**CAR OF THE WEEK! Friday 26/10/12**

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McClarenDesign

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Announcing the 38th installment of the Car of the Week series.

A chance for everyone on GTPlanet to get behind the wheel of the same car and give it a thorough going over. The aim is to get people driving what they wouldn't usually drive, or cars that may have been overlooked. They may be great, they may be terrible, but as part of GT5 they deserve discussion right here.

People can show off their amazing photos, trade tuning tips, race one another and review that weeks nominated car. Lap times can be posted, top speeds and acceleration times compared and tips on handling discussed.

We are starting to develop a brilliant bunch of regular contributors but I very much encourage everyone to get involved and have their say. Every week (almost!) a poster will be picked for their contribution in that weeks thread to pick the star car for the following week. Ask anyone that has so far been chosen to pick and I am sure they will tell you what an honor it is! So get involved and it could be you!

Car of the Week - What do YOU think of the car?

So, without further ado, this weeks star car of the week...

For his outstanding artistic photograph of the Cobra R, we've chosen XS to pick this week's Car of the Week.

Even though we covered the TVRs way back in Week 25 (I really need to get some links up), XS has chosen....

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Image Source​

1991 TVR V8S
 
I even searched the threads to try and not duplicate a previous car. Sorry, don't know how I missed it. :dunce:
 
XS
I even searched the threads to try and not duplicate a previous car. Sorry, don't know how I missed it. :dunce:
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It's my fault for not keeping a running list. I'll try to get that done for next week, but to be honest the next few weeks are going to be VERY busy for me, as I make preparations for November...

I'm going to the Austin GP.
 
Got to agree, this TVR is worth another visit for the fun value! Nice pick 👍. I still can't believe they're gone...

If you'd like, try this car in the A-Spec Expert Tuned Car Championship SSR5! What's your best time???

Have a good one
 
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1991 TVR V8S​

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My V8S had 235hp/446pp stock and with my mild tune came to 309hp/482pp. Her numbers from the test track:

............stock / tuned
1/4 mi..14.375 / 12.744
1.0 mi..35.698 / 32.038
0 - 60..05.690 / 04.166
to 100..14.251 / 10.083
max G...00.720 / 00.960
max spd.158.70 / 158.30

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My best of ten laps at -
Grand Valley Speedway:
stock - 2:17.782
tuned - 2:05.100
Deep Forrest Raceway:
stock - 1:32.061
tuned - 1:23.461
Challenge #1, 5 laps, 500pp at Trial Mountain:
stock - P2 @ 1:47.296
tuned - P1 @ 1:38.782

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On to the challenge at SSR5, better known as "A tale of two Ruf's". The A-Spec expert level tuned car championship states that typical opponents are rated between 494hp/555pp and 616hp/614pp so the little TVR is giving up plenty to the competition here. I began the race in P7, a Ruf CTR "Yellow Bird" two spots up and another Ruf, a CTR-2 in P8 right behind me.

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From the drop of the green flag the CTR2 was trying to drive up my tailpipe. A little creative driving (blocking) down the front stretch and the Rufs constant sliding about while entering the tunnel gave me a bit of breathing room. Just enough to make a pass for P6 and get a car between us, the yellow bird moving up a spot as well. I did well through the twisty bits, but once coming to that long straight the CTR2 was again right on me, coming hard and fast. I blocked the inside and she came around too fast entering the tunnel again and slid high and outside allowing me to cut inside for the pass.

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I moved up another spot and coming down the straight on lap three it was the CTR2 in 7th, a car in between us, me in 5th, another car and the yellow bird in 3rd...all screaming into the tunnel nearly side by side.

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By the time we got to the hairpin I was out braking my opponent moving into P4 with the CTR2 hot on my heels and the yellow bird just ahead. I caught and passed her in the twisties and moving down the straight on lap 4 I was in P3 with the two Rufs just behind me plotting my demise. Again I blocked the inside, but couldn't make the little TVR wide enough to block them both. The CTR2 slowed and the yellow bird went screaming by too fast into the tunnel again sliding wide and giving me P3 back once again.

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I kept the two Rufs at bay through the rest of the lap, but knew I would be in trouble when we hit the straight. I am not sure where the CTR2 lost it, but the yellow bird was coming fast onto the straight right behind me, she moved inside, I moved inside and just as I did she came back hard left. I made a move to the left, but it was too little, too late, the yellow bird just squeezed between me and the guard rail about twenty yards from the stripe knocking me off the last step of the podium. I finished in P4 with a best lap of 1:33.780

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It might be because it was covered before, and it's not one of the most popular cars?
 
True, duh on my part. I don't know man. I, obviously, haven't been here long, but I do enjoy the Car of the Week threads, but I see where you're coming from too.
 
I say keep it going. I know I haven't been contributing lately, but every week I look forward to reading and seeing what everyone thinks of the car. Please keep it going 👍
 
1991 TVR V8S - Redux

A welcome return to a lesser used TVR; the previous visit to Blackpool was somewhat frenetic (but still good fun!) and I only did few laps in each. This time was an opportunity to delve a bit deeper. The convertible 'S' series TVRs were introduced in 1986 alongside the wedgey Tasmin and featured Ford's 2.8/2.9 V6, or more enticingly a 4.0 or 4.3L Rover V8. With a sub 5 Sec 0-60mph of the V8, TVR was setting out its stall as a true competitor of much more expensive supercars.


TVR_V8s_StoneWharf_4.jpg



To get re-aquainted I got out the 'Rosso Pearl' example used in the previous CotW: 248 BHP, 1050Kg, 453 pp. Luckily I'd got a wheel session so I took to Trial Mountain for the comparison lap. I found this car such a joy to drive: the low sound lulls you into false sense of security as the lazy V8 pushes you towards the next corner faster than you think. It corners nicely with a hint of understeer and the power is not so fierce that you are sawing at the steering wheel to counteract the back-end. It will of course play along if you stab the throttle and you can smoke your back tires at your leisure. The suspension is pretty soft which can lead some rear brake locking as the weight shifts but overall it is pretty nimble.

Oddly, when I was driving round Trial Mountain I got into some sort of trance - whether it was the soothing sound coming from the rear speakers or the easy going ride, I found I'd been day-dreaming around ten laps before waking up and pushing for a fast lap. My effort from previous CotW was 1:47.521 with DS3; I bettered that by over two seconds on this outing with 1:45.116 (on sports hard).


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I've gained a second V8s in Sunset Pearl, since the the last time, so I set about making a track car. I didn't note the parts, but I as far as I remember I did weight reduction stage 2 and windows; stage 1 on the engine, cpu, race air upgrades, sports exhaust; drivetrain; custom 'box and suspension, maybe diff'. I then added ballast (60Kg?) to bring the pp down to 500 and moved it to the rear to create some balance. I lowered and stiffened the suspension, added a bit of camber and went back to Trial Mountain.

As you might expect, this is a totally different beast from the stock ride. The staged engine tune gives a narrower but more fierce power band, and the extra revs can be used - an auto-tweak of gearing was good enough to accomodate this. My setup was pretty tight and after a bit of rear end softening it was plenty good enough to throw around the track:

V8S tuner 'track car' in 'Sunset Pearl': 339 BHP, 977Kg, 501pp (an extra pp popped up, and I couldn't be bothered to tweak it back) yielding a Trial Mountain time on SH of 1:42.306.


TVR_V8s_Tune_TrialMountain_3.jpg



I took the tuner to the Touge style Toscana track for a bit of lunacy. I don't know the track at all well so I got a much faster time with the DS3 using instant lock where I was caught out. Really good fun and beat my Cobra and tuned Mini times easily - not noted down, but it was around 4:15 compared to 4:22.


TVR_V8s_Tune_Toscana_4.jpg



I could be arsed to add some more ballast this time and got the pp below 500 to tackle the Aso FR seasonal again (same one as the Mustang Cobra and Lotus Carlton). It performed really well on the tricky course finishing second around 5 secs behind the all conquering Shelby Series One.


TVR_V8s_Tune_MtAso_1.jpg



Although we had a brief outing in this before, more driving time has shown me just how good this car is (and can be). Its design is fairly traditional but the looks grew on me and the GT5 driving experience is superb, if a bit more touring than track in stock form. I expect power monkeys overlook this in favour of some of its younger and crazier siblings, but miss out at your peril.


TVR_V8s_Tune_Toscana_1.jpg
 
krenkme
I say keep it going. I know I haven't been contributing lately, but every week I look forward to reading and seeing what everyone thinks of the car. Please keep it going 👍
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Same here, I haven't been able to add much lately, but I'd be sorry to see it go.
 
Glad to hear. I'll post the new week's car, and links to previous weeks, sometime tonight.
 
To put my two cents worth in, I say keep it going as well! I'd hate to see this idea fade away, it's one of the threads I look forward to reading on a weekly basis. Nice job BTW to keep it going this far...

Have a good one!
 
Baron Blitz Red
If you'd like, try this car in the A-Spec Expert Tuned Car Championship SSR5! What's your best time???
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Baron, wondered how you got with your SSR5 challenge? I couldn't get anywhere with the stock car :dunce:
 
Hey people! I've been having a good time with this race, even though I've been struggling to get consistant P1 finishes. Lately, it's either P1 or P2, with the worst being P3. My personal arch-nemesis of this challenge has to be the S2000 GT1 Turbo.

So here's my TVR V8S '91 numbers...

After bolt-on upgrades and an oil change my numbers are 313hp/6100rpm with 317ft-lb/3600rpm with the weight left alone at 1050kg. Here's the list of my installed parts...

ECU Tuning
Sports Intake Manifold
Racing Air Filter
Sports Exhaust Manifold
Catalytic Converter: Sports
Titanium Racing Exhaust
Fully Customizable Transmission
Clutch: Twin-Plate
Flywheel: Semi-Racing
Adjustable LSD
Carbon Drive Shaft
Fully Customizable Suspension
Racing Soft Tires (my one cheat I allow myself for this race)

For Suspension, LSD and Brake settings I used Praiano's numbers from his tune for the car with Transmission set to 270kph. https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?p=6350345#post6350345

My last attempt I had a P1 finish with a 7:48.325 time for the 5 laps with a best lap of 1:31.343.

Have a good one
 
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The Baron's TVR V8S challenge - Tuned cars at SSR5

I Firstly tried the stock car but you are up against powerful opposition here and many of the cars have downforce. It took me two restarts to realise they are on Racing Hard tyres here - I still had Sports Hard :dunce:

Almost as soon as I'd crossed the line on the rolling start a Nismo 400R flew by; but into the tunnel (now with Race Hards) I could brake late, cut inside and hug the barrier to put a few car lengths between us. Most of the AI bounce off the wall after the fast left-right and are slow at the next right-hander. I made time through this section, out-braked at the hairpin and got inside to gain a place - P6.

The softly sprung TVR allowed me to ride two wheels over the curbs into the underpass section and gain a little time. However the superior power of the opposition meant they were (literally) nudging me as I hit the tight chicane under the lit-up trees.

Nissan 'Z' breaths down my neck
TVR_stock_race_SSR5_1.jpg



With the fairly low power I could hit the gas early out onto the overpass...it is all for naught, however, as the much more powerful AI breeze past on the long straight. Down to 10th place then, I regained a couple of places in the tunnelin the tunnel on lap 2 but as soon as we hit the start-finish straight they left me behind, and by the end of lap 3 the cause was hopeless. Distant P12 finish, best lap 1:38.6.

Holding them off...for now
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On to the tuner V8S: 339 BHP, 977Kg, 501pp

A different line up for this - awash with Rufs like MustangManiac's race. After the rolling start a CTR2 closed fast, but I could keep him at bay this time with a feint to the left and then a cut back to the inside of the tunnel entrance. The tuned TVR is much tighter and has the grunt to nip at the P6 AI's heels through the twisty sections, but they inevitably left me behind on the overpass.

Frustrated Rufs
TVR_tune_race_SSR5_4.jpg



I must have followed a similar pattern to MustangManiac with the RUFs, as I held up the CTR2 into lap 2, the Yellowbird howled past into the tunnel but lost the back end. I almost T-boned him as he went sideways, but avoided the collision and regained my place.

You might be laughing now, Yellowbird...
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In the following laps I could make a bit of progress in the twisties but would drop back on the straight, however the Rufs always lost it in the tunnel and I'd left them behind by lap 4. I made P3 at the hairpin past a Nismo Skyline on the final lap and got far enough ahead to make it to the line. Just - on the straight they were all over me like cheap suit. P3, best lap 1:34.078. The S2000 GT1 Turbo was waaay ahead in first place, with a third Ruf in P2.

It was a pretty 'physical' race, with a fair bit of door rubbing and a couple of clips of the wall or barrier, only once did I really bounce off a Carbon R after misjudging the AI braking.

Battle scarred and just holding P3 across the line
TVR_tune_race_SSR5_2.jpg



Never say die! I went back with the stock car and I got a more favourable line-up with several Rufs. As they always get it wrong into the first tunnel, it gave me a chance to keep up. P11, best lap 1:37.5


A quick note on brake balance: I was using no ABS and 4/2 to start with but the stock car would lock the rears in a couple of places sending me sideways. Most notably this happened at the tight hairpin as I hit the cobbles. I changed to 4/1 and it seemed happier. The tuned V8s was good with 5/2 - I guess the firmer suspension and dropping decel. on the custom diff' helped.

Good challenge 👍
 
Glad to hear you liked the challenge... This one's not for the faint of heart as it is difficult! But, with a good start, some skill and a helping hand from Lady Luck concerning the starting grid, it is possible. My trick is to stay on the outside of the tunnel on the first lap, and then you can outdrive the AI depending on the car ahead of you... :nervous: Not by any standard a sure win!

One thing I will confess to is that this is the one track out of the series I have the best luck and results on with this TVR. In some of the other races, the AI left their footprints all over the back side of my racing suit. ;) For some reason, I can really push this car on this track, and thought others might have fun with it as well.

Have a good one
 
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