Holdens Nurburgring plan backfires

mike_nofx · 05-05-2013, 06:17 AM

I believe Holden was trying to set a record for fastest ute on the Nurburgring, but were a little disappointed. Yes it's a Dowling article:

http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and...ring_in_8m_21s

MethodX · 05-05-2013, 06:55 AM

Shame.
Hate those hatchbacks.

**Burnout** · 05-05-2013, 06:59 AM

Funny, slower than the Renault Migrane !!!!!!

Motorbreath310 · 05-05-2013, 07:13 AM

Megane's aren't exactly slow. And it'd be nice if Ford went to these lengths to market the Falcon...just saying.

mike_nofx · 05-05-2013, 07:17 AM

In all fairness, more of it has to do with driver skill on the Nurburgring than just vehicle capabilities.

Motorbreath310 · 05-05-2013, 07:20 AM

I bet if Ford sent a GS or Pursuit there and it posted a quicker time, you wouldn't be able to find the link to that article.

EVLKNEVL · 05-05-2013, 07:33 AM

So.. do Joshua Dowling articles all of a sudden have legitimacy when they're dissing Holden instead of Ford?

Looks like a typical shamelessly irrelevant and agenda-driven JD article.

EB# · 05-05-2013, 07:42 AM

Firstly, the article is aimed at the "fastest ute at Nurburgring", so why is the writer
comparing the times to hatches and sedans ? I don't get it ? The SS could be the ONLY
ute to run at the ring for all we know.

Secondly, if they wanted quicker times they should have thrown a professional driver
behind the wheel instead of the Holden boss. Maybe that chick from Topgear would have
been quicker?

EB# · 05-05-2013, 07:49 AM

Video link here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=a5PmckWi5OQ

Pity the SS ute (at 0.43) didn't get a similar exhaust to the Camaro... !!

**DJR-351** · 05-05-2013, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EB92

Secondly, if they wanted quicker times they should have thrown a professional driver
behind the wheel instead of the Holden boss. Maybe that chick from Topgear would have
been quicker?

Compared to the other cars chucking laps the ute sounds like it's "barging" around the cicuit with all the tyre scrubbing noise, so yeah i agree with ya...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5Pmc...layer_embedded

Motorbreath310 · 05-05-2013, 08:08 AM

Holden could have borrowed John Heinricy from GM for this.

I still reckon good on Holden for doing this. Ford almost seems ashamed of Falcon it seems. When is it ever in the media? Oh, that's right. When it's dying.

Danny · 05-05-2013, 08:13 AM

Have any of you people actually driven or tracked a Megané Sport? Oh, and also had a performance ute to compare it directly to? (Sorry, TWO performance utes)....

It's not surprising, it is not odd, it is not unbeleivable. The Megané 265 is a ripping fast car, both in a straight line, and it handles like a $120k Porsche Cayman (go on, do some research).

I've munched dozens of VE SS's in a straight line, then around corners, its just absolute dynamite. So don't begin to bag something you don't even have any real world experience in..

Motorbreath310 · 05-05-2013, 08:35 AM

Yeah it was quite surprising that they would compare the two. Doesn't it still hold the fastest FWD record at 'the ring'?

I wouldn't say no to one. They're becoming increasingly popular as of late.

SSVPom · 05-05-2013, 08:38 AM

It would be one of the fastest commercial vehicles around the 'ring though?

**DJR-351** · 05-05-2013, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny

Have any of you people actually driven or tracked a Megané Sport? Oh, and also had a performance ute to compare it directly to? (Sorry, TWO performance utes)....

It's not surprising, it is not odd, it is not unbeleivable. The Megané 265 is a ripping fast car, both in a straight line, and it handles like a $120k Porsche Cayman (go on, do some research).

I've munched dozens of VE SS's in a straight line, then around corners, its just absolute dynamite. So don't begin to bag something you don't even have any real world experience in..

Nope....i have re-read the thread again and don't see anyone bagging out the ute or the Renault Megané....

Bit early in the morning init mate.....

mike_nofx · 05-05-2013, 09:07 AM

Here's some lap times, good to see lots of "poor handling American cars that can only go in straight lines" on the list, and high up on the list too.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...eife_lap_times

2011G6E · 05-05-2013, 09:29 AM

Shame...be nice to see a true blue Aussie ute set some sort of record over there.

And yes, it's less about the car and more about the driver at the 'Ring...remember the Top Gear episode with Sabine Schmitz, "the ring queen" who's been lapping the place since she was a young teenager? She took a bloody big underpowered van around there and was overtaking weekend heroes in Porsches...

You also see experienced race drivers who say they never truly learn the track...you remember sections, but the whole thing? That would take many years of concentrating just on that one circuit, as Schmitz has done, and even then she said it doesn't really help.

tex · 05-05-2013, 09:32 AM

Considering the place it (a Megane) came in Targa Tasmania, comes as no surprise to me.

Stock Commodore SS utes are a very blunt tool, Ive raced them at Baskerville, they might be fully sick to the cashed up Apprentice Tradesmen, but track heroes they do not make.

gtxb67 · 05-05-2013, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Shame...be nice to see a true blue Aussie ute set some sort of record over there

didn't the vd do it - although it is a bit hard to lose when there is no competition

either way, the holden crap machine will spew out something that is totally irrelevant to everything else vehicular - it ain't like they have never been economical with the truth

**DJM83** · 05-05-2013, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EB92

Firstly, the article is aimed at the "fastest ute at Nurburgring", so why is the writer
comparing the times to hatches and sedans ? I don't get it ? The SS could be the ONLY
ute to run at the ring for all we know.

Secondly, if they wanted quicker times they should have thrown a professional driver
behind the wheel instead of the Holden boss. Maybe that chick from Topgear would have
been quicker?

Thirdly, used a car that is actually track focused like the Megane. SS is hardly a track car

The Megane is one serious hot hatch. It was on my list with one other car but the Ford won for my needs.

LeadFoot81 · 05-05-2013, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJR-351

Nope....i have re-read the thread again and don't see anyone bagging out the ute or the Renault Megané....

Bit early in the morning init mate.....

How about:

Quote:

Originally Posted by MethodX

Shame.
Hate those hatchbacks.

Although that was a bit of a generalisation against hatches in general...

Then there's...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burnout

Funny, slower than the Renault Migrane !!!!!!

Maybe from a Ford fan's perspective it's funny that a HOLDEN (read: poxy) ute was beaten by a Renault (read: poxy) MIGRAINE. Or maybe he's just being cheeky and the Renault is giving Holden's advertising team a migraine?

I find it very odd that old mate compared the VF SS ute's lap time to the Renault Megane's. No one would ever cross shop the two, in terms of pace or practicality. And the ute's lap time eclipses those of many highly revered and much more focussed cars.

Bucknaked · 05-05-2013, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tex

Considering the place it (a Megane) came in Targa Tasmania, comes as no surprise to me.

The only one I could find in the 2012 results was a DNF

tex · 05-05-2013, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

The only one I could find in the 2012 results was a DNF

Quote:

"In the popular Showroom class, Grant Denyer took a commanding victory in a factory-supported Renault Megane RS 250. Indonesian driver, Bunjamin Noor’s second was enough to win the series Showroom title."

Quote:

RDA Brakes Showroom 2WD

1. Grant Denyer/Dale Moscatt, 2011 Renault Megane RS 250

2. Bunjamin Noor/Lee Challoner-Miles, 2011 Renault Megane RS 250, +17m11s

3. Nick Strange/Ian Cudmore, 2011 Renault Megane RS 250, +20m21s

Link

http://targa.com.au/tc/news_details.asp?asset_id=11833

jpblue1000 · 05-05-2013, 10:48 AM

I drove the ring over Easter 2010.
made the treck across from london with a 20 strong group of small ford owners, the least powerful was a 350Hp Capri. I was helping a mate out with his 450Hp Cosworth powered escort van. Yes van with 175/40/13 r888's...yes scary. Fortunately he broke it pulling it of the back of the truck. Fuel pumps stopped working.
Over the next day and a half we traversed the Eiffel mountain region looking for a bosch fuel pump. Would have thought they would be everywhere in Germany.
Anyway we didn't find one but I did find Rent-for-ring which offer fully prepped suzuki swifts for hire. The quickest version capable of 8:40 BTG (bridge to gantry) yes a suzuki swift in the right hands.
In my first run I managed 9:51 as per the video. Bearing in mind first time in left hand drive ar and I had no idea where I was going and a video toting passenger on board.
after a day of lapping at 22 euro per lap without passenger I got down to a low 9 minute lap ( basic watch stopwatch timing) but the weather closed in and stopped play...I wasn't going to risk damage while or semi slicks in the rain. If you crash you pay for lost earnings and track repair as well as recovery etc
However at one point on my first lap a 'ring taxi' (sabine schmidt type driver) BMW M5 with a full passenger list blew past on a straight Like I was standing still...the advantages of knowing where your going I guess
I had a fantastic time and the car was amazing Id fully recommend it, all in all it cost me about 400 Euro for half a days hire and track passes

and this was there, reputably driven by a pimple faced 21 year old russian!

JP

duaned · 05-05-2013, 11:03 AM

Here is a small clip of Sabine driving the Transit keeping up with the big boys,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XVPmnomMME

Yes, she IS amazing!

LeadFoot81 · 05-05-2013, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

image

JP

21 year old pimply faced Russian? Looks like something Batman would drive.

Cool story and pics jpblue1000!

**DJM83** · 05-05-2013, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeadFoot81

21 year old pimply faced Russian? Looks like something Batman would drive.

Cool story and pics jpblue1000!

Gumpert Apollo if you didnt know, not the most attractive car around but definably a formidable car.

**DJR-351** · 05-05-2013, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeadFoot81

How about:

Although that was a bit of a generalisation against hatches in general...

Then there's...

Maybe from a Ford fan's perspective it's funny that a HOLDEN (read: poxy) ute was beaten by a Renault (read: poxy) MIGRAINE. Or maybe he's just being cheeky and the Renault is giving Holden's advertising team a migraine?

I find it very odd that old mate compared the VF SS ute's lap time to the Renault Megane's. No one would ever cross shop the two, in terms of pace or practicality. And the ute's lap time eclipses those of many highly revered and much more focussed cars.

Well if that constitutes a bagging these days maybe an extra ration of cement at brecky is needed for those that feel aggrieved......

Seriously.....

LeadFoot81 · 05-05-2013, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJR-351

Well if that constitutes a bagging these days maybe an extra ration of cement at brecky is needed for those that feel aggrieved......

Seriously.....

I guess some people aren't as hard as you are buddy.

flappist · 05-05-2013, 01:47 PM

Keep it on topic please