HULK FRIDAY (early edition): are turbo 4s more fun to drive?

[HULK_I6T]

Friday is almost here and this time of year it's time to let our hair down earlier, Friday is tomorrow but...why wait!!

For those of you that driven a variety of cars do you find that smaller turbo 4 cars (particularly manual transmission) are more fun to drive? Comparing to our big turbo i6 or v8s

They seem to be more nimble to throw about, gearing is usually shorter as they usually lack a little low end torque, you revving through the gears more often, feel the road a little more.. The get to 100km/h there is a bit of driver input.

Of course many bigger cars are often ultimately more capable but this capability is almost unusable on the road.

I have a xr6t and ls1, I've owned boss v8 and i6 etc etc. Effortless power, hardly need to be worked hard for daily duties, big cruise liners almost how smooth they are. Big comfy space. To open these cars up your usually on the wrong side of the law very quickly, so tend to barely hit 3000-3500rpm day to day.

Then consider a small turbo charged car like a golf vw, wrx etc.. Belting through the gears, thrust of turbo on and off through the gears, more nimble to throw about, more driver input required. Are these cars more fun? You feel like you are driving these cars more than the bigger cars which tend to just coast along.

On a long trip the big car is awesome but day to day duties I feel the smaller car is more fun (especially turbo 4s)??

How do we make bigger cars more fun and involving to drive?

[EFFalcon]

No.

[Wolfinsheepsclothing]

I think you would suit a 4 banger Hulk

[xr8 007]

i almost came close to buying a xr5 but didnt want to give up my 8. I like the idea of the xr5 as a daily however im to lazy to drive manual as a daily. But i do have a soft spot for small turbo cars. wrx,xr5 etc.

[Grunter]

Assuming we are talking about STI's/Evo's and similar, I wouldn't say turbo 4's are a more of a drivers car than a FPV/HSV/C63/etc.. This in the sense that driving one at nine/tenths, is significantly less involving than driving a decent powered and set up rwd.

If your thing is a sure footed performance awd with poke on the street, then more power to you. They are a lot of fun to drive, but if you prefer to be more involved, then a big boofy rwd takes a lot more to drive fast and is a hell of a lot more fun to drive.

The above all IMO. Jump on a "fast fours" forum and you'll get pretty much the opposite of my comments.

[Matty4]

I had a twin turbo AWD manual for 7 years and loved it.
I took my brother for a spin in it once just after he bought a T3 TE50 and he couldn't believe how quick it was. I had a ball with, but I've grown up now.

[simon varley]

hell yes. it doesn't even need a turbo. the most fun car i have ever driven was my 1.25 Fiesta - a little rollerskate

[blueoval]

Different horses for different courses. I've had V8's, supercharged 6's and now have a turbo 4 AWD Subaru Liberty. All were fun in their own way. None were better than the other in terms of fun. It just comes down to what you like.

That said the Liberty after an exhaust and tune gets up and goes quite well to 100kph. That's fun in itself plus with AWD grip, and handling, it is a lot of fun in the hills. But I also miss the RWD action of my old supercharged AU. That had a lot of torque down low and was such a hoot to drive after I set it up for handling. The sound of a V8, well most here can vouch for that with the right exhaust note and easy torque those things have. The mere presence of a V8 note is enough to turn heads.

It's all speculation, but as far as Im concerned the cars I have owned are fun in their own way and I do not regret getting any of them. You can argue till the cows come home. I appreciate ALL makes of cars for all different reasons.

[BradEL]

How about you take your GTI Golf or STI to summernats then hulk

[chevypower]

Yes they are way more fun, especially now with all that added torque. feeling that boost kick in positively reinforces you to do it again, over and over! That's why it's difficult to drive turbos purely for fuel economy. It's so rewarding to open it up and let it loose. How do you make big cars more fun? Look at the F150 EcoBoost. 0-100 in 6.2 seconds. Small cars have small engines with a turbo, big ones have bigger engines with two turbos.

[jpblue1000]

define fun and drive.
coasting long distance is not driving, nor is dodging potholes in the city at 40km's an hour.
define fun!, involving rewarding, easy, hard, lazy, spirited, fast slow cornering, straight line, country, hills, coast, city or track?

My definitions of those suggest yes they are more fun

JP

[fgpsi]

What happened to you AMG hulk ? Sold it ?

[Chopped]

Any car that you can thrash and not care about the consequences is fun imo.
Long Live the bush bashers

[Grippy]

Different people enjoy different cars for different reasons. It will be interesting to see how the EcoBoost Mustang sells compared to the 5.0L GT. I know which I'd be buying if I was in the market.

[SensationFG8]

No they are not

[LoudPipes]

A small twin turbo 4 I’d be happy with if family duties weren’t required.

An AWD Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

Or even a small in size in-line 6 - BMW 235i

[Uncle_Ken]

I think Blueoval pretty much summed it up....
It's all speculation, but as far as Im concerned the cars I have owned are fun in their own way and I do not regret getting any of them. You can argue till the cows come home. I appreciate ALL makes of cars for all different reasons...

I have 'enjoyed' some cars more than others. For example I enjoyed my Twin carb Ford Metor more than my 13B RX7. I can't explain why but I did.
I enjoyed my AUII 4.0 but in a different way to my current AU XR8.
I would suggest that if you DONT enjoy your current ride then get rid of it. Lifes to short to drive something you don't enjoy.
UK

[malazn mafia]

No. 4 Cylinders sounds like a continuous fart (with exception of boxer engines). 6 cylinders or 8 cylinders with forced induction ftw.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

No. 4 Cylinders sounds like a continuous fart (with exception of boxer engines). 6 cylinders or 8 cylinders with forced induction ftw.

I agree with this.

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

How do we make bigger cars more fun and involving to drive?

I have shock works coilovers with adjustability. A white line sway bar , brembos all round 270+ RWKW at my disposal and a sunroof to let the sunshine in and the awesome sound of the Boss on a beautiful sunny day. Whether just cruising or challenging some twisties in the hills , it is very involving and, very capable and waaaaaaaay fun to drive.

Each to their own.........

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

How do we make bigger cars more fun and involving to drive?

Problem solved...............

http://www.bentleymotors.com/en/worl...otorsport.html

[olds]

My wife thinks they are and so does my mum and my sister

[Franco Cozzo]

I own mainly small cars, manual only for me, much more fun to drive, when you've got not much to start with you need to work it to get it moving nicely, I'll change my own gears.

[WHYME]

As long as it's a WRX or EVO than yes, they can be just as fun to drive. Not to mention they corner/handle too.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

No. 4 Cylinders sounds like a continuous fart (with exception of boxer engines). 6 cylinders or 8 cylinders with forced induction ftw.

Guess you have never heard an I5T. Id prefer the note of one of those, or a YB 2L cosworth over any V8/6T and im a big 6T fan.

I love my ST, its a heap of fun to drive, i dont need a big boofy V8. But nothing against those that have them, after all if we all liked the same the world would be pretty boring.

[1TUFFUTE]

I wouldn't say they are for me personally but I know some who do like 4ts more. All women coincidentally

I've always been tempted by the xr5 and the amazing dynamics from all the recent focus and fiesta models. The amount of vids that I've seen with both those cars turning hard with a wheel in the air is impressive to me.(amoung other things)

Turbo 6 for me tho. It's All about boost and torque for me!

[chevypower]

It's a great way to achieve the revving characteristics of a short-stroke engine but with more low-end torque than a long-stroke naturally-aspirated engine. I hope the GT500 has an electric turbo version of the Voodoo V8.

[Stefan]

I'd hate to say it but agree 100% with Hulk on this one.

I'm a big car guy...have owned and still own Falcons 8s and 6s, Fairmonts, XRs, to GTs incl X-series and FPV, Ford Territory. Pretty one eyed had to be Ford had to be full size.

My Territory was giving me the sh!!!ts, thirsty as all get out (more than my BF GT) it was comfy and roomy but slow and handled like a bus with cheap plastic interior and more rattles than a baby convention. 95% it was only me driving it. What's the point?

Considered Falcon or XR8, but there was no XR8 available you need to spring for a GS or GT or move to the dark side.

So at the time a mate was trading his A3 2.0 TFSI with 6 speed DSG for a newer model, tells me if I match the dealers offer it's mine. It was cheap enough, I though I'll belt this around a while as a stop gap while I look for a proper car. 12K later I owned a 5 year old 2.0T with 80K on the ODO.

It has opened my eyes. This thing is a ripper. It is the most enjoyable drive I have ever owned. it is easy to drive, easy to drive fast, throw some curves at it it is just an absolute belter point to point. Awesome gearbox, awesome handling, awesome fit and finish, quality of trim, sound system, 17 inch wheels, brakes as good as my Brembo equipped FPV, light and nimble.

I'm due for an upgrade within 12 months and I keep thinking I'll get a Falcon again, maybe a XR6T or F6, but then think F.... that, I'm getting an S3 or a A45, GTI or STI....

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Stefan

I'd hate to say it but agree 100% with Hulk on this one.

I'm a big car guy...have owned and still own Falcons 8s and 6s, Fairmonts, XRs, to GTs incl X-series and FPV, Ford Territory. Pretty one eyed had to be Ford had to be full size.

My Territory was giving me the sh!!!ts, thirsty as all get out (more than my BF GT) it was comfy and roomy but slow and handled like a bus with cheap plastic interior and more rattles than a baby convention. 95% it was only me driving it. What's the point?

Considered Falcon or XR8, but there was no XR8 available you need to spring for a GS or GT or move to the dark side.

So at the time a mate was trading his A3 2.0 TFSI with 6 speed DSG for a newer model, tells me if I match the dealers offer it's mine. It was cheap enough, I though I'll belt this around a while as a stop gap while I look for a proper car. 12K later I owned a 5 year old 2.0T with 80K on the ODO.

It has opened my eyes. This thing is a ripper. It is the most enjoyable drive I have ever owned. it is easy to drive, easy to drive fast, throw some curves at it it is just an absolute belter point to point. Awesome gearbox, awesome handling, awesome fit and finish, quality of trim, sound system, 17 inch wheels, brakes as good as my Brembo equipped FPV, light and nimble.

I'm due for an upgrade within 12 months and I keep thinking I'll get a Falcon again, maybe a XR6T or F6, but then think F.... that, I'm getting an S3 or a A45, GTI or STI....

I thought you were cool man

[Stefan]

^^^^^ hahahahaha