with has. I promise you when I tell you that you are not alone, even myself, a highly trained and skilled Agent here at AutoSpies.com routinely engage in arguments meant to defend the honor of a particular automobile.
Last Friday evening my wife and I ate dinner with neighbors who recently acquired a BMW M6. After dinner I suggested desert at an Italian Gelato store down the street and while both of our wives rolled their eyes, my friend and I both new what was coming, a race between his M6 and my M3.
I would be lying if I told you that I didn’t have the all important “competitive bone” as does my friend, and in an effort to defend our honor and the honor of our particular cars, a race to the ice cream shop was in order. After a spirited drive at speeds that would have resulted in handcuffs for both of us, he settled in behind my car as he was not sure of the exact location. While we waited out the final traffic light prior to our destination a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 pulled into the lane next to me. I really didn’t think much of it until the light turned green and the Jeep took off. To defend my honor I immediately got on the gas, however the Jeep got the better of me beating me not only through the intersection, but continued at an elevated pace while I slowed to turn into our destination.
During the next 45 minutes or so while our wives discussed God only knows what, I was laughed at and ridiculed for the Jeep which had just beaten me. Let’s just say my friend was in full bore “smack talking, trash talking” mode as he belittled me and my car reminding me again and again how much faster his M6 was over my M3 referring back frequently to the Jeep SRT-8 he had just witnessed beating me off the line.
A healthy slice of humble pie was consumed with the Gelato that evening, but it raised an interesting conversation regarding cars and the manner in which they are tested. The ideal testing situation is one that can be duplicated again and again removing as many variables as possible from the process to insure the most consistent and accurate test results.
Everyone from Consumer Reports to Motor Trend and Car and Driver have stated testing practices meant to deliver consistent testing standards in an effort to lend credibility to the process. But is it good enough.
Face it, if you have been a reader here longer than 15 minutes you are sure to have stumbled upon a discussion with different people and their opinions about the outcome of a particular test.
Several months ago Car and Driver compared the Nissan GT-R to the BMW M3 declaring the M3 the winner. Tempers flared as factions from both fan bases came out in force to defend the honor of their chosen make. It makes for good reading, and I am guessing, a break from the mundane.
So what happens when a test is devised with the bold task of declaring the best handling car? In the latest issue of Motor Trend such a task was devised, and the results are somewhat surprising.
The task, establish criteria that can be repeated consistently across a range of vehicles to declare a winner which will wear the title of “best handling car.”
The players are diverse ranging from a BMW M3, Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 Turbo, to lesser entries like the Mini Cooper S and Chevrolet Cobalt SS.
Additional participants included the Ford Shelby GT500KR, Mazda RX-8, Audi R8, Dodge Viper ACR and the Mitsubishi Evo MR.
And the winner is???
Based on the criteria established by the tester, Audi’s R8 takes the first place position. The Nissan GT-R and BMW M3 sit at the number 2 and 3 positions respectively, but are the results accurate and fair?
Some would argue that the results are flawed because the testing process inherently favors a particular type of vehicle, four of the vehicles tested are all wheel drive, two where front wheel drive and the rest rear wheel drive. Depending on the test, the drive wheels certainly could give an advantage to one car over the other.
So lets ask the question, is there a fair way to accurately compare and test different vehicles to get test results that can satisfy the car enthusiast. Secondly did Motor Trend get it right by declaring the Audi R8 the winner?
Based on the simple fact we will never be able to make everyone happy, go ahead and tell us what you think should be done in testing to get results that will satisfy all and prevent arguments.
Go ahead and have some fun, I for one am interested in hearing some of your ideas.
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