What just happened?

[rilstone]

I've just got back from a bit of a drag race me and 2 friends had on a runway, and I'm gobsmacked! I was in my standard Scirocco, one friend in a standard Nissan Skyline GTR R34, and another in a standard Focus ST.... And I left both of them! The focus just seemed to be getting further and further away in my mirror, the Skyline was close but didn't pass me, got up to 140 and it still hadn't passed, and then the runway came to an end! Why could this be? I know it's not there driving, or tyres, or fuel (both V-power) so I really am confused!

Nathan

[trix]

don't question it just enjoy!

[Spiney]

Knackered ST, even more knackered Skyline and a good nick Scirocco I'd guess!

[infinidim]

Just be happy you were at the front......

Infinidim

[wigit]

you're obviously the stig

[rilstone]

Hmm I hadn't thought of that... perhaps I am the stig?

Both of there cars are in good nick too though, they were gutted!

[Nobby]

Nice one wigit

[jmn82]

The Focus I can understand, as the power is almost identical (if you look at RRs rather than manufacturer figures) but the Focus is over 100kg heavier (more if it's a 5 door). The Skyline on the other hand should have easily seen off the Roc.

Focus - 159 bhp/tonne (220bhp 1392kg)
Roc - 168 bhp/tonne (217bhp 1292kg)
Skyline - 181 bhp/tonne (280bhp 1540kg) - 212 if you take the more realistic 320+bhp figure rather than Nissan's 'quoted' figure

Alternatively your friends could be very fat and have huge speakers and amps weighing them down, but even then the Skyline would need to gain about 300kg, which is a lot of ICE and friend...

[ZephyR]

Maybe it was just a dream.

[Turbo]

gtr is 4 wheel drive if its was dry and ye all launched the cars it would bog down and im suprised the gtr didnt hammer u in third they got serious third

[pat15312]

yeh i'd say the skyline must be poorly or just really old... should have easily seen off the roc.
focus st = rubbish

[AL1874]

Having previously owned a ST I’m very surprised at this result and as for the skyline I'm even more surprised.

It is not only about out and out BHP to weight ratio which is very similar given the figures above.

I would say a more important factor in a drag race of this kind is the torque and the Volvo block produces it in spades.

Scirocco has 280.0 Nm (207 ft•lb) (28.6 kgm) @ 1700-5000 rpm

Focus ST has 320.0 Nm (236 ft•lb) (32.6 kgm) @ 1600-4000 rpm

The acceleration in the ST is better and over a wider range than the Scirocco which in my opinion is as slow as a week in Jail.

0 to 140 km/h I would accept is possible, to 0 - 140 mph, no way you would need a motorway not a runway to get the Scirocco up to that speed.

I know I use the Autobahns daily.

Did you jump the start?

[AL1874]

Sorry for double posting, but here is a road test from a magazines website that I had saved from last year.

With regard to Scirocco vs ST, it can be assumed that it is a similar engine to the mark V Golf GTI shown. If the weights are similar this can be used as a decent comparator.

As you can see 0-60mph they are almost identical and 0-120mph there is over 6 seconds in it.
(if your 140mph is in miles and off the dashboard it was probably more like 128mph so pretty near your test)

From these figures is seems highly unlikely given a level playing field you would not have left the ST that far behind.

[jmn82]

The MkV Golf is heavier than the Roc, and the torque on the Roc is closer to 300Nm than 280 in reality. A standard Roc will leave a standard MkV behind without much problem. The figures you quoted also show the Roc having a much wider torque band than the ST.

Still, would be interesting to see a standard Roc and standard ST do a standing mile.

[AL1874]

It must be a hell of a lot lighter to make up over six seconds 0-120mph.

I have driven both flat out on unrestricted German Autobahns (when weather and road conditions allow) and taken them both round the Nürburgring.

As stated before I have owned a Scirocco and an ST as my last two cars in my opinion there is no way the standard 2.0 TSI manual is streets ahead to the standard ST.

I have no axe to grind against the Scirocco I bought one for God sake, I just find it very hard to believe it is faster than the ST with my experience of both cars.

[jmn82]

Oh, I completely agree on not being streets ahead. I wasn't trying to suggest that the Roc would be significantly faster than the ST by any means, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it was a little quicker. Using the MkV as an alternative to the Roc is not at all accurate though (it's about a 15% power to weight difference). Pre-Revo myself and a colleague with a MkV GTI went for a spin one weekend, and in a straight line the Roc was very obviously quicker. Whether or not by six seconds from 0-120 I have no idea though, but that does seem a little unlikely I agree.