Car Reviews by Beeblebrox237 and MOTORTRENDmitch

Hi there! MOTORTRENDmitch and I (Beeblebrox237) have formed a partnership and are going to be posting reviews on this thread, along with IInovaII.We enjoy writing reviews and hope you enjoy reading them. We also have Nurburgring Nordschleife and the Top Gear Test Track lap times to supplement our reviews. We welcome suggestions for future reviews and would appreciate any feedback you can give us. Also, all lap times are done on sport hard tires and without any driver aids except ABS (1). If anyone wishes to join our reviewing team, please PM a sample review to me and if I like it you're in.

Our reviews so far:
Ferrari F40
Ferrari 599
Volkswagen Sambabus
Aston Martin DB9
Ferrari 458
Suzuki GSX-R/4
A/C Cobra
Lotus Evora
Corvette ZR1
Cizeta V16T
Ford GT

Lap time leaderboards
Nordschleife:
ZR1-6:57,xxx or 7:54,065
599-7:47,097
GT-7:48.293
SLS-7:48,363
458-7:52,572
GSX-R/4-7:57,992
F40-8:03,834
V16T-8:06,400
DB9-8:07,923
Sambabus-13:43,782

TGTT:
ZR1-1:19,407
GT-1:19,462
458-1:19,630
SLS-1:20,173
599-1:22,413
V16T-1:23,589
Cobra-1:23,750
DB9-1:23,762
GSX-R/4-1:23,846
F40-1:24,609
Evora-1:25,350
Sambabus-2:12,471

Ferrari F40

The Ferrari F40 is probably my favorite car in GT5. It is such a visceral ride. If you drive it well, it is great fun, but if you drive it badly, then it kills you. When you first drive it, you notice that it loves oversteer. The rear end always wants to be in front, not unlike early Porsche 911s. However, as you acclimatize to the car, you find that it is remarkably free of over or understeer, and has a huge amount of grip. It also goes like Usain bolt with a rocket up his arse in a straight line, but like Usain bolt, it’s acceleration is only mediocre at speeds above, say, 130 MPH.
However, the grip is only accessible when the car is driven smoothly, something that is difficult at best. Not only that, but it is very slow compared to something like the 458 … when you aren’t backwards in a cloud of smoke. It is, then, a very difficult car to drive. I wouldn’t recommend it for novices who want to win.
So why, then, is it so good? Well, to quote Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti, “You can have so much fun with the F40, starting with the explosive acceleration. Compared with a modern car, does it handle all that well? Not really, but you have to work for every mile an hour you carry through a corner and I love that. It is massively fast and so raw, no soundproofing, none of that stuff, the closest thing to a race car I’ve ever driven on the road.” In short, It is massively fun to drive. Think of beating Simon Cowell with a sledgehammer. More fun than that.
In my humble opinion, there are two ways to drive an F40. You can wither throw it into a corner and slide out of it sideways in a cloud of smoke, wheels spinning, engine screaming (cough cough Clarkson cough cough), or you can finesse the throttle and steering and corner without the slightest hint of drama. When driven the first way, it is a fantastically thrilling drift car, but when driven the second way it is perhaps even more fun. Fun the same way that bullfighting is fun. You feel accomplished because you tamed a beast that was trying to kill you.
In short, the F40 is thrilling to drive if it hasn’t killed you. It won’t win many races, but you won’t care. You’ll be too busy cackling madly about the ferocious power and fantastic handling. “The problem with modern supercars is that to explore their limits on the road is impossible. In the F430 you had to be doing a crazy speed down a country road to get any excitement out of it. You get in the F40 and you’re going a bit slower through a corner, but having an absolute blast” –Dario Franchitti.

Lap Times:
Nurburgring Nordscleife-8:03.834
Top Gear Test Track-1:24.609

Ferrari 599

The Ferrari 599 is rather odd. You see, it looks spectacular, so you immediately want to buy one when you get on GT5 for the first time. Then, after you've earned enough money, spent it on something else, earned it again, and bought the car, It doesn't seem as good as you had hoped. It's, well, boring.
Yes, it is quick. It should be, with 611 bhp, but it feels slower than, say, a VW bus. At least that's kind of fun to drive, in an odd sort of way. Its balance is generally mild understeer, and these characteristics might make you think it would be good for novices. Well, no. It has so much power that if you even tap the throttle in a corner (to try to keep it from understeering into a wall, perhaps), the back end will snap around. This makes it a good drift car, but not great. It is, as I said, boring. There's really not much else to say. "You see, if it's a car you can only really use on special occasions, you want it to feel special, and somehow it doesn't ... I respect it hugely, the same way I respect the technology in my iPod, but I don't love it"-Jeremy Clarkson
It's quick, boring, and feels like a luxury car with an Enzo's engine. No, scratch that, it's just stupid. don't buy one. Buy an LF-A. Or a VW bus.

Lap Times:
Nurburgring Nordschleife-7:47,097
Top Gear Test Track-1:22,413

Volkswagen Sambabus

Well, the VW bus is, in my opinion, greatly underrated. Most know it as the car you must drive to unlock the Top Gear Test Track, but it has more to offer (and I don't mean homemade drugs from the 60's).
Yes, the top speed is, well 84 MPH going downhill. It's about 30 when you're going uphill. 0-60 takes several days, and a very long stretch of tarmac. It is not, then, quick. It is, however, fun.
How so? Well, I tested mine on sport hard tires (it comes with comfort mediums), and found that it had so much grip that you could take virtually any corner flat out. If it's too tight, it will scrub speed until it is going slow enough. These qualities give it a terrifically forgiving nature.
I believe that its best use would be for use as a vehicle to learn tracks. Two laps in this and you know the track pretty well. It's so slow that I took a perfect line through virtually every corner. In addition to this, the interior view is excellent. Most interior views are realistic, but make it hard to see the road right in front of your car (I prefer the camera where you cannot see any of your car). The VW gets around this problem, as it has large expanses of glass, a high driving position, and totally safe speeds.
I don't recommend buying one to win races, but it is a surprisingly good vehicle. It isn't necessarily the best car for learning a track, but it is very good for this. And you know what, it's pretty cool anyway.

Lap Times
Nurburgring Nordschleife-13:43,782
Top Gear Test Track-2:12,471

Aston Martin DB9

The DB9 is gorgeous. It is. However, because it is somewhat luxurious, I skipped over it, and went straight to the more hardcore machines like the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. This proved to be a mistake.
And not because I don't like the Scuderia. It's brilliant, just not as brilliant as the DB9. The DB9 may seem like it is a level below the Ferrari's and Lamborghini's with only 470 bhp, but it doesn't need 5 or 6 hundred horses to be fun. Its acceleration is more than adequate, and as an upside it doesn't light up the rear tires every time you tap the throttle.
In addition, it has a wonderfully communicative chassis. When I first drive it I could tell that there was a large engine up front, yet it didn't exhibit much understeer. It does have softer springs than some performance machines, so expect a bit of body roll. This roll is not entirely bad, as it is not excessive and helps to indicate what the car is doing. It has a large amount of grip, enough to make it easy and fun to drive.
Don't think that you can't drift it, however. It slides with ease, and is more fun to drift than many more hardcore supercars. It also recovers from skids very easily, in part due to the suspension, but mostly, I think, because of its brakes. The brakes are fantastic. That's all that needs to be said.
I highly recommend that you buy one of these beauties. They will give you untold driving pleasure, yet are quick enough to win races. I painted mine in Botanical Green Metallic (from the Jaguar XKR), and I think it looks fantastic. But then, it is a fantastic car.

Lap Times
Nurburgring Nordschleife-8:07,923
Top Gear Test Track-1:23,762

Ferrari 458

Now many people out there say that their favorite car is the 458, but I am not one of them I believe I can sum up the 458 in one word: disappointing. Now please, bear with me. I do not wish to offend, just give my opinion.
The 458 is, as a whole, a very handsome car, but I cannot stand the opening at the front. I've seen one in real life and it makes no difference. However, styling is highly subjective, and many love the 458 in this respect. There are more reasons, however, why I don't like it.
The handling does not suit a car of its caliber. there is quite a lot of understeer, until you get on the throttle, and then the rear end steps out. These qualities make it hard to drive the 458 smoothly, and this in not aided by its massive power output. I'm all in favor of speed, but it has so much power that the rear wheels want to spin in any sort of turn, and the powerful brakes feel inadequate.
It is a little bit of fun to drift, but driving it is like driving a Formula 1 car for fun. The car is too serious; it just doesn't work. It's blisteringly quick, but leaves me wanting some soul. The car feels cold, like it was designed by people who only care about stats, not fun.
I realise, of course, that this is not true in real life. The car is, according to many reputable motoring journalists, full of spirit. I don't know if PD messed the car up, it's really like that, or, most likely, I am missing something. Anyway, I don't like it. I sold the car without any regrets.

Lap Times
Nurburgring Nordschliefe-7:52,572
Top Gear Test Track-1:19,630

Mercedes Benz SLS AMG

The SLS is notable because it is on the cover of the game. There, I said it. Well, it is notable for some other things too. Jeremy Clarkson said of it, “I love it more than I love my own limbs.” I’m not sure I’d cut an arm off for it (How would I operate the amazing dual clutch transmission?), but it is terrific.
The looks are controversial, but I quite like the appearance. I also like the doors, but they are not really relevant in the game. Sad. The acceleration, though, is anything but sad. It will go from naught to sixty in the time it takes Clarkson to destroy two rear tires, and will sound terrific doing so. But wait, there’s more!
Possibly the best thing about the SLS is the handling. Understeer is almost totally absent, but it won’t bite you if you get on the throttle too early exiting a corner. Instead, it goes into a beautiful yet easy to control drift. It’s fast, yet you can still have fun. Not only that, but it has character, an element missing on so many other cars. It’s not something you find on a spec sheet; you have to feel it while driving.
The fact is that when you drive it you know that it was designed by car enthusiasts and not scientists. Sure, it is a brilliant piece of engineering, but all of that leaves your mind when you slide around a corner with it. In fact, the only flaw it has is that it feels a touch soft. When you drive it you feel slightly too isolated from the road.
Honestly, though, I still love it. It’s not as good as, say, an F40, but it’s brilliant nonetheless, and wholly deserves to be a signature GT5 car. It’s not hard to drive quickly, nor is it difficult to have fun in or drift. Buy one, now. You won’t regret it.

Lap Times
Nurburgring Nordschliefe-7:48,363
Top Gear Test Track-1:20,173

Awesome reviews.

Suzuki GSX-R/4

The GSX-R/4 is, in its description, described as a four wheeled version of the GSX-R motorcycle. It is, in fact, the closest thing to a KTM X-Bow there is in GT5. I think it is a fantastic car, and it is very easy to drive fast.
The GSX-R/4 is not powerful. In fact, it only has about 170 bhp. However, it is quick in a straight line because it is so light. Unfortunately, the acceleration beyond about 120 is like that of molasses, and is virtually naught when going up a slight hill like that at the end of the Nurburgring’s main straight. On the other hand, the car is entertaining at low speeds, and the power won’t overwhelm the rear tires.
In fact, the lack of power is very good when considering handling. I believe it would be a monster if it had 300bhp. It does not, however, and so is terrific. Turn in is crisp, and it doesn’t understeer under braking. There is no understeer under 100 MPH, and it is very easy to drift. In fact, going into Aremburg, at the Nordschleife, I went almost immediately from full brake to full throttle while drifting the car through the corner. I found, interestingly, that the automatic transmission refuses to shift down to first until a very low speed, so you are left in second at low RPMs. However, this is actually a good thing, as it prevents wheelspin and allows you to just slam on the gas exiting a corner. Overall handling is as crisp as a cold shower, but at speeds over about 100 it begins to understeer a bit. It is prone to spinning if you aren’t careful. It’s still fun, though.
The appearance is very good, not my favorite. I think that the overall shape looks like an upside down bathtub, with all due respect to the Porsche 356, but a very racy bathtub. The red detailing on the headrest fairings adds a nice touch, and makes the car look pretty good in red, even though the only parts that get painted are the front wings and doors. I find it a bit odd that the passenger seat is covered in the game, but there is probably some reason for this, like aerodynamic drag. Or maybe not. Anyway, the headlights and taillights look like they just came from a stealth fighter, as does the back end. It looks pretty nice, with the exposed rear springs and exhaust exits. I recommend a rear wing from GT Auto, as it really completes the look of the car. Also, the interior view is terrific, and this is, don’t forget, a standard car. The only problem is the part of the car you can see from the cockpit, which looks, well, like a standard car.
I, personally, am going to have a go at tuning it. It is very quick and fantastically fun to drive, but I want it to be epically quick, like an Enzo. The Enzo is a bit crap, though. So, in conclusion, if you see one of these fantastic four wheeled motorcycles in the UCD, buy one. It’s as good as a X-Bow as you’ll get, for now.

Lap Times
Nurburgring Nordschleife-7:57,992
Top Gear Test Track-1:23,846

Lethal Legend
The style and platform had been around for a few years, introduced by AC Cars out of Surrey, England. But, it wasn't brought to a legendary status until a man by the name of Carroll Shelby got involved. It started when Shelby air mailed AC Cars a letter requesting a chassis suitable for an American V8.
AC Cars delivered, modifying the handwelded tubular frame to accept the larger V8. Meanwhile, Shelby was busy trying to procure a factory supplied and sponsored engine suitable for his ideas. After a turned down attempt at Chevrolet (Chevrolet did not want a direct competitor to the Corvette), Shelby contacted Ford who obliged and supplied their 260ci hipo small block for testing. 75 Cobra Mk1's were fitted with this engine before the remaining 51 were upgraded to the Ford Windsor 289.

After engine choice and a steering design modified to fit the V8 were worked out, production of the Mk2 began at the England factory. 528 Mk2 Cobras were produced up to 1965.
With various racing series' heating up, the Cobra's "skunkworks" under Shelby got busy. After attempts at using Ford's fast but unreliable 390ci aluminum engine, the decision was made to collaborate with Ford headquarters in Detroit to upgrade the Cobra's chassis and body, making it wider and stronger with coil sprung suspension, and to use Ford's 427ci "Side Oiler". Output was a furious 470hp stuffed in a 1068kg lightweight chassis which easily supported it's top speed of over 165mph. It was with this model that a "Lethal Legend" was born.

The AC Shelby 427 Cobra is lung suppressingly fast. Start the Cobra and the idle is raw with it's loping note, and any wiff on the accelerator sends the 427ci engine into a frenzied roar. With the open top, the sound gives a teasing preview of this car's potential. Looking into the sideview mirrors, and you see the bulging rear fenders, also a clue as to whats in store. After clearing my mirrors upon entering the course, I was excited to experience such a powerful and fast vintage sports car where it was meant to be driven.
I was lucky enough to test the Cobra with help from our friends at Top Gear who gave me access to their Test Track. The Cobra's tires are a hard compound DOT sport comp tire (sport hard). Using these tires with the power available and the Cobra's light weight, it is advisable to maintain a bit of self control. An off idle, standing start launch creates a bog off the line, but by 3500rpm the engine builds into full boil and the rear tires at full scorch. Shift to second gear, and the rear continues to dance, with the tires fighting to find any hint of traction. However, once traction is achieved, the acceleration and feeling of this car is epic. Have you ever heard of Rockets? Yea, like that. Upon entering a corner such as the left hand Crooner Curve on the Top Gear Test Track under braking from high speed, the Cobra can be outright scary. Light braking upon entry on the light left bend is best, then release to straighten out, then on the brakes hard to set up for the left hander. With the amount of speed the Cobra achieves in such short distances, braking points can be extremely hard to judge, making it too easy to overshoot a corner. My testing and experience with this car supplied me with this advice: brake early and brake while straight. During off throttle deceleration or braking while entering a corner such as the one mentioned, the lethality of this car shows it's hand. With most of the Cobra's weight up front in such a lightweight chassis, hard braking into or while cornering is almost a guaranteed spin. Again, brake early and brake straight.

Mid corner, the Cobra grips well, holding its line with a slight hint of understeer, but be too aggressive on the loud pedal and the Cobra's tail will try finding the weeds. High speed stability is decent for a vintage roadster except when a straight bends into a loose high speed corner such as the "Follow Through" right or a light kinked turn such as the "Bentley Bend" high speed left of Top Gear's test track. Too much throttle lift upon entry or too much turn in under throttle on these two turns will certainly try to twist the Cobra into a scary high speed drift. Best to approach these types of turns with patience, finesse, and stability in mind at which point this car can and will reward.

After many laps, perfecting my standing start launch and sorting out the Cobra's personality, I was finally able to run a few consistent laps in the 1 minute 24 second time frame with a best lap of 1:24.3. It took many practice laps and a respect for this car's personality traits to pin down consistency with it, but if respected and driven at 80-90%, it will leave you feeling Stig worthy. Try to tease it at its limits and it will, like the snake it was named from, deliver a very lethal bite.

1966 Shelby 427 Cobra
No modifications
470hp/ 1068kg
Sport hard tires
6/3 Brake balance ( to tame down off throttle and braking oversteer)
Tgtt best time: 1:23.7

Reviewed by IINOVAII Edited by MOTORTRENDmitch

Lotus Evora '09 Review


If you dropped by the car dealer, and seen this car, it would certainly catch your eye - But how would you react when the Dealer trying to sell this machine informed you, that what you were looking at was a measly two door Toyota Camry, with some weight reduction done to it? Also, how would you react when he asked you to fork over 100,000 big ones for it? If you ask me, I'd laugh in his face.



Okay maybe that was a little bit harsh, so lets take a closer look at the car, its powered by the 3.5 liter V6 found in the Toyota Camry. Producing 276 horse power, and 248 Torques. It is quite light, at 1333kg, but for 100,000 credits, are those numbers even Close to what they should be? I think we should take it to the track and see if we can find some of the Value there!
To Begin with, in 1st gear, the car rockets out of the gate, but don't let the sprint to 37mph fool you, as soon as you run out of gear and put it into 2nd, the downfall begins... It has such long gears, you would think the transmission came out of a Viper, it Shifts Slow, the Ratios are spread WAY to far apart, especially for a 276hp V6. 0-60 comes in 5 seconds, but only when forced it into gear with the H-shifter and clutch. Using the flappy paddles, buttons, or auto, the thing shifts like a pig. If you were to put a fully adjustable tranny in it and customize the ratios, it would be a much faster car! On Mulsanne Straight the Evora mustered up 163MPH in 4th gear, as soon as 5th hit, down the speedo went. another example of the gearing being horrible!



As it seemed apparent that almost nothing was going right for the evora, I took it Nurburgring GP/D and introduced it to some tight turns, and to my suprise, it felt like the car had been long introduced to turning, it actually - turns! You can push it EXTREMELY hard into a turn and the front end just, does what its told, the front end grip the car has is enourmous! coming out of turns however isnt a walk in the park like going into them is, but its no slouch coming out of them either.



So in my final words about the Lotus Evora I will say this, Yes, It turns amazingly well, just as every other lotus does. Yes, it needs either more power or a better transmission, And Yes, Its very over priced. Its alot of fun through the Twisties, its alot of boredum on straights, and you never get away from the fact the exhaust note some what resembles the Dyson Ball. are those reasons to hate the car? no.

'09 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

The ZR1 designation on Chevrolet's Corvette is and has been reserved for the fastest and most powerful small block Chevy powered Corvette offerings. The first ZR1 package appeared in 1971 as a performance/racing suspension and transmission upgrade option to the Corvette LT-1 and was offered through 1973. Very few were ordered with the ZR1 package at the time, especially since a number of big block Chevy engine packages were offered as well. In 1990, the Corvette ZR1 reappeared, but was the top performance offering this time around. It was fitted with a Lotus designed all- aluminum 375hp DOHC V8 that GM designated the LT5, and was also assisted by Lotus in the development and tuning of the ZR1's suspension. It was with this model that the Corvette staked its performance and power reputation, even with the dealer gouging of the sticker price towards the end of it's model run. Unfortunately, only 6939 ZR1's were offered between 1990 and 1996, but development of Chevrolet's new LS V8 design and a newly redesigned Corvette made it an inevitable end to the C4 Corvette and its latest model 405hp top line ZR1.

Fast forward to 2009, and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 returned. This time, though, it was not only the fastest and most powerful of its model generation, but the fastest, most powerful production Corvette ever. To start off, Chevrolet commissioned their LS3 6.2L V8 small block, and integrated the dry sump oiling system from the Corvette ZO6's LS7 V8. With the LS3's added cylinder wall thickness and upgraded internals, an Eaton supercharger was fitted to produce a 654hp ( after oil change) and was designated the LS9.
The suspension features a double wishbone system with Magnetic Selective Ride Control that adjusts in real time to the driver's need from tour to sport. This system assists everything from standing start launches, to cornering and braking, and is integral in helping the ZR1 acheive it's rated avg lateral g of 1.10. The chassis is of aluminum, and some body panels such as the fenders, hood, roof, splitter, and rocker extensions are of carbon fiber that all help in obtaining the Corvette's 1508kg weight. The brake rotors are the same, but smaller diameter, carbon ceramic design used on the Ferrari Enzo FXX, with Brembo 6 piston calipers providing the bite. At the ground, the ZR1 meets the pavement wearing Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 (GT5 Sport Hard) tires. Now, the question is: How is it to drive?

NERVE TINGLING FAST best sums it up. Turn the key and the supercharged V8 jumps to life with a crackle from the exhaust, then settles into a mellow but deep groan. The cockpit envelops you well with great visibility at all corners, and feels just as it looks, low and wide. The throttle response is immediate, but civil enough if judicious on the go pedal.

Using the Top Gear test track, I was able to shake down the ZR1 to see what it is all about. From a standing start launch at around 3000rpm, with launch and traction controls off, first gear leaves the tires at the mercy of your right foot. Second gear comes and nothing changes. Still spinning. Its only when the 2-3 gear change happens that the ZR1 finally gets it's grip and sprints to the track's first corner. On approach, be light on the brakes as the course bends left at Crooner Corner, lift to straighten out, and then full braking before entering Wilson Bend. The ZR1 is suprisingly stable through this section and reels in speed quickly with those large Brembos and carbon ceramic rotors. Once entering Wilson Bend, light foot through until straight again, then power on to Chicago. Enter too fast and the ZR1 understeers heavily, but brake early and the car will almost find and hold the right line for you. On exit from Chicago, be careful not to feed in too much power, as the ZR1 is all to happy to wag its large tail. As you straighten out, gradually feeding in the throttle out of Chicago, you will notice the top of second gear is trying to unglue the rear tires. Don't lift, just be aware. The ZR1 charges hard down the straight with intensity and great stability and sheds the speed as fast as it obtains it. Entering Hammerhead, threshold brake into entry, then release and coast through until the turn relaxes. Begin feeding in the power while coaxing out a light corner exit drift as you exit Hammerhead. Be patient with the throttle and the feeling is intoxicating as the ZR1 maintains the controlled exit drift onto the straight. Approaching the Follow Through, its best to nip at the brakes to bleed off enough speed to hold a tight line through the light right bend. If not, the ZR1 will push wide left putting you in search of some of England's finest field mice. Holding a good line through the Follow Through, apply some power as you set up to the right, and cut in onto Bentley Bend. The ZR1 maintains it's great stability, but you may have to slightly lift off the gas to hold your line and not run out of track to the right. Charge hard under power to the braking point leading into the blind Bacharach Bend being sure all braking is done before aiming to enter as straight as possible at the left corner apron. Coast through until straight, then a brief jab at the power before setting up wide right for Gambon. Brake hard, turning in to nip Gambon's left apron and power through to the finish line. Again be aware of that tail under heavy power. All this summed up into a 1:19.4 lap.

Now, from a value standpoint, the approximate asking price of 184,800 credits begs the question: Is the ZR1 130,000 credits better than the Corvette ZO6? The answer lies within the ZR1's company. The ZO6 is a bit more civil and controlled, and competes with other high performance category offerings such as the Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari's F430 and 599, the Audi R8, Lexus LFA, Dodge Viper, and a few others. Among this company of high performers, the ZO6 is an absolute steal, but so is the ZR1, whos price matches or is still under these cars that cannot compete with the ZR1's performance. Step up into the Exotic/Super High performance category of cars such as the Ferrari's Enzo and 458, Lamborghini Murcielago, McLaren MP4-12C, Mercedes SLR, and so on, and the credit to performance value tips even more in the ZR1's favor. So to answer the question, yes the ZR1 is worth the price. It sits in an arena of hallowed exotic/super cars for the entry fee of most high performance offerings. It may not have the refinement of it's counterparts, but it will deliver the same excitement and exclusivity.

The Corvette ZR1 is certainly the fastest, most powerful production Corvette to date. It could be civil enough to use everyday, but thats not this car's purpose. It wants and begs to be used on a race course, always seeming like its being restrained otherwise. Is it the best, most civil all around production Corvette or sports car for the money? No, that can be left to the Corvette ZO6 to live up to. But, there is no doubt the ZR1 is the Ultimate Performance Corvette to date.

2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
648hp (with oil change)
1508kg
Sport Hard tires
Tgtt best time: 1:19.407
Nurburgring: 7:54.065

Reviewed by IINOVAII
Thread hosted by MOTORTRENDmitch

More cars to come. Thanks to MOTORTRENDmitch and beeblebrox for hosting this thread. Makes for a good read.

llNovall

More cars to come. Thanks to MOTORTRENDmitch and beeblebox for hosting this thread. Makes for a good read.

Click to expand...

No problem. Terrific review. One question: do you have a nurburgring lap time for the ZR1?

Ya great review, you certainly like the history of cars dontcha
Unfortunatly my Ps3 has decided to stop working.. so idk when my next review will be -_-

Cizeta V16T

The Cizeta V16T is quite a common car among GT5 players, as you receive two early in the game. Unfortunately, it is often overlooked for better known exotics like the Ferrari 458. It is, however, a great car to drive.
The Cizeta is set apart, first and foremost, by its engine. No other car in the game has a V-16 and only one other (the Bugatti Veyron) has 16 cylinders. Interestingly, the V-16 in the Cizeta is actually two V-8s that share one block, and are joined in the middle. Where the two V-8s meet up, there is gearing, so power is outputted in the middle of the block.
And there is a lot of power. The 6 liter engine produces 560 bhp, more than enough to smoke the rear tires. The car accelerates extremely quickly, and can keep up with more modern supercars. It stays with them around corners as well. It’s not easy to keep the back end in check, but it will fly around any corner you throw it with poise and precision. It isn’t the most refined car; in fact I think of it as a more powerful but less extreme F40. Unlike the F40, it isn’t always at your throat. It drifts beautifully, the power keeping the tires spinning while not too much to handle, and is tremendous fun to throw around.
Okay, so it is quick, but then so is the GT-R. Unlike the GT-R, the Cizeta looks terrific. It isn’t technical or chiseled, just pure Italian soul. In fact, it was adapted by Marcello Gandini from his original design for the Lamborghini Diablo (which Chrysler rejected). The side strakes are reminiscent of the Ferrari Testarossa, but it has a blocky, aggressive look of its own. The car is very obviously mid engined.
Of course, if it’s so good, why haven’t you heard of it outside of GT5? Well, only 10 have been made. The company still makes them, interestingly enough, but only by special order. A coupe runs $649,000, the roadster $200,000 more. So, ditch your Ferrari and try something a bit more unusual. You won’t be disappointed.

Lap Times
Top Gear Test Track-1:23,589
Nurburgring Norschleife-8:06,400

Thanks fellas. And no i havnt been able to get a solid lap a the ring. Message me with a time and ill edit it into the post
Stock zr1
Oil change only
Spt hard tires

Ok at the nurburgring but not as good as most i see on here. Ill try a couple laps and see where were at. Thanks again.

Pictures added too the Cobra and Evora Reviews, Unfortunalty the Cobra Pics didnt end up to clear but the Evora's turned out well

The piss poor gear ratios on the F40 are its downfall (in stock form that is)

seanneedscar

The piss poor gear ratios on the F40 are its downfall (in stock form that is)

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I have always thought that too

2006 Ford GT


The Ford GT, if placed next to the '60's era GT40, looks as if it was born from it's predecessor's ashes. The old GT40 was the result of a grudge between Enzo Ferrari and Henry Ford II over a possible merger between the two companies. It was this grudge that Henry Ford II vowed to supplant Ferrari from it's 6 time 24hr of Le Mans win streak. After some failures and bad luck, the GT40 recieved some much needed help from the legendary Carroll Shelby and went on to sweep the podium in 1966 and went on to win 3 more times up to 1969. Though the GT40's racing career was short lived, it was the only racecar from America to ever win overall at Le Mans, and did achieve what it was designed to do: Beat Ferrari.

Ford's centennial celebration of 2004 was nearing and Ford wanted a special car to commemorate the event. The Ford GT was born into concept in time for the festivities, and the production versions followed in late '04 for the 2005 model year. Only 4038 Ford GT's were produced over it's own short model run of 2005 and 2006. Aside from being a special car to Ford, it quickly became a very collectible, yet capable supercar.

The mid engined Ford GT chomps at exactly the same thing it did in the late 1960's: Ferrari. Specifically, the Ferrari F430. While the F430 is a refined, high revving thoroughbred, the Ford GT is a bit abrupt and aggressive in nature. It's handling characteristics are similar, but the GT does its business with a touch anger, as if its holding the grudge. Most of that attitude has to do with the 560hp 5.4L all-aluminum supercharged V8. It touts nearly 60 more horsepower, but its the nearly 500ft/lbs of torque that makes the GT so different than its target competitor. Side by side, straight or curvy, the F430 doesn't stand a chance.

I took the GT to the Top Gear test track to see for myself what makes this car similar, yet so different from the Ferrari. First is the sound. Ignite the supercharged V8 and there is no chance of being discrete with the rumble of the exhaust and the whine of the blower. Tap the throttle and the racecar heritage it was bred from becomes apparent. The GT seats you low in the cockpit, with many retro touches throughout. Peaking into the rearview treats you to a great view of the supercharger. The suspension is firm, limiting pitch and body roll, and the four pot aluminum Brembo calipers clamp down on steel cross drilled vented rotors. Braking was good overall, but it was in this department under heavy threshold braking that I felt like it needed more. It likely could have been my perception given the amount of speed the GT achieves in such short distances, but I couldn't help feeling as if it should be capable of more. If judging by performance, this is where the Ferrari seems better.

First thing you notice when driving the GT is an obstruction of sight from the thick a-pillars. They always seem to be in your line of sight as your approaching a corner. This can be overlooked, but takes a little getting used to. The GT launches without drama, spinning to the top of first gear, and finds it's traction as you shift into second. It accelerates and screams as if it were being chased by a monster. Entering the light left bend approaching Crooner Corner, the GT is remarkably stable when braking or off throttle entering the turn, something that can plague some mid engine sports cars. Maintaining composure through Crooner Curve, the GT charges hard toward Chicago. Breaking early is best in the Ford GT given it's strong tendency to understeer upon corner entry. Enter a corner too fast and the GT plows right through the front tires. Braking early into Chicago, the GT will manage a neat tight line through the apex. Once straightened out, go ahead and put the hammer down, confident the rear will stay in line. Sprint hard toward the Hammerhead, but be mindful of the GT's speed and your braking point. Its at this corner that the GT feels it could benefit from stronger brakes during threshold braking. A few feet off your braking point makes a huge difference in this car. Assuming a successful disipation of speed at entry, coast or lightly power through Hammerhead being sure the GT does not push wide. On exit past the apex, apply power gradually and the rear of the GT will claw harder as you accelerate toward the Follow Through. Again, mindful of the understeering tendencies of the GT, I slightly jabbed the brakes as I approached the Follow Through to help the GT rotate into a clean steady line. Maintaining speed as I approached Bentley Bend, I set up right and cut in toward the left apron of the bend which allowed me to nearly stay at full throttle. Be careful, however, that if the rear tires begin to lose traction and you try to power through, the GT will find itself in a high speed drift or spin. Trust me, I experienced both scenarios.

When in doubt, lift off the throttle. The GT reacts on demand. Bacharach Bend and Gambon are quite simple and drama free in the GT maintaining great stabilty on entry and exit. Just be sure to brake early and straight to find that clean line to the finish. All told, my best lap for the day was 1:19.462.
I also had the opportunity to drive the Ford GT in Germany at the Nurburgring Nordsleife. Turn for turn analysis would take far too long to explain, but I did want to note that my drive there confirmed the heavy understeer inherent in this car. Early braking to establish a clean line to the apex, and then powering out is the best technique for the GT.
The Ford GT not only lives up to it's ancestor, but offers it's modern performance at a value among the supercar elite at 149,880 credits. There are a few compromises that must be given to the GT that have already been mentioned, but it is a car with a personality and a storied past, with it's own unique attitude and exclusivity. This is a Ferrari the way Americans build them.


2006 Ford GT
560hp ( with oil change)
1451kg
Sport Hard Tires
Tgtt best time: 1:19.462
Nurburgring: 7:48.293

Reviewed by IINOVAII
Thread hosted by MOTORTRENDmitch and Beeblebrox

How do these reviews work are they just the normal cars? Like total stock or are they added parts and by a tuner?

i'll try to give you a Nurb ZR1 time on SH tires. My otherwise stock ZR1 time is on SS tires: 6:57.xxx .

nicely written reviews.

We back up and running boys?

shmogt

How do these reviews work are they just the normal cars? Like total stock or are they added parts and by a tuner?

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Fully stock.

MOTORTRENDmitch

We back up and running boys?

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Hopefully. I'm busy writing a review for GTlife magazine and being depressed at the moment. Between the two I haven't got much time, but I'll try to get a couple reviews up in a week or two.

esoxhntr

i'll try to give you a Nurb ZR1 time on SH tires. My otherwise stock ZR1 time is on SS tires: 6:57.xxx .

nicely written reviews.

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Holy 🤬! How are you so fast? Would you like to apply for a job as stig?