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*******FF CAR COMPARISON*******
There seems to be quite alot of controversy concerning what is the best FF car. In this comparison, I have endeavoured to answer this question as best I can. Everyone can take from these numbers what they want. Obviously, some cars
are better suited to certain individuals than others. My only concern was to get some hard numbers on the various FF cars offered in GT3 using a set of rules and a controlled environment.
*Rules: All of the cars in this test are FF (Front engine/Frontwheel Drive). They are also all available as purchasable cars (no prize cars or race carswere eligible). All of the cars are completely unmodified. They were purchased and raced as is. The horsepower (hp) figures come directly from the dealership claims as do MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price). Each car was given 4 laps around Cote d' Azure and the best laptime recorded. Standard race rules were adhered to during all runs (2 wheels on track at all times/No wall riding). The data presented is as accurate as possible.
Impressions:
I came into this test a little apprehensive about the test subjects. FF cars, most of which were in the 180-200hp range? B-o-r-i-n-g!! Just look at the scintillating cars listed here: Toyota Vitz? Plymouth PT Cruiser? Volkswagen Beetle? These are NOT the cars that dreams are made of, to be sure. It was a dirty job,
but someone's gotta do it. I picked Cote d' Azure because of it's tight, handling-friendly layout. For the most part, the cars lived down to my expectations. Quite simply, they are all pretty slow. A few mods go a long way, but this comparison is just about the stock package. I've broken the cars down into three groups: "slow","really slow", and "just walk for god's sake!"
*Just walk for God's sake!!*
Driving the slowest of these cars around a challenging course such as Cote d' Azure is akin to yanking out your own teeth whilst slamming your head into a brick wall! The Beetle is simply unbearable. It is slow on so many levels I can not possibly begin to name them all. I actually expected the Vitz to be slower
than it was. Not that the Vitz is quick in any regard, but finishing just 9 seconds slower than the fastest car here certainly was a surprise. The Peugeot was very boring and the PT Cruiser had me re-evaluating the merit of this whole friggin test!
Lastly, the Del Sol was the sports car of this group (meaning that it was only slightly less infuriating to drive than the rest of these vehicles). It handled well but a little red wagon will handle well if it only has 167 hp! In short, I would not recommend
any of the above mentioned cars to anyone seriously wishing to win races. They would all have to be seriously tuned to even be reasonable.
*Really Slow*
The next group of dazzling performers starts with the Alfa. It was a classic under-achiever, finishing slower than two cars with LESS hp! I'm sure that if you were to build a car out of swiss cheese and legos, it would handle better than the Alfa! The Honda Civic Type R was the first car in this test to actually please me somewhat. It handles very well and the engine revs relatively quickly due to its short gearing. The fact that it finished just two secs slower than a car with 100 more hp says alot.
The Fiat was peculiar, I must say. It reminded me of sailing a listing yacht in the open seas. I thought the thing would surely capsize at any moment! The car has good power and a willing engine, but needs a serious suspension overhaul (namely stiff anti-roll bars) to be at all competitive. The fastest car of this group was the Celica SS-II. It did everything fairly well but was just severely underpowered. Still, it is a car worthy of upgrades and would make a good tuner car.
*Slow*
The top five of this group would easily be the bottom five of any other group of cars in GT3! That is not to say that they are bad cars. I merely mean that the performance of the FF cars in GT3 is underwhelming at best. Starting with the FTO, the first thing you'll notice is how absurdly tall the gear ratios are. Given more reasonably spaced ratios, this car may well have finished first. It handles well and the engine makes good power. Next up is
the ACURA Integra Type R. I included both versions of the Integra to see which is faster and the data is undeniable. The Acura is simply not the sports car that the Honda is. It feels slower and heavier than its twin with none of the cat-like reflexes displayed by the Japanese version. There is simply no reason to ever choose the Acura Integra over the Honda Integra in this game. The 3.2CL was seriously disappointing to me. THis is the
most powerful FF car available in the game in stock form, yet horrible gearing nullifies any hp advantage it may have. I found myself downshifting to 1st way too much around the tight corners of Cote d' Azure and found it nearly impossible to keep the engine in its powerband. It is a good car that would be great with a better tranny. The Euro edition of the Honda Accord is very racy indeed (well, when compared to the other cars here).
It features very quick steering and a fairly powerful engine. The Accord sticks to the tarmac well and limits typical FF understeer tremendously. If it were a bit lighter, it would undoubtedly
have gotten first. Finally, the class of the group was the HONDA Integra Type R. It simply whipped the competition in every way on the racetrack (the acceleration tests were a diffrent story). Everything about this car works well. It handles exceptionally
for a FF car. The understeer is still there but the balance is first class and the engine is spectacular. The gear ratios are perfectly mated to the engine ensuring that the driver will stay in the powerband at all times. It is unquestionably the best FF car available in GT3 out of the box. A simple tire upgrade and engine tweaking will have you winning all of the beginner League races (that it is eligible for). I highly recommend it!
In conclusion, I would not suggest that any of you try such a comparison again. It was maddening driving most of these cars up the long hill after turn 1 of Cote (I think I had time to go get a cup of coffee and read the sports pages before the Beetle made it to the top!!) and only a massachist would volunteer for such an assignment! In short, make what you will from the data below and choose the FF car you feel is best for you. I hope this is helpful in picking your front drive weapon of choice.
* This comparo is dedicated to Ving and his undying devotion to all things Fiat!!!
Cote d' Azur Lap times:
1.) Honda Integra Type R (197hp) - 1'56.898
2.) Honda Accord Euro R (216hp) - 1'58.361
3.) Acura 3.2CL Type S (260hp) - 1'58.621
4.) Acura Integra Type R (197hp) - 1'58.661
5.) Mitsubishi FTO GP-R(197hp) - 1'59.079
6.) Toyota Celica SS-II (187hp) - 2'00.450
7.) Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus (219hp) - 2'00.462
8.) Honda Civic Type R (182hp) - 2'00.609
9.) Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 (190hp) - 2'01.857
10.) Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR (167hp) - 2'02.222
11.) Chrysler PT Cruiser (149hp) - 2'03.595
12.) Peugeot 206 S16 (138hp) -2'03.928
13.) Toyota Vitz RS 1.5 (108hp - 2'05.893
14.) Volkswagen Beetle 2.0 (115hp) - 2'08.529
0-60 mph times:
1.) Acura 3.2CL Type S - 7.000
2.) Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus - 7.400
3.) Honda Integra Type R - 8.100
4.) Honda Accord Euro R - 8.283
5.) Honda Civic Type R - 8.333
6.) Mitsubishi FTO GP-R - 8.350
7.) Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 - 8.366
8.) Acura Integra Type R - 8.600
9.) Toyota Celica SS-II - 8.750
10.) Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR - 8.783
11.) Chrysler PT Cruiser - 9.183
12.) Peugeot 206 S16 - 9.916
13.) Toyota Vitz RS 1.5 - 10.733
14.) Volkswagen Beetle 2.0 - 11.266
1/4 mile times:
1.) Acura 3.2CL Type S - 15.347 @ 93mph
2.) Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus - 15.915 @ 92mph
3.) Honda Integra Type R - 16.143 @ 89mph
4.) Honda Accord Euro R - 16.272 @ 88mph
5.) Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 - 16.410 @ 87mph
6.) Mitsubishi FTO GP-R - 16.513 @ 90mph
7.) Acura Integra Type R - 16.564 @ 86mph
8.) Toyota Celica SS-II - 16.691 @ 87mph
9.) Honda Civic Type R - 16.697 @ 87mph
10.) Chrysler PT Cruiser - 17.009 @ 82mph
11.) Honda CR-X Del Sol - 17.015 @ 85mph
12.) Toyota Vitz RS 1.5 - 17.956 @ 76mph
13.) Peugeot 206 S16 - 17.996 @ 81mph
14.) Volkswagen Beetle 2.0 - 18.258 @ 76mph
-Honda
CR-X Del Sol SiR - $18,730*
Civic Type R - $19,980
Integra Type R - $25,160
Accord Euro R - $25,330
-Mitsubishi
FTO GP-R - $21,600
-Toyota
Vitz RS 1.5 - $14,530
Celica SS-II - $19,700
-Acura
Integra Type R - $27,480
3.2CL Type S - $34,230
-Chrysler
PT Cruiser - $17,980
-Peugeot
206 S16 - $23,360
-Alfa Romeo
156 2.5 V6 24V - $38,910
-Fiat
Coupe Turbo Plus - $21,030
-Volkswagen
Beetle 2.0 - $15,930
* $ denotes GT credit units
Top three recommended FF cars:
1.) Honda Integra Type R (stay away from Acura Integra)
2.) Honda Accord Euro R
3.) Mitsubishi FTO GP-R
There seems to be quite alot of controversy concerning what is the best FF car. In this comparison, I have endeavoured to answer this question as best I can. Everyone can take from these numbers what they want. Obviously, some cars
are better suited to certain individuals than others. My only concern was to get some hard numbers on the various FF cars offered in GT3 using a set of rules and a controlled environment.
*Rules: All of the cars in this test are FF (Front engine/Frontwheel Drive). They are also all available as purchasable cars (no prize cars or race carswere eligible). All of the cars are completely unmodified. They were purchased and raced as is. The horsepower (hp) figures come directly from the dealership claims as do MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price). Each car was given 4 laps around Cote d' Azure and the best laptime recorded. Standard race rules were adhered to during all runs (2 wheels on track at all times/No wall riding). The data presented is as accurate as possible.
Impressions:
I came into this test a little apprehensive about the test subjects. FF cars, most of which were in the 180-200hp range? B-o-r-i-n-g!! Just look at the scintillating cars listed here: Toyota Vitz? Plymouth PT Cruiser? Volkswagen Beetle? These are NOT the cars that dreams are made of, to be sure. It was a dirty job,
but someone's gotta do it. I picked Cote d' Azure because of it's tight, handling-friendly layout. For the most part, the cars lived down to my expectations. Quite simply, they are all pretty slow. A few mods go a long way, but this comparison is just about the stock package. I've broken the cars down into three groups: "slow","really slow", and "just walk for god's sake!"
*Just walk for God's sake!!*
Driving the slowest of these cars around a challenging course such as Cote d' Azure is akin to yanking out your own teeth whilst slamming your head into a brick wall! The Beetle is simply unbearable. It is slow on so many levels I can not possibly begin to name them all. I actually expected the Vitz to be slower
than it was. Not that the Vitz is quick in any regard, but finishing just 9 seconds slower than the fastest car here certainly was a surprise. The Peugeot was very boring and the PT Cruiser had me re-evaluating the merit of this whole friggin test!
Lastly, the Del Sol was the sports car of this group (meaning that it was only slightly less infuriating to drive than the rest of these vehicles). It handled well but a little red wagon will handle well if it only has 167 hp! In short, I would not recommend
any of the above mentioned cars to anyone seriously wishing to win races. They would all have to be seriously tuned to even be reasonable.
*Really Slow*
The next group of dazzling performers starts with the Alfa. It was a classic under-achiever, finishing slower than two cars with LESS hp! I'm sure that if you were to build a car out of swiss cheese and legos, it would handle better than the Alfa! The Honda Civic Type R was the first car in this test to actually please me somewhat. It handles very well and the engine revs relatively quickly due to its short gearing. The fact that it finished just two secs slower than a car with 100 more hp says alot.
The Fiat was peculiar, I must say. It reminded me of sailing a listing yacht in the open seas. I thought the thing would surely capsize at any moment! The car has good power and a willing engine, but needs a serious suspension overhaul (namely stiff anti-roll bars) to be at all competitive. The fastest car of this group was the Celica SS-II. It did everything fairly well but was just severely underpowered. Still, it is a car worthy of upgrades and would make a good tuner car.
*Slow*
The top five of this group would easily be the bottom five of any other group of cars in GT3! That is not to say that they are bad cars. I merely mean that the performance of the FF cars in GT3 is underwhelming at best. Starting with the FTO, the first thing you'll notice is how absurdly tall the gear ratios are. Given more reasonably spaced ratios, this car may well have finished first. It handles well and the engine makes good power. Next up is
the ACURA Integra Type R. I included both versions of the Integra to see which is faster and the data is undeniable. The Acura is simply not the sports car that the Honda is. It feels slower and heavier than its twin with none of the cat-like reflexes displayed by the Japanese version. There is simply no reason to ever choose the Acura Integra over the Honda Integra in this game. The 3.2CL was seriously disappointing to me. THis is the
most powerful FF car available in the game in stock form, yet horrible gearing nullifies any hp advantage it may have. I found myself downshifting to 1st way too much around the tight corners of Cote d' Azure and found it nearly impossible to keep the engine in its powerband. It is a good car that would be great with a better tranny. The Euro edition of the Honda Accord is very racy indeed (well, when compared to the other cars here).
It features very quick steering and a fairly powerful engine. The Accord sticks to the tarmac well and limits typical FF understeer tremendously. If it were a bit lighter, it would undoubtedly
have gotten first. Finally, the class of the group was the HONDA Integra Type R. It simply whipped the competition in every way on the racetrack (the acceleration tests were a diffrent story). Everything about this car works well. It handles exceptionally
for a FF car. The understeer is still there but the balance is first class and the engine is spectacular. The gear ratios are perfectly mated to the engine ensuring that the driver will stay in the powerband at all times. It is unquestionably the best FF car available in GT3 out of the box. A simple tire upgrade and engine tweaking will have you winning all of the beginner League races (that it is eligible for). I highly recommend it!
In conclusion, I would not suggest that any of you try such a comparison again. It was maddening driving most of these cars up the long hill after turn 1 of Cote (I think I had time to go get a cup of coffee and read the sports pages before the Beetle made it to the top!!) and only a massachist would volunteer for such an assignment! In short, make what you will from the data below and choose the FF car you feel is best for you. I hope this is helpful in picking your front drive weapon of choice.
* This comparo is dedicated to Ving and his undying devotion to all things Fiat!!!
Cote d' Azur Lap times:
1.) Honda Integra Type R (197hp) - 1'56.898
2.) Honda Accord Euro R (216hp) - 1'58.361
3.) Acura 3.2CL Type S (260hp) - 1'58.621
4.) Acura Integra Type R (197hp) - 1'58.661
5.) Mitsubishi FTO GP-R(197hp) - 1'59.079
6.) Toyota Celica SS-II (187hp) - 2'00.450
7.) Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus (219hp) - 2'00.462
8.) Honda Civic Type R (182hp) - 2'00.609
9.) Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 (190hp) - 2'01.857
10.) Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR (167hp) - 2'02.222
11.) Chrysler PT Cruiser (149hp) - 2'03.595
12.) Peugeot 206 S16 (138hp) -2'03.928
13.) Toyota Vitz RS 1.5 (108hp - 2'05.893
14.) Volkswagen Beetle 2.0 (115hp) - 2'08.529
0-60 mph times:
1.) Acura 3.2CL Type S - 7.000
2.) Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus - 7.400
3.) Honda Integra Type R - 8.100
4.) Honda Accord Euro R - 8.283
5.) Honda Civic Type R - 8.333
6.) Mitsubishi FTO GP-R - 8.350
7.) Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 - 8.366
8.) Acura Integra Type R - 8.600
9.) Toyota Celica SS-II - 8.750
10.) Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR - 8.783
11.) Chrysler PT Cruiser - 9.183
12.) Peugeot 206 S16 - 9.916
13.) Toyota Vitz RS 1.5 - 10.733
14.) Volkswagen Beetle 2.0 - 11.266
1/4 mile times:
1.) Acura 3.2CL Type S - 15.347 @ 93mph
2.) Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus - 15.915 @ 92mph
3.) Honda Integra Type R - 16.143 @ 89mph
4.) Honda Accord Euro R - 16.272 @ 88mph
5.) Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 - 16.410 @ 87mph
6.) Mitsubishi FTO GP-R - 16.513 @ 90mph
7.) Acura Integra Type R - 16.564 @ 86mph
8.) Toyota Celica SS-II - 16.691 @ 87mph
9.) Honda Civic Type R - 16.697 @ 87mph
10.) Chrysler PT Cruiser - 17.009 @ 82mph
11.) Honda CR-X Del Sol - 17.015 @ 85mph
12.) Toyota Vitz RS 1.5 - 17.956 @ 76mph
13.) Peugeot 206 S16 - 17.996 @ 81mph
14.) Volkswagen Beetle 2.0 - 18.258 @ 76mph
-Honda
CR-X Del Sol SiR - $18,730*
Civic Type R - $19,980
Integra Type R - $25,160
Accord Euro R - $25,330
-Mitsubishi
FTO GP-R - $21,600
-Toyota
Vitz RS 1.5 - $14,530
Celica SS-II - $19,700
-Acura
Integra Type R - $27,480
3.2CL Type S - $34,230
-Chrysler
PT Cruiser - $17,980
-Peugeot
206 S16 - $23,360
-Alfa Romeo
156 2.5 V6 24V - $38,910
-Fiat
Coupe Turbo Plus - $21,030
-Volkswagen
Beetle 2.0 - $15,930
* $ denotes GT credit units
Top three recommended FF cars:
1.) Honda Integra Type R (stay away from Acura Integra)
2.) Honda Accord Euro R
3.) Mitsubishi FTO GP-R
and tha grand prix GTP. Awsome cars there.
