Zonda 7.3 vs Ford GT vs S7

  • Thread starter Mr. Boy
  • 34 comments
  • 8,162 views

Which is your favourite?

  • Pagani Zonda C12S 7.3

    Votes: 57 48.7%

  • Ford GT

    Votes: 37 31.6%

  • Saleen S7

    Votes: 16 13.7%

  • Dunno

    Votes: 7 6.0%
  • Total voters
    117
Mr. Boy

Mr. Boy

676
ham_vet001
Hi. This is my first race report but it isn't a race, but a comparison test between 3 supercars: the Pagani Zonda C12S 7.3, the Ford GT and the Saleen S7. Right now it isn't finished, but it should be done by thursday, if not tomorrow.

Criteria for testing:
Track: Nurburgring Nordschleife
Ah yes. The Green Hell. The one track that separates the men from the boys. By far my favourite track in GT4.

Assists used: No
The hell with assists! :yuck: They're necessary in real life for people who can't drive, but GT4 is just a videogame, so there is no risk of getting killed. :) They restrict the performance of the car and its more fun to drive without them.

Tires: N2
Otherwise known as standard:comfort tires. These days I use standard tires on all my cars when I drive them. Even with race cars :scared: . They give the driver a better idea of the real-life dynamics of the car than sports or racing tires. A lot more fun to drive with as well.

Oil Change: Yes
I always give my cars an oil change when I get them brand new, since it gives the car extra horsepower. The extra power wears off after a while, though.

Modifications: No
Besides the oil change and adjusting of the S7's default semi-racing suspension, there were no additional mods made.

Controller: DualShock 2

So, let's get on with it!


The Test
Looks
The Zonda does look pretty nice, but its still the ugliest of the bunch. I like the nose, and the fighter-jet glasshouse is cool, but the back end looks somewhat crazy with the two winglets on top and the weird-looking splitter underneath.

The Ford GT's styling isn't original, since it borrows heavily from the old GT40, but I don't mind. A very beautiful car. It comes in second.

In first place comes the Saleen. Very nice indeed! Its sleek and sexy, but brawny and muscular at the same time. Definitely looks like a car to impress the girls with :sly: .

Noise
Last place definitely goes to the S7. I like the noise itself, but its taken straight from the Viper GTS-R Team Oreca race car. It can't sound like that in real life! 👎

The Ford GT comes in second. It sounds a lot like a proper american V8, but its strange how it sounds almost exactly like my mom's 2000 year old vacuum cleaner! :dopey: (However, it sounds much better with a racing muffler.)

The Zonda is the best sounding of the 3, since its what I would expect from a car like this. I'm kinda bored of it though.

Handling
The Zonda comes in last, but it delivers a very exciting drive! Its perfectly balanced when you get it right, but feels rather twitchy at the limit. A beginner would be overwhelmed by its edginess. I managed a 7'31.5, but it can do better.

Once again, the Ford GT is in second. Its grippy and stable, but can get loose if you're not careful. Exciting to drive but more stable than the Zonda. Its the fastest on the ring, pulling off a 7'30.9.

The S7 is the best handling car of the group. It feels very balanced and stable in cornering. It isn't that much of a white-knuckle experience though.
Its also the slowest on the ring. It only managed a 7'40.

Split times on the Nurburgring
Ford GT
47.118
1'23.091
1'52.551
2'46.998
3'26.939
3'54.349
4'48.427
5'35.108
5'59.087
6'45.526
7'06.637
7'30.959

Zonda
47.913
1'23.784
1'53.408
2'48.172
3'28.329
3'55.890
4'49.575
5'36.080
5'59.476
6'45.522
7'06.625
7'31.532

S7
49.578
1'26.836
1'56.600
2'52.597
3'33.116
4'00.832
4'56.973
5'44.516
6'08.032
6'54.963
7'16.089
7'40'349

Stats (NB: All cars have mid-engine, rear-wheel drive)
Ford GT
5.4L Supercharged V8
Power: 578HP@6500rpm
Torque: 525.47lb.ft@@3750rpm
Dimensions(length*width*height): 4.6m*1.9m*1.1m
Weight: 1451kg
Price:149,880 cr.
1/4 mile: 12.204s
Top Speed:221.49 mph

Zonda
7.3L NA (Naturally aspirated) V12
576HP@5900rpm
580.95lb.ft@4050rpm
4.4m*2.0m*1.1m
1250kg
631,680 cr.
1/4 mile: 12.473s
Top Speed: 214.18mph

Saleen S7
7.0L NA V8
578HP@6400RPM
553.32lb.ft@4000rpm
4.8m*1.99m*1.0m
1250kg
419,130 cr.
1/4 mile: 13.767s
Top Speed: 221.08 mph

The Verdict
To decide the winner, I will award points to each car from 1 to 10 for each of the following criteria: Looks, Noise, Handling, Excitement, Speed (around the Nurburgring) and Price.

Ford GT
Looks: 9
Noise: 7
Handling: 9
Excitement: 8
Speed: 10
Price: 10
TOTAL: 53

Zonda
Looks: 8
Noise: 8
Handling: 8
Excitement: 10
Speed: 9
Price: 7
TOTAL: 50

S7
Looks: 10
Noise: 6
Handling: 10
Excitement: 7
Speed: 8
Price: 8
TOTAL: 49

Looks like the clear winner here is the FORD GT! :bowdown: :bowdown:
 
In my opinion, the Saleen S7 is vulgar and pretentious. It looks ugly and like it's made of plastic, and it boasts of being able to handle like a European sports car, and on this front it falls flat on its face. It has terrible understeer, whereas something like the Pagani only has a little bit, if any.

The Ford also suffers problems of understeer, though its handling is much more like a European car's. However, I think the Pagani looks the best, just because it looks so weird.

Oh well, different people with different opinions I suppose
 
Great write-up! 👍
One question though. You said that you used the Ford GT, and I'm assuming it was the '05. But what version of the '05 did you use? The one you buy (with stripes) or the one you win (the solid color one)?
 
Nice idea. I think I'd find it tough to pick a winner between the Zonda and GT. Maybe I will give them all a go at the 'Ring and post my times and verdicts and see how they compare to yours... :)
 

This compatiton is pretty good....the only thing is the no aids things and also the N2 tires. The results as for the track time isn't on the dot.....but other then that, this thread pretty on point..... Ford GT really a good car but I'm just a fan of the Zonda 7.3. As for the Saleen 7, I don't own one yet but I'm thinkin about buyin it. One of the good things about the S7 is the body of the car is really made for wide, as the wide goes right through the body of the car....

Good thread.......
 
I don't get it. :confused:

Are you judging these cars as if this were real life or are you judging the cars in the game?

You knock the Saleen's sound because it sounds like an Oreca Viper and then say it can't sound like that in real life and give it a "👎" because of that.

Seems kinda odd to me. :indiff:

The report is a great idea though.

Of course, I totally disagree with the idea of putting N2 tires on any of these cars but that's just how it works... Some of us agree and some of us don't. :D

Overall though, an interesting idea.

I actually planned to do something very similar only with many more cars and S3 tires (cause I don't kid myself about being realistic :lol: ).

Just remember, N2 tires are only realistic until someone becomes fast enough for N1 tires to be the most accurate and eventually those will be in-accurate if we just become fast enough. ;)

Still, a great idea and a great effort to back it. 👍
(even if I disagree with a few of the minor points)
 
Nice work Mr. Boy!

But Id have the Zonda.
I agree with you on the noise but i think the Saleen looks best then Zonda and then the GT. And maybe its just me but i think the Saleen has the worst handling of all. My Saleen has too much understeer. I think the Zonda has the best handling tho. Did you judge the handling with aids on because maybe the ASM improved the Saleens handling. I drive all my road cars with no aids.

Great race report though:tup:
 
Its the Zonda for me hands down.

Granted i do love the S7 and its looks but the Zonda for simply being a gorgeous Italian car.

IRL exactly the same!
 

This compatiton is pretty good....the only thing is the no aids things and also the N2 tires. The results as for the track time isn't on the dot.....but other then that, this thread pretty on point..... Ford GT really a good car but I'm just a fan of the Zonda 7.3. As for the Saleen 7, I don't own one yet but I'm thinkin about buyin it. One of the good things about the S7 is the body of the car is really made for wide, as the wide goes right through the body of the car....

Good thread.......
 
Lloyd87
in the real life, the saleen s7 2005 would be much much faster....

in the game, it's better the ford gt
Click to expand...
Yeah, but this is the '02 Saleen S7. It's down 200 BHP or 450 BHP to the '05 version, depending on how you specced it out. And the 'Ring isn't exactly the best place to test a car that its as wide as the S7 is.
 
Toronado
Yeah, but this is the '02 Saleen S7. It's down 200 BHP or 450 BHP to the '05 version, depending on how you specced it out. And the 'Ring isn't exactly the best place to test a car that its as wide as the S7 is.
Click to expand...

Toronado is correct. The new Saleen S7 is the Twin Turbo at 750hp, which is 150hp more than the newest Zonda, the Zonda F.


The 2005 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo as seen at the recent Tokyo Motor Show.
 
I'd have Ford GT over S7. it looks better, and it's supercharger configuration fits that big, snarling V8 better than turbochargers..
 
That's great and all, but there's no way the Ford GT weighs 1451kg. That translats to 3224lbs. IRL the Ford GT weighs closer to 3600lbs. If you lightened it, then how fair is that? If that's how it comes in GT4 "stock" then forget comparing any times you get with that thing on ANY track, it will be off BIG time.

As far as the Ford GT's (non-race spec) handling in the game, I thought it was a monsterous pig. Every time there's a slight bump or dip in the road it wants to wag it's tale and rotate, and there's little you can do to stop it when that happens.

The S7 on the other hand feels nice and planted. Plus it has the added benifit of a slippery shape to the Ford GT's "flying brick". :yuck:

The Zonda I wouldn't even dream of having. Being Italian it would probably break down as soon as you turn the ignition to "ON" IRL.
 
This was a difficult choice. In the end I chose the Ford GT over the Zonda because you can add a wing to the GT. I can't tell you how badly I wish I could adjust the downforce on the Zonda. Also, even though I like both cars a lot, I find the Ford GT is by far the more challenging to drive, and as I drive GT4 more and more, I also find I enjoy the more challenging cars more and more for the added satisfaction you get when you've done it correctly.

The Saleen was never an option for me, I don't like understeer and think the Saleen handles like complete crap. Other people love it though, so that's just my personal preference. I also think the styling on the Saleen is way overdone and just plain ugly, but then again I like the Yellowbird and lots of people think they look funny, so there isn't any way to account for personal taste.
 
On sheer looks I prefer the Saleen I think, but I love the Zonda as well. Both are amazing in their own ways. We've seen in the WRS that the Zonda is much faster than the Saleen, and I'd be willing to bet it's faster than the Ford GT for me as well. All in all, if I had to choose a car to race in real life, or in the game, I think I'd choose the Zonda.
 
Kent
I don't get it.:confused:

Are you judging these cars as if this were real life or are you judging the cars in the game?

You knock the Saleen's sound because it sounds like an Oreca Viper and then say it can't sound like that in real life and give it a "👎 " because of that.

Seems kinda odd to me.:indiff:

The report is a great idea though.

Of course, I totally disagree with the idea of putting N2 tires on any of these cars but that's just how it works... Some of us agree and some of us don't.:D

Overall though, an interesting idea.

I actually planned to do something very similar only with many more cars and S3 tires (cause I don't kid myself about being realistic:lol: ).

Just remember, N2 tires are only realistic until someone becomes fast enough for N1 tires to be the most accurate and eventually those will be in-accurate if we just become fast enough.;)

Still, a great idea and a great effort to back it.👍
(even if I disagree with a few of the minor points)
Click to expand...

I'm judging the cars in the game. And I see your point on N2 tires. I know that a game could never be just as realistic as real life (for instance you're not in the car, and there's no chance of getting killed if you crash), but I still have more fun driving with standard tires (I never race with those, though).

Thanks for the replies, everybody.:)
 
Since he GT-40 was my favorite Race Car in GT3. I have to go with the GT on this one for looks and noise too. Nothing like a supercharged big block!!
 
the saleen s7 all the way 👍 mmm speedlab yellow
followed by the zonda
i hate the gt's handling, if you were talking about the race version...
well thats a different story
 
speedy_samurai
Toronado is correct. The new Saleen S7 is the Twin Turbo at 750hp, which is 150hp more than the newest Zonda, the Zonda F.


The 2005 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo as seen at the recent Tokyo Motor Show.
Click to expand...

is that car entering a le mans 24hr race in real life?
 
I'm planning on doing two other race reports. One will be about the best race I've ever had in GT4, the other will be called "Mr. Boy vs the Yellowbird", where I try to do a decent lap on the Nurburgring with the Ruf CTR.
 
I think the Zonda looks the best, and better handling than the other two, with minimal understeer. I don't think it's too twitchy to handle, it's a fine balance between twitchy and crap handling. And these supercars should get N3s, not N2s, those are for lesser cars.
 
With no support for that statement, it's as good as stating the smaller than your hand since you can block the view of the sun with your hand. People these days.
 

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