Confusion over VF SS 0-100 times

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Originally Posted by muso

I often wonder if some of these Holden 'press cars' are 'prepared' before the road test and perhaps have a more aggressive tune in them. The SS models do seem to have a lot of variation in their 0-100 and 0-400m times when compared with the FG Turbo test cars that seem to produce consistent numbers usually 5.1 or lower 0-100 and low 13 0-400m.

When comparing atmo engines to Turbo ones I would have always thought the atmo would be more consistent than the Turbo.

Perhaps some manufacturers pick their best cars at a new model launch, but some of the other cars in the press test fleet may not be as good.

I've got to say though, that I find the situation particularly confusing with FG Turbo's, because I use the same very accurate timing gear that MOTOR Magazine uses and my test data confirms that my standard (untuned) car is quite a bit faster than the Press test cars. I don't believe that I've got a special car, I've driven a couple of others and they felt the same and my test gear was used on the last car which had virtually identical pace. Also a dealer service manager told me that they all perform just like mine.
I'm thinking that magazine road testers may have been giving the test cars a very hard time immediately before clocking the acceleration runs. That could likely prevent the Overboost function from working and would explain the discrepancies.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, it seems that a standard Turbo (in Overboost mode) is pretty equal to an F6. Below is an example. On the left is data from the fastest zero to 110 kph Auto F6 time that I've seen (a MOTOR Magazine test on a very high grip Western Sydnery Dragway surface) and on the right is a run that my car managed with the Auto locked in 2nd gear. Both zero to 60 times are fairly close in spite of my car being in 2nd but you can't read too much into that, because I stalled the trans up about 500 rpm higher than MOTOR. What is interesting though, is the times from 60 on because the F6 would also have to be in 2nd soon after 60.

F6...........2.35sec from 60 to 100 ( up to approx 5500 rpm).
My car.....2.26sec from 60 to 100.

F6...........0.66sec from 100 to 110 (approx 5500 to 6000 rpm)
My car.....0.68sec from 100 to 110kph.

FG F6 Turbo Auto Ute...............My standard untuned FG Turbo locked in 2nd.
0-10kph..0.45sec.....................0.45sec
0-20.......0.92sec.....................0.88sec
0-30.......1.38sec.....................1.28sec
0-40.......1.81sec.....................1.68sec
0-50.......2.17sec.....................2.14sec
0-60.......2.57sec.....................2.64sec
0-70.......3.11sec.....................3.18sec
0-80.......3.72sec.....................3.74sec
0-90.......4.32sec.....................4.31sec
0-100.....4.92sec......................4.90sec...... .........distance 72.97 metres
0-110.....5.58sec......................5.58sec
When it comes to every day real world driving conditions, I think that most Standard FG Turbo owners have cars that are way further up in the performance pecking order than they realise.