Fully agree, The cruze (still got it) an astra in drag, is mercifully slow, and avoids adding points to my licence.

I think I would stuggle with a fast car.

It might be interesting for those who think their cars have good grip to disable the traction/stability/antiskid their reasonably fast car has, and then drive it how they do normally, in the wet especially.

Not suggesting anyone should do this, but disabling the ABS would soon bring some back to earth sharpish, might even reduce tailgating and leaving wet braking to the very last second.

My old MB has no driver aids other than ABS, its probably about the same performance as Jamie's Jag, lighter but older with slightly larger engine and similar power figures.

A couple of days after we first bought it i hit kickdown in the wet at about 60, the rear tyres both spun straight up and the back end stepped smartly out of line, quite shocking when it happened, didn't really expect it at that speed from something that hardly qualifies as high performance, the same car came (on special order) with a 400cc increase to 3.6 and, in saloon form only, with a 5 litre V8 running about 40% more power...oddly enough the 500's were built by Porshe for MB, but they did come with ASR.

Anyway, it was at the time shod on as new Firestones, which came off as soon as i could get proper replacements delivered.

Funny thing is, i don't actually want any driver aids on my cars, i hate the feeling of ''nothing can go wrong no matter how badly you drive'' that modern traction systems provide, it leads to complacency, a lack of respect for the vehicle's performance and to drive faster than one can control by their own skills, i enjoy controlling my own vehicles and they get driven with due respect.

Edited by gordonbennet on 15/05/2014 at 07:26

I get the same after driving my wife's 1.2 Corsa, which has a godawful throttle response. The mapping seems to be designed for first-time learner drivers, you have to use the throttle pedal as if you've stamping on a large cockroach to get any response.

So getting back into the Volvo which has twice as much horsepower, three times the torque and a sensitive throttle pedal makes it feel like I've had it remapped, until I recalibrate my right foot anyway :-)

Small-engined cars don't have to FEEL sluggish though. Our old mark 1 Punto 55 felt very lively despite the low bhp - a combination of short gearing and engine mapping which favoured the first half of the throttle's travel.

Does anyone here 'struggle' with a fast car?

I think it would depend what the car is.

My Forester feels like it could handle twice the amount of power being four wheel drive (even if the standard suspension wouldn't).

My old rear wheel drive cars (Opel Monza, SD1 V8) without any driver aids could be treacherous in the wet, but it taught me the limits and how to handle them.

I struggled with those, but it was my own fault because I purposely induced it :)

I still think you have to be careful with modern powerful rear wheel drive cars even with traction control because there are always times when it will be overcome and driver experience will count here.

There are many threads on the Pistonheads forum where people want to 'downsize' to a smaller less powerful car, because they have just as much fun trying to drive a low powered car fast, and remaining legal in the process.

I for one and probably most bdrivers adopt their driving style to the carb they drive.

With my Wife's 1.3 diesel, I tend to anticipate more. For example when approaching a corner and wanting to overtake the car in front, I initially back off and then start accelerating as the corner approaches and then boot it as you come out of the corner, you then have the momentum to overtake assuming the road is clear. If not, just back off again.

There is less need to adopt this style with my 2.0 petrol turbo because you can overtake safely on even short straights because you know that you have time to complete the procedure well before anything coming round the bend ahead will appear.

It is this manouvre that is contraversial because drivers who have not experienced this power, will see this as aggressive and dangerous.

" I'm not sure I'd call the S-Type 'fun.' Fun might not be the right word."

It depends on your idea of 'fun'. If you enjoy wafting along in a relaxed manner, as I do and I think Jamie does, then why not call it fun? If you prefer extracting the last ounce of power and handling on a twisty B-road, then, say, a Lotus or an MX-5 will be fun.

Personally, although I'm no boy-racer, I like an engine that can enable you to do both, as the VAG TSI 2-litre does in my car. The BMW straight-six is another example.

Interesting thread - thanks for starting it, Jamie.

Edited by Avant on 17/05/2014 at 10:45