Are You a Handling or Acceleration Person?

[Lagom]

As a driver, what do you put a greater premium on - handling or straight line performance?

I've always been a handling before performance type of person - power is nothing without control. Driving fast in a straight line only has temporary thrills for me, I can tell you after driving at 250km/h in Germany on the Autobahn, it's not that exciting after a while. But put me on a twisty road out in the countryside and with a nicely sorted chassis, I'll have a lot of fun, even if I'm not breaking the speed limit. That's why I like Ford's small Euro cars.

Until more recent times (ie. pre BA), I've seen large Aussie Fords as cars that placed acceleration before handling - really not that amazing in the chassis department and hardly having the last word in brakes. But that seemed to have a lot of appeal for many.

Yes, there are cars that manage to combine handling and acceleration nicely together - I'm asking you to choose.

I've always felt handling is more important than outright acceleration, but I know there's a lot of people who don't mind a drag, love their high capacity/turbo cars. Maybe for me it comes back to the feeling I have that I find a driving on a technically challenging, twisty road a lot more impressive than just going fast in a straight line.

Which side of the camp do you fall on?

[MITCHAY]

I like both although biased towards handling. Top speed and 1/4 mile time don't interest me since they have no relevance to everday driving.

[Woz]

I used to live up towards Bendigo in a small country town by the name of Elphinstone.

Narrow, winding, dirt roads in every direction as far as the eye could see.

You can jump off the line as quick as you want but real bragging rights aren't earned by walking away from a straight line.

Also, the best thing about good handling is that no matter how many times you practice your acceleration, you're never really going to learn to accelerate any better, are you? Hook your car around a good bend a dozen times and tell me you didn't learn how to place your car and react better each time.

[SVR73]

Corners rock thus handling is my preference
Fortunately I have a car that can provide superb handling straight out of the box
Do want to improve it more though

[Raptor]

Chassis dynamics have always been more intriguing to me than making more power, but I can appreciate both

[HSE2]

Originally Posted by Raptor

Chassis dynamics have always been more intriguing to me than making more power, but I can appreciate both

Same again

[EL_futuraistic]

Yeah im definately into Handling more than straight line speed. Recently changed from a pedders suspensioned Car to a small 4wd.... enough power, but the handling scares me, so time to go back to a good suspensioned car.

Like most ppl say, its easy to go fast, it takes skill and the right vehicle to negotiate corners.

[T3rminator]

Acceleration all the way for me! And to have good acceleration it has got to have a decent setup anyways....otherwise you'd just sit and spin or fish tail. That's not acceleration.

No use having a nice tuff looking car but still get blown away by the magnadores at the lights.

[Racecraft]

I like both, but from a practical side straight line stuff would marginally win because it is predominately cheaper (not high end stuff of course)

[svo347]

Whats the point in having the power if you cant hold it on the road...

[Biggoggs]

Handling. Despite my heavy long-wheelbase wagon, my `automotive influence' is mainly WRC and the mountain touge. Mountain/forrest roads are fun, especially the challenging ones that up, down, left, right, tilt left and right, and change size

Originally Posted by Lagom

Until more recent times (ie. pre BA), I've seen large Aussie Fords as cars that placed acceleration before handling - really not that amazing in the chassis department and hardly having the last word in brakes. But that seemed to have a lot of appeal for many.

It's suprising actually, my EA wagon with S-pack R15's outcorners (or at least stays with) smaller modern econocars (stock), but I'm not certain why. Lighter FWD cars have much more of the car's weight over the front wheels, which should theoretically give it more traction (perhaps their front tyres aren't big enough).

Originally Posted by Lagom

Yes, there are cars that manage to combine handling and acceleration nicely together - I'm asking you to choose.

Well yea, but no roads are made entirely of corners, and even if it was, you still need power to push it through corners. Both

[ebxr8240]

Handling even if it slow 1/4 times...Its a street car and soft spring ,90/10 ratio shocks etc just doesn't cut it!!!
350 + mm brakes etc for me .. 30mm sway bars etc.. Neo suspension bushes ...

[Ruger]

nothing like being thrown back in a seat i'm all acceloration but a street driven drag car can be quiiiite a handfull and very unpracticle and hard to keep traction none the less

[xr8ute]

I'll take one of each please

[Ruger]

dont ya mean a ferrari :p
or how about a detomaso pantera with a stroked 650 hp clevo and race suspension mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[tex]

It's a complete package that makes a car bring a grin to my face ... accelerative performance with chassis balance and control capable of using (absorbing) spirited driving , and brakes that allow repeated hard applications.
All the fellars out there driving FPV's and earlier model equivilants have got vehicles that come closest to this, but sadly "lesser" Ford models are way behind. Understeer, questionable standard brake fitment and rolly chassis response are not that appealing.
(Having said that I still reckon overall Ford makes the best product !!!!)
Jesus it's great to be able to tune our cars.... some of the cars on this forum are just awsome, and to the guys that drive em, well done )
Just like WEAPON GT. What a package !

[jabba]

Handling, with out a doubt. What's the use of hughe amounts of HP if you can't go round a corner.....

[vino3o2]

Straight line acceleration for me!! I love getting pushed in the seat when in big hp cars, then again I have to like the drag strip as the old XP understeers in any corner over 60kph!!

[EBFalcs]

i agree with vino3o2, there's nothing like being slammed against the seat, after all everyone loves the gravatron.

[Steffo]

I don't mind drag racing... but when it comes down to it, give me a good handling car over a nothing-but-straight-line car any day.

[Ryan]

Well I cant really say as my car's purpose really isnt for either.

I'll say both though.

[smoo]

Going fast in a straight line isn't as great as first thought, especially when you have to pay the gas bill.

Which is why I'm mostly driving my slower but better handling car. Can never get tired of going round different cambered, shaped corners, spinning the inside rear, rev matching for slow corners etc. Can't say the same for acceleration, every bit of straight road is the bloody same!

[EBFalcs]

handling isn't just about the car, it's also the driver, and what lines you take the corner with

[jabba]

Originally Posted by EBFalcs

handling isn't just about the car, it's also the driver, and what lines you take the corner with

Well ther you go guy's. You learn something every day. and I always thought that the cars when around corners by them self's. :

[Rapid260]

Handling, is the way to go.

Kev

[EBFalcs]

so your gonna drive a few kilometers to feel some handling but you don't want to waste fuel on a couple of straight line runs, doesn't add up you will use more fuel in the handling part of it

[smoo]

so your gonna drive a few kilometers to feel some handling but you don't want to waste fuel on a couple of straight line runs, doesn't add up you will use more fuel in the handling part of it

But to go fast in the straight line barge, you need WOT, while watching the gas gague go down very quickly - thats where the only enjoyment is (handles like s***). As for takling some turns in the better handling machine, whether its flat, downhill (not much throttle applied), or even up hill, its still going to use less gas (2.5L v 5.5). So not only is handling more fun (IMO), its cheaper, well, in my case anyway. I would rather drive 2 or 3 fun twisty kms than two 10 second flat out straight line runs.

[NEG]

defently power. I love old tanks with soft suspension and way more power than the old pizza cutter wheels can put to the ground. so much more exciting trying to keep the thing undercontrol in my opinion.

[HLC]

i dont like corners. they get me unstuck :

[Redrum]

Both.