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Lexus LFA: 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Contender
Lexus LFA - 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
ABOUT BEST DRIVER'S CAR
What makes a great driver's car? Is it brute performance? Or gut-wrenching grip? What about balance and finesse, and the quality of the interaction between man and machine? We argue that a great driver's car has a chassis and powertrain and brakes and steering that enable the enthusiast driver to confidently explore the limits of its performance envelope, as well as his own. On top of all that, the best one also contains an X factor, a little something extra that elevates the breed.
Best Driver's Car is not a race. Numbers aren't everything. To get the fullest picture possible for each competing vehicle, we perform our normal battery of performance testing and real-world driving as well as racetrack performance. Yet, while on-track performance is just one piece of a larger puzzle, it's without question the most fun. Join us each day as we introduce the contenders, with track results and impressions by master driver Randy Pobst, all leading up to the crowning of the 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car.
2012 LEXUS LFA
The culmination of a decade of development, the Lexus LFA is the brand's performance halo car, designed to elevate its status to the ranks of the world's elite. The hand-built, F1-inspired V-10 engine revs to its 9000-rpm limit so fast that only a digital tachometer could keep up. The LFA features a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic tub and bodywork to minimize weight, parts of which are woven together using proprietary methods developed from Toyota's textile operations. Features include one throttle body per cylinder, a rear-mounted single-clutch automated manual transmission, and a rear wing that deploys automatically at speed.
RANDY'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "Well, that's quite a machine. That's really obvious. It's on a pretty fine edge the whole time you're driving. I have a good sense of control, but it also keeps me from throwing care to the wind and just flying, you know. When I think a car is really handling the way I want it to, when I go the fastest on a racetrack, I don't have to think about driving it. I go down to the corner, crank the wheel, carry the speed in there, and it just lays in there and does its thing. The Lexus is almost there. A little bit more finicky, though. A little bit more finicky."
On the transmission... "Transmission, in full manual mode, is not shifting very fast. In fact, it feels like forever compared to some of the better transmissions. I'm really amazed. It just seems like it's a long time you're not accelerating."
On the brakes... "Braking was real strong, but holy crap, get your braking done before you get light 'cause the pedal gets hard and the car just doesn't wanna stop. On top of the Corkscrew, 'cause you go up that Corkscrew and the braking felt really good on the first couple of brake zones and I was pretty aggressive with it. I braked a little bit up on the uphill and hard pedaled at crest and the car just did not want to stop. Missed the apex pretty bad on my outlap, so I was braking earlier on purpose the next couple laps, maybe a bit too conservative there, but I don't think so."
On the steering... "Steering is fabulous. The car does have a really nice feel of being balanced, but it snaps loose easier than I prefer. I felt a little bit of mid-corner push sometimes, not bad. I actually like the car better at higher speeds than at lower speeds. The turn 4 sweeper, I just felt more confident about the car there than I did here in the hairpin or around turn 1."
On the engine... "The engine is amazingly smooth. The exhaust note, the engine sound, way better outside the car than inside. Inside, I didn't really like it that much. It's kind of a lower coarse sound. It's kind of an unusual sound. Boy, I'd love to hear that scream. That would be very satisfying."
Overall... "It was like work. You know, it's kinda like when you have a beautiful girlfriend who's kinda high-maintenance. The Lexus was a little bit like that. It is on kind of a fine line. It's not a good-time car in a relaxed, casual way. It's a good-time car in a serious work way. You know, I think this is a little bit like flying an airplane. You know, in flying an airplane you can get killed real easy, so you gotta be really on it. And that's how driving the Lexus is. You've gotta be really on it, right on your game, all the time. And for me, that's less enjoyable than something I can just haul ass in."
TURN NOTES
Turn 3: "Strong brake, immediate action. Accepted throttle well, but applied power with care. Exhaust/engine note much better outside than inside. Coarse inside. Outside: million-dollar sound."
Turn 6: "Stuck well mid-corner, accepted big bump there well. Needs more torque up the hill."
Turn 8: "Danger - ABS takes brakes away over the crest. Very quick into tight corner, no understeer. Quick transfer of weight in transition [during mid-corner]."
Watch the video to find out how fast the Lexus LFA went around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Check back tomorrow for the next Motor Trend Best Driver's Car contender, then come back to MotorTrend.com on Monday, September 12, for the full story and a special video.
ALL ABOUT RANDY
Randy Pobst is one of the most accomplished American race car drivers on the road today. His career includes two overall wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, four World Challenge GT Class championships, five Sports Car Challenge championships, and nine SCCA national championships. He currently drives for KPAX Racing in the World Challenge series.
Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender
Just a few parts shy of a full-blown race car, the Mustang Boss 302 is a street-legal, high-performance Mustang variant designed for road racing. The Laguna Seca edition is the top-tier model, built to lap Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca faster than a BMW M3, and in our testing, it does. The Laguna Seca edition features a race-derived suspension, race-compound tires, no rear seats, race-derived aerodynamic modifications, and a special key that changes the engine computer programming from street-legal to full race spec.
RANDY POBST'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "The way it comes off the second-gear hairpin, I cannot believe the way it hooks up. They musta had, like, John Force doing the drag racing setup, because I virtually couldn't knock it loose. I couldn't...I mean, I was...the first time I was real careful. I'm like "Yeah, I know what this thing's gonna do..." I get on the power, and it just drives off. I'm...wow. So the second time around...more. The third time around...more. And it just digs outta there. I'd love to know how they got it to hook up like that. It puts power down so well. Extremely well-balanced car. A joy to drive. Didn't even feel very crude, tell you the truth. Felt pretty well-balanced. A little bit of body roll, but stick. Lord have mercy, it's better than the Shelby GT500 we tested a while back. Handled better than a Porsche Cayman."
On the transmission... "I did get a crunch on the 3-4 shift once, which was a little bit of a surprise."
On the brakes... "The brakes had had enough by the end of the second lap. They were hot and starting to fade for sure. But the braking was excellent. I didn't feel the kind of brake dive that we've complained about in Mustangs before."
On the aerodynamics... "Hard to say if that front splitter is doing anything. It looks like it would do something. But it isn't very close to the ground, being a street car. And I would think that without a real wing, if that was really working, the car would be very pointy and very ass-y, and it's not. So my first guess would be to say no, it's not doing very much. But it sure looks like a real live race car splitter."
On the engine... "That's a great-running engine. Big, fat power curve from the engine. It's making the same power from 5000 rpm to 7500 rpm, it feels like to me."
Overall... "Clearly better than any other Mustang I've driven. Great soundtrack, too. Just makes me want to put a couple of American flags on the hood like the old presidential limousines. They'd look just right on a Mustang. I'm just so impressed."
TURN NOTES
Turn 1: "Turn 1 is a corner -- got a scary wiggle when I was not perfectly smooth, the only sign of past Mustangs. Terrific at all other times. Race tires are a big help -- great stick!"
Turn 2: "Less dive than past Mustangs, great grip. Super control, some roll feel at turn-in. Well-balanced, surprising (at late entry). Amazing traction on power. This engine has a torque curve as wide as the Great Plains. Bravo, Ford!"
Turn 3: "So usable, consistent, driver-friendly. Hook-up on power is worthy of major awards."
ABOUT BEST DRIVER'S CAR
What makes a great driver's car? Is it brute performance? Or gut-wrenching grip? What about balance and finesse, and the quality of the interaction between man and machine? We argue that a great driver's car has the chassis and powertrain and brakes and steering that enable the enthusiast driver to confidently explore the limits of its performance envelope, as well as his own. On top of all that, the best one also contains an X factor, a little something extra that elevates the breed.
Best Driver's Car is not a race. Numbers aren't everything. To get the fullest picture possible for each competing vehicle, we perform our normal battery of performance testing and real-world driving, and racetrack performance. Yet, while on-track performance is just one piece of a larger puzzle, it's without question the most fun. Join us each day as we introduce the contenders, with track results and impressions by master driver Randy Pobst, all leading up to the crowning of the 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car.
2011 Lotus Evora S - 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
Lotus Evora S: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender
A high-performance version of the already capable Evora, the S model is significantly more powerful, thanks to a new supercharger. Upgrading to the S model also makes the Evora's optional Sport Pack standard, giving the S a rear diffuser, cross-drilled brakes, an engine oil cooler, a track-tuned Sport stability control program, and a sport exhaust system with a bypass valve that makes the engine sound more aggressive.
RANDY POBST'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "The car has two completely different phases. When I crack the front wheel, immediately the rear wheels start sliding. In fact, it slides the rear more than the front on corner entry. And then on power hooks it up, and it goes into a little bit of an understeer sliding the front more than the rear. It has the loose entry phase, then the power phase, which is a stability. I think the Lotus puts the power down very well, and that's part of why it stabilized the car so much. It's a car where it actually pays off to go to the throttle pretty early in the corner...which is something I'm usually trying to tell my students not to do when I'm teaching driving."
On the transmission... "The shifter is extremely positive. And that's a good thing, in a good way. I actually missed fourth gear on my first lap being real gentle. I was using my fingertips, and the Lotus wants a little more urgent, authoritative pull on the lever. It's a pretty wide gate on the shifter, too. Second gear is way over here, fourth is way over there. They're not right next to each other. Fairly long throw."
On the brakes... "I like the braking, the car stops well. I can feel the light weight of the car under braking."
On the steering... "Really sharp on the front end. Whereas some cars you can throw half a turn of lock in that and it doesn't even move, this car, you'd be backwards. The Lotus really turns, almost too much, frankly. It's very quick-responding on corner entry. In a linear way. The car is alive. It wants to turn. Low speed or high speed. You drive the Evora like a surgeon with a scalpel. In fact, I actually think I had my pinkies up. Turning in for the corner, very fine line and quick corrections, because it's moving the front and the rear tires, it's sliding 'em both."
On the engine... "Very smooth, broad torque curve. Not an amazingly powerful car, but quick."
Overall... "I called it a real driver's car because it's a high-involvement car in a satisfying way. It rewards a driver who's got good car control. It will punish a driver who does not. This is a car where the owner should leave the stability control on until they've done Skip Barber's Car Control Clinic at least twice, because it's so free on the way in. I think it would be a very satisfying car for a someone who can drive a car."
TURN NOTES
Turn 2: "Turn-in is quick! Too quick for me. Small input, big result. Superb turning ability at late entry. Power very much stabilizes the chassis. Amazingly different from the looseness at entry. Good at putting power down/traction. Light push."
Turn 8: "Bit of dive, excellent stopping, and steering remains alive even under hard brake."
Turn 11: "Amazingly quick steering response is perfect for tight hairpin. Be careful it is not too much; she will get sideways."
Porsche Cayman R - 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
Porsche Cayman R: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender
Our last Best Driver's Car winner returns to defend its title with the new R model. A street-legal race variant of the Cayman, the Cayman R adds just 10 horsepower to the Cayman S with a new engine tune and sport exhaust. More substantial upgrades include stiffer springs and shocks, a fixed rear wing, launch control, fixed carbon-fiber race seats, and a 100-pound reduction in curb weight. Air conditioning, navigation, the stereo, and even the interior door handles are optional for further potential weight savings.
RANDY POBST'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "What a satisfying car to drive, in that its responses are what I expect. It's that kind of predictable. It's not predictable in a "this car's gonna push" way. When I enter the corner, the more I'm turning the wheel, the more the car is turning. It's very direct, linear, exact response, so I end up exactly where I want to be. I know where it's going. And if I go in a little hot, the tail moves, but slowly. The Cayman R had superb balance and real predictable, gradual breakaway at the limit, and it was incredibly satisfying to drive for that reason. I knew I had less grip on street tires, but because the handling was so, so good, so predictable, I could be far more aggressive with my entry speeds. I wasn't going to spin it. I could be aggressive, and that's so important to going fast. The Porsche didn't even need stability control. It's so stable, you don't need it. The stability control is in the suspension setup. It's that good."
On the transmission... "In Sport Plus, the shifts are a little rougher. They give you a little shot in the back, which is probably better for the acceleration times, but I don't think it's as good for control and certainly not as good for comfort. But the disturbing thing I found was a couple of times I got downshifts that went a gear too far. It went all the way down into second gear in a couple of the corners that were borderline, especially turn 5. It was in it for just a moment, then immediately it went back up again. In Sport, it's back to the shift program that I think is perfect, that I know and love. It doesn't have that harder kick on the shifts. It might actually be a little slower, but it's so much smoother. It doesn't do the downshifts so often, which I found made it difficult to be smooth with the car because occasionally I'd get that extra engine braking right as I was turning in, which is a bad time for it. It just suits my driving style far better in the Sport mode, the shift program. I don't think I would ever use Sport Plus."
On the brakes... "The brakes overheated. The pedal was getting long really quick, like the second lap. The Cayman wanted to stop -- it just couldn't. It doesn't have enough brake right now, I'll tell ya. Really unsatisfying brake pedal feel. Excellent braking behavior."
On the steering... "Steering, unbelievable. The feel was so good. Turn the wheel and it does exactly what you're asking for. There's steering response even when the car's loaded. The steering is very linear."
On the engine... "The power was by far the best I've felt in a Cayman. It's definitely in 911 territory power-wise, and it definitely could use a lot more. I want a Cayman GT2."
Overall... "That was thrilling. That is an extremely satisfying car to drive fast, just made me feel like a better driver. That car put a huge smile on my face. It's just so well-balanced. It remains one of my very favorite cars to drive on a racetrack. I didn't want to get out. I loved it."
TURN NOTES
Turn 2: "Soft brake pedal! Yuck! Wow, exact relationship between steering wheel angle and response. Fabulous! Pretty strong push here in mid-corner. No change in balance when power applied. Best-ever Cayman acceleration, not yet supercar power. Love the exhaust note."
Turn 3: "Superb turn-in. A little extra body roll shows up at late-entry. A real corner sweetheart."
Turn 4: "High-speed control also excellent, intuitive, no surprises. Can place Cayman perfectly because power does not affect line -- seamless corner-carving."
BMW 1 Series M Coupe - 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
BMW 1 Series M Coupe: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender
Built as a specialty, one-year-only model, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe is a high-performance variant of the standard 1 Series developed more quickly than any BMW M car in history. Borrowing a number of parts from the M3, including brakes, rear suspension, wheels, tires, and the differential, the 1M is designed for enthusiasts only. The interior is available only in black; there is no sunroof; and there is no automatic transmission option. Features include an overboost function that allows the maximum torque to temporarily rise from 332 lb-ft to 370 lb-ft, track-oriented stability control programming, and extensive aerodynamic modifications. Only 1000 will be imported to America.
RANDY POBST'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "The 1M is an improvement on the 135, which I've spent some time in, but NOT my favorite car. In fact, between you and me, I hate this car. It won't turn. The thing I didn't like about the 135 was its mid-corner understeer, its reluctance to turn once it was in the corner, and the 1M still does that. And it's the primary thing I remember after driving the car. That it is very lazy on turn-in."
On the transmission... "The shifter is slick, and light. I really enjoy that. You gotta do it just with your fingertips. If you try to muscle it with a fist, you're gonna get the wrong gear."
On the seats... "I like the seats a lot, very comfortable and supportive, except...too high. I'm a tall guy; this reminds me a lot of the older Volvos or Range Rovers where they mount the seat really high so you can get a good view. Which is great, but I'm tall, I'm already high. I want to be down in the car. And I couldn't lower the seat enough, and I just felt like I was sitting on the car, not in the car, which I'm not a fan of."
On the steering... "Steering, relatively slow ratio, which I actually like because I think everyone turns in too fast. I've always liked BMW for building that into their cars. I just didn't like what happened with the handling as I turned the wheel, there was just not enough response entering the corner. And braking hard made it worse. A lot worse. I mean, that car would go straight if I was in the brakes very hard at all. So, I found it very disappointing."
On the engine... "The engine is smooth, the power is reasonably good, but in today's world, that's not a fast car. I'm telling ya, it is not a fast car in today's world. Maybe because I've just spent too much time in 500-horsepower cars."
Overall... "It's almost like it was built by safety engineers. But only until you get on the power, and then, getting on the power, it's not really good at putting the power down, either. I'm just not impressed with this car. I like the M3 so much that I find the 1M to be very, very disappointing, though the M3 understeers too much, too. I think the lawyers are running the handling department at BMW right now, and they don't have to. Just make it handle like the 1988 M3 did -- that car was perfect. You know, I hate to pick on what is obviously overall is a pretty good car, but in today's world there are not very many cars I hate...I hate this car."
TURN NOTES
Turn 2: "This car will not turn in to tight corners, then pushes mid-corner. Easy to provoke power oversteer."
Turn 6: "1M is best in this corner. Slow entry becomes good for stability. Less push at higher speeds, good. Still not right on power."
Turn 11: "Big entry push. Snap power oversteer in second gear."
Lexus LFA: 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Contender
Lexus LFA - 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
ABOUT BEST DRIVER'S CAR
What makes a great driver's car? Is it brute performance? Or gut-wrenching grip? What about balance and finesse, and the quality of the interaction between man and machine? We argue that a great driver's car has a chassis and powertrain and brakes and steering that enable the enthusiast driver to confidently explore the limits of its performance envelope, as well as his own. On top of all that, the best one also contains an X factor, a little something extra that elevates the breed.
Best Driver's Car is not a race. Numbers aren't everything. To get the fullest picture possible for each competing vehicle, we perform our normal battery of performance testing and real-world driving as well as racetrack performance. Yet, while on-track performance is just one piece of a larger puzzle, it's without question the most fun. Join us each day as we introduce the contenders, with track results and impressions by master driver Randy Pobst, all leading up to the crowning of the 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car.
2012 LEXUS LFA
The culmination of a decade of development, the Lexus LFA is the brand's performance halo car, designed to elevate its status to the ranks of the world's elite. The hand-built, F1-inspired V-10 engine revs to its 9000-rpm limit so fast that only a digital tachometer could keep up. The LFA features a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic tub and bodywork to minimize weight, parts of which are woven together using proprietary methods developed from Toyota's textile operations. Features include one throttle body per cylinder, a rear-mounted single-clutch automated manual transmission, and a rear wing that deploys automatically at speed.
RANDY'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "Well, that's quite a machine. That's really obvious. It's on a pretty fine edge the whole time you're driving. I have a good sense of control, but it also keeps me from throwing care to the wind and just flying, you know. When I think a car is really handling the way I want it to, when I go the fastest on a racetrack, I don't have to think about driving it. I go down to the corner, crank the wheel, carry the speed in there, and it just lays in there and does its thing. The Lexus is almost there. A little bit more finicky, though. A little bit more finicky."
On the transmission... "Transmission, in full manual mode, is not shifting very fast. In fact, it feels like forever compared to some of the better transmissions. I'm really amazed. It just seems like it's a long time you're not accelerating."
On the brakes... "Braking was real strong, but holy crap, get your braking done before you get light 'cause the pedal gets hard and the car just doesn't wanna stop. On top of the Corkscrew, 'cause you go up that Corkscrew and the braking felt really good on the first couple of brake zones and I was pretty aggressive with it. I braked a little bit up on the uphill and hard pedaled at crest and the car just did not want to stop. Missed the apex pretty bad on my outlap, so I was braking earlier on purpose the next couple laps, maybe a bit too conservative there, but I don't think so."
On the steering... "Steering is fabulous. The car does have a really nice feel of being balanced, but it snaps loose easier than I prefer. I felt a little bit of mid-corner push sometimes, not bad. I actually like the car better at higher speeds than at lower speeds. The turn 4 sweeper, I just felt more confident about the car there than I did here in the hairpin or around turn 1."
On the engine... "The engine is amazingly smooth. The exhaust note, the engine sound, way better outside the car than inside. Inside, I didn't really like it that much. It's kind of a lower coarse sound. It's kind of an unusual sound. Boy, I'd love to hear that scream. That would be very satisfying."
Overall... "It was like work. You know, it's kinda like when you have a beautiful girlfriend who's kinda high-maintenance. The Lexus was a little bit like that. It is on kind of a fine line. It's not a good-time car in a relaxed, casual way. It's a good-time car in a serious work way. You know, I think this is a little bit like flying an airplane. You know, in flying an airplane you can get killed real easy, so you gotta be really on it. And that's how driving the Lexus is. You've gotta be really on it, right on your game, all the time. And for me, that's less enjoyable than something I can just haul ass in."
TURN NOTES
Turn 3: "Strong brake, immediate action. Accepted throttle well, but applied power with care. Exhaust/engine note much better outside than inside. Coarse inside. Outside: million-dollar sound."
Turn 6: "Stuck well mid-corner, accepted big bump there well. Needs more torque up the hill."
Turn 8: "Danger - ABS takes brakes away over the crest. Very quick into tight corner, no understeer. Quick transfer of weight in transition [during mid-corner]."
Watch the video to find out how fast the Lexus LFA went around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Check back tomorrow for the next Motor Trend Best Driver's Car contender, then come back to MotorTrend.com on Monday, September 12, for the full story and a special video.
ALL ABOUT RANDY
Randy Pobst is one of the most accomplished American race car drivers on the road today. His career includes two overall wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, four World Challenge GT Class championships, five Sports Car Challenge championships, and nine SCCA national championships. He currently drives for KPAX Racing in the World Challenge series.
Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender
Just a few parts shy of a full-blown race car, the Mustang Boss 302 is a street-legal, high-performance Mustang variant designed for road racing. The Laguna Seca edition is the top-tier model, built to lap Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca faster than a BMW M3, and in our testing, it does. The Laguna Seca edition features a race-derived suspension, race-compound tires, no rear seats, race-derived aerodynamic modifications, and a special key that changes the engine computer programming from street-legal to full race spec.
RANDY POBST'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "The way it comes off the second-gear hairpin, I cannot believe the way it hooks up. They musta had, like, John Force doing the drag racing setup, because I virtually couldn't knock it loose. I couldn't...I mean, I was...the first time I was real careful. I'm like "Yeah, I know what this thing's gonna do..." I get on the power, and it just drives off. I'm...wow. So the second time around...more. The third time around...more. And it just digs outta there. I'd love to know how they got it to hook up like that. It puts power down so well. Extremely well-balanced car. A joy to drive. Didn't even feel very crude, tell you the truth. Felt pretty well-balanced. A little bit of body roll, but stick. Lord have mercy, it's better than the Shelby GT500 we tested a while back. Handled better than a Porsche Cayman."
On the transmission... "I did get a crunch on the 3-4 shift once, which was a little bit of a surprise."
On the brakes... "The brakes had had enough by the end of the second lap. They were hot and starting to fade for sure. But the braking was excellent. I didn't feel the kind of brake dive that we've complained about in Mustangs before."
On the aerodynamics... "Hard to say if that front splitter is doing anything. It looks like it would do something. But it isn't very close to the ground, being a street car. And I would think that without a real wing, if that was really working, the car would be very pointy and very ass-y, and it's not. So my first guess would be to say no, it's not doing very much. But it sure looks like a real live race car splitter."
On the engine... "That's a great-running engine. Big, fat power curve from the engine. It's making the same power from 5000 rpm to 7500 rpm, it feels like to me."
Overall... "Clearly better than any other Mustang I've driven. Great soundtrack, too. Just makes me want to put a couple of American flags on the hood like the old presidential limousines. They'd look just right on a Mustang. I'm just so impressed."
TURN NOTES
Turn 1: "Turn 1 is a corner -- got a scary wiggle when I was not perfectly smooth, the only sign of past Mustangs. Terrific at all other times. Race tires are a big help -- great stick!"
Turn 2: "Less dive than past Mustangs, great grip. Super control, some roll feel at turn-in. Well-balanced, surprising (at late entry). Amazing traction on power. This engine has a torque curve as wide as the Great Plains. Bravo, Ford!"
Turn 3: "So usable, consistent, driver-friendly. Hook-up on power is worthy of major awards."
ABOUT BEST DRIVER'S CAR
What makes a great driver's car? Is it brute performance? Or gut-wrenching grip? What about balance and finesse, and the quality of the interaction between man and machine? We argue that a great driver's car has the chassis and powertrain and brakes and steering that enable the enthusiast driver to confidently explore the limits of its performance envelope, as well as his own. On top of all that, the best one also contains an X factor, a little something extra that elevates the breed.
Best Driver's Car is not a race. Numbers aren't everything. To get the fullest picture possible for each competing vehicle, we perform our normal battery of performance testing and real-world driving, and racetrack performance. Yet, while on-track performance is just one piece of a larger puzzle, it's without question the most fun. Join us each day as we introduce the contenders, with track results and impressions by master driver Randy Pobst, all leading up to the crowning of the 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car.
2011 Lotus Evora S - 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
Lotus Evora S: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender
A high-performance version of the already capable Evora, the S model is significantly more powerful, thanks to a new supercharger. Upgrading to the S model also makes the Evora's optional Sport Pack standard, giving the S a rear diffuser, cross-drilled brakes, an engine oil cooler, a track-tuned Sport stability control program, and a sport exhaust system with a bypass valve that makes the engine sound more aggressive.
RANDY POBST'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "The car has two completely different phases. When I crack the front wheel, immediately the rear wheels start sliding. In fact, it slides the rear more than the front on corner entry. And then on power hooks it up, and it goes into a little bit of an understeer sliding the front more than the rear. It has the loose entry phase, then the power phase, which is a stability. I think the Lotus puts the power down very well, and that's part of why it stabilized the car so much. It's a car where it actually pays off to go to the throttle pretty early in the corner...which is something I'm usually trying to tell my students not to do when I'm teaching driving."
On the transmission... "The shifter is extremely positive. And that's a good thing, in a good way. I actually missed fourth gear on my first lap being real gentle. I was using my fingertips, and the Lotus wants a little more urgent, authoritative pull on the lever. It's a pretty wide gate on the shifter, too. Second gear is way over here, fourth is way over there. They're not right next to each other. Fairly long throw."
On the brakes... "I like the braking, the car stops well. I can feel the light weight of the car under braking."
On the steering... "Really sharp on the front end. Whereas some cars you can throw half a turn of lock in that and it doesn't even move, this car, you'd be backwards. The Lotus really turns, almost too much, frankly. It's very quick-responding on corner entry. In a linear way. The car is alive. It wants to turn. Low speed or high speed. You drive the Evora like a surgeon with a scalpel. In fact, I actually think I had my pinkies up. Turning in for the corner, very fine line and quick corrections, because it's moving the front and the rear tires, it's sliding 'em both."
On the engine... "Very smooth, broad torque curve. Not an amazingly powerful car, but quick."
Overall... "I called it a real driver's car because it's a high-involvement car in a satisfying way. It rewards a driver who's got good car control. It will punish a driver who does not. This is a car where the owner should leave the stability control on until they've done Skip Barber's Car Control Clinic at least twice, because it's so free on the way in. I think it would be a very satisfying car for a someone who can drive a car."
TURN NOTES
Turn 2: "Turn-in is quick! Too quick for me. Small input, big result. Superb turning ability at late entry. Power very much stabilizes the chassis. Amazingly different from the looseness at entry. Good at putting power down/traction. Light push."
Turn 8: "Bit of dive, excellent stopping, and steering remains alive even under hard brake."
Turn 11: "Amazingly quick steering response is perfect for tight hairpin. Be careful it is not too much; she will get sideways."
Porsche Cayman R - 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
Porsche Cayman R: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender
Our last Best Driver's Car winner returns to defend its title with the new R model. A street-legal race variant of the Cayman, the Cayman R adds just 10 horsepower to the Cayman S with a new engine tune and sport exhaust. More substantial upgrades include stiffer springs and shocks, a fixed rear wing, launch control, fixed carbon-fiber race seats, and a 100-pound reduction in curb weight. Air conditioning, navigation, the stereo, and even the interior door handles are optional for further potential weight savings.
RANDY POBST'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "What a satisfying car to drive, in that its responses are what I expect. It's that kind of predictable. It's not predictable in a "this car's gonna push" way. When I enter the corner, the more I'm turning the wheel, the more the car is turning. It's very direct, linear, exact response, so I end up exactly where I want to be. I know where it's going. And if I go in a little hot, the tail moves, but slowly. The Cayman R had superb balance and real predictable, gradual breakaway at the limit, and it was incredibly satisfying to drive for that reason. I knew I had less grip on street tires, but because the handling was so, so good, so predictable, I could be far more aggressive with my entry speeds. I wasn't going to spin it. I could be aggressive, and that's so important to going fast. The Porsche didn't even need stability control. It's so stable, you don't need it. The stability control is in the suspension setup. It's that good."
On the transmission... "In Sport Plus, the shifts are a little rougher. They give you a little shot in the back, which is probably better for the acceleration times, but I don't think it's as good for control and certainly not as good for comfort. But the disturbing thing I found was a couple of times I got downshifts that went a gear too far. It went all the way down into second gear in a couple of the corners that were borderline, especially turn 5. It was in it for just a moment, then immediately it went back up again. In Sport, it's back to the shift program that I think is perfect, that I know and love. It doesn't have that harder kick on the shifts. It might actually be a little slower, but it's so much smoother. It doesn't do the downshifts so often, which I found made it difficult to be smooth with the car because occasionally I'd get that extra engine braking right as I was turning in, which is a bad time for it. It just suits my driving style far better in the Sport mode, the shift program. I don't think I would ever use Sport Plus."
On the brakes... "The brakes overheated. The pedal was getting long really quick, like the second lap. The Cayman wanted to stop -- it just couldn't. It doesn't have enough brake right now, I'll tell ya. Really unsatisfying brake pedal feel. Excellent braking behavior."
On the steering... "Steering, unbelievable. The feel was so good. Turn the wheel and it does exactly what you're asking for. There's steering response even when the car's loaded. The steering is very linear."
On the engine... "The power was by far the best I've felt in a Cayman. It's definitely in 911 territory power-wise, and it definitely could use a lot more. I want a Cayman GT2."
Overall... "That was thrilling. That is an extremely satisfying car to drive fast, just made me feel like a better driver. That car put a huge smile on my face. It's just so well-balanced. It remains one of my very favorite cars to drive on a racetrack. I didn't want to get out. I loved it."
TURN NOTES
Turn 2: "Soft brake pedal! Yuck! Wow, exact relationship between steering wheel angle and response. Fabulous! Pretty strong push here in mid-corner. No change in balance when power applied. Best-ever Cayman acceleration, not yet supercar power. Love the exhaust note."
Turn 3: "Superb turn-in. A little extra body roll shows up at late-entry. A real corner sweetheart."
Turn 4: "High-speed control also excellent, intuitive, no surprises. Can place Cayman perfectly because power does not affect line -- seamless corner-carving."
BMW 1 Series M Coupe - 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
BMW 1 Series M Coupe: 2011 Best Driver's Car Contender
Built as a specialty, one-year-only model, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe is a high-performance variant of the standard 1 Series developed more quickly than any BMW M car in history. Borrowing a number of parts from the M3, including brakes, rear suspension, wheels, tires, and the differential, the 1M is designed for enthusiasts only. The interior is available only in black; there is no sunroof; and there is no automatic transmission option. Features include an overboost function that allows the maximum torque to temporarily rise from 332 lb-ft to 370 lb-ft, track-oriented stability control programming, and extensive aerodynamic modifications. Only 1000 will be imported to America.
RANDY POBST'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "The 1M is an improvement on the 135, which I've spent some time in, but NOT my favorite car. In fact, between you and me, I hate this car. It won't turn. The thing I didn't like about the 135 was its mid-corner understeer, its reluctance to turn once it was in the corner, and the 1M still does that. And it's the primary thing I remember after driving the car. That it is very lazy on turn-in."
On the transmission... "The shifter is slick, and light. I really enjoy that. You gotta do it just with your fingertips. If you try to muscle it with a fist, you're gonna get the wrong gear."
On the seats... "I like the seats a lot, very comfortable and supportive, except...too high. I'm a tall guy; this reminds me a lot of the older Volvos or Range Rovers where they mount the seat really high so you can get a good view. Which is great, but I'm tall, I'm already high. I want to be down in the car. And I couldn't lower the seat enough, and I just felt like I was sitting on the car, not in the car, which I'm not a fan of."
On the steering... "Steering, relatively slow ratio, which I actually like because I think everyone turns in too fast. I've always liked BMW for building that into their cars. I just didn't like what happened with the handling as I turned the wheel, there was just not enough response entering the corner. And braking hard made it worse. A lot worse. I mean, that car would go straight if I was in the brakes very hard at all. So, I found it very disappointing."
On the engine... "The engine is smooth, the power is reasonably good, but in today's world, that's not a fast car. I'm telling ya, it is not a fast car in today's world. Maybe because I've just spent too much time in 500-horsepower cars."
Overall... "It's almost like it was built by safety engineers. But only until you get on the power, and then, getting on the power, it's not really good at putting the power down, either. I'm just not impressed with this car. I like the M3 so much that I find the 1M to be very, very disappointing, though the M3 understeers too much, too. I think the lawyers are running the handling department at BMW right now, and they don't have to. Just make it handle like the 1988 M3 did -- that car was perfect. You know, I hate to pick on what is obviously overall is a pretty good car, but in today's world there are not very many cars I hate...I hate this car."
TURN NOTES
Turn 2: "This car will not turn in to tight corners, then pushes mid-corner. Easy to provoke power oversteer."
Turn 6: "1M is best in this corner. Slow entry becomes good for stability. Less push at higher speeds, good. Still not right on power."
Turn 11: "Big entry push. Snap power oversteer in second gear."
