/CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS - The Mclaren P1 (28 minutes of awesomness)
- Thread starter Mook
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lol
If someone had said that a youtube review could be better than a Top Gear production a few years ago I would have laughed. But Chris Harris, Matt Farah, and Mike Musto do some very nice reviews on the /Drive network.
Chris Harris is the most talented out of the three I think, and his reviews are good.
Chris's thoughts on an e diff vs. LSD was interesting:
Originally Posted by Chris Harris on Pistonheads
I'm the biggest critic of these electronic non-differentials. I think the 12C suffered for not having a mechanical LSD, and even though I do buy all of the engineering arguments that see then as a malign influence in the search for optimum road behaviour, I think modern power outputs require them (and I like doing skids)
The P1's system is the first I've driven that actually works. When you see the video next week, you'll see. The response from the rear axle under power feels like there is a mechanical locking diff. It's uncanny. But I just judge these things on confidence - in a 12C, even in its latest brake-steer calibration ( and late cars are much different to early ones) you never quite know if one or both wheels will spin-up. In the P1, it's always both.
Sounds terrible, but you need to feel it from the cabin to see how it works. For me it was the big question mark over the car's specification, having driven it, it's a compete non-argument.
The perfect suspension system for a RWD car would have no locking rear diff. It corrupts pretty much everything: it effectively adds spring rate under load, it causes understeer,it harms height speed stability in a straight line, and in the case of a plate-type diff it can cause havoc as/when/how it loads and unloads.
But with today's massive power outputs, cars are traction limited and tend to run such stiff springs that the LSD effect is less pronounced because the chassis is already so compromised for road use. And on a practical level, not fitting one to your new super sports car precludes big, controllable slides for the media push. Ask McLaren about that one.
The holy grail I suppose is a constantly variable locking diff that gives 100percent when you need it (post apex) and zero when you don't (braking and turn-in) (the SLS Black has the best one of these I've tried, but BMW M do a good job too)
I don't like stuff with heaps of power/torque and an open diff. It spoils the fun - ergo, I'd sacrifice some Lotus-like compliance to feel that LSD connection between my right foot and the rear axle. This is where those early 12C's struggled. And hence my genuine sense of alarm when I asked C.Goodwin if the car ran an open diff and he smiled and said 'Yes, but drive it before you start shouting at me'.
I'm probably stirring a hornet's nest here, and people with greater knowledge/experience will flame me down, but that's a brief summary of how I view the subject.
Mechanical locking diffs are like a good cigarette: destructive, probably non-justifiable. But in the right circumstances they're perfect and easily justified.
To extent the metaphor: The P1 is the first e-cigarette that could persuade a hardened Marlboro red puffer to go electronic.
Originally Posted by Chris Harris on Pistonheads
I'm the biggest critic of these electronic non-differentials. I think the 12C suffered for not having a mechanical LSD, and even though I do buy all of the engineering arguments that see then as a malign influence in the search for optimum road behaviour, I think modern power outputs require them (and I like doing skids)
The P1's system is the first I've driven that actually works. When you see the video next week, you'll see. The response from the rear axle under power feels like there is a mechanical locking diff. It's uncanny. But I just judge these things on confidence - in a 12C, even in its latest brake-steer calibration ( and late cars are much different to early ones) you never quite know if one or both wheels will spin-up. In the P1, it's always both.
Sounds terrible, but you need to feel it from the cabin to see how it works. For me it was the big question mark over the car's specification, having driven it, it's a compete non-argument.
The perfect suspension system for a RWD car would have no locking rear diff. It corrupts pretty much everything: it effectively adds spring rate under load, it causes understeer,it harms height speed stability in a straight line, and in the case of a plate-type diff it can cause havoc as/when/how it loads and unloads.
But with today's massive power outputs, cars are traction limited and tend to run such stiff springs that the LSD effect is less pronounced because the chassis is already so compromised for road use. And on a practical level, not fitting one to your new super sports car precludes big, controllable slides for the media push. Ask McLaren about that one.
The holy grail I suppose is a constantly variable locking diff that gives 100percent when you need it (post apex) and zero when you don't (braking and turn-in) (the SLS Black has the best one of these I've tried, but BMW M do a good job too)
I don't like stuff with heaps of power/torque and an open diff. It spoils the fun - ergo, I'd sacrifice some Lotus-like compliance to feel that LSD connection between my right foot and the rear axle. This is where those early 12C's struggled. And hence my genuine sense of alarm when I asked C.Goodwin if the car ran an open diff and he smiled and said 'Yes, but drive it before you start shouting at me'.
I'm probably stirring a hornet's nest here, and people with greater knowledge/experience will flame me down, but that's a brief summary of how I view the subject.
Mechanical locking diffs are like a good cigarette: destructive, probably non-justifiable. But in the right circumstances they're perfect and easily justified.
To extent the metaphor: The P1 is the first e-cigarette that could persuade a hardened Marlboro red puffer to go electronic.
The Top Gear segment of the P1 was OK, but this was much better. I am hoping, like Clarkson says he's going to, that they wring it out more on their test track with the 918 and maybe do some more shots. After hearing what Chris Harris has said about the P1, I have a hard time believing the 918 can even touch the performance of the P1. Both cars are both technical magnificence, I am hoping The Ferrari The Ferrari can play in their league too, and it can from the sounds of it...
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