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Turning Circles - Paul Robinson
Does anyone know where there is a comprehensive database of 'Turning Circle' information? It seems to be the one figure that guides omit.
Turning Circles - Andrew-T
In the days of the Triumph Herald I seem to remember that makers used to boast about turning circle. Now it doesn't seem to be a way to score points, though quite a few manuals still quote them. Presumably when everyone went FWD the makers found it difficult to compete in that area. Does any car have an especially tight t.circle?
Turning Circles - Dave_TD
Volvo 740, London Taxi.
Turning Circles - Dizzy {P}
Same with noise levels. At one time, magazine road test reports carried the range of decibels picked up by a noise-meter but we never see this now.

Much more important to tell us how many cup-holders it has. Some idiot doing road test reports for a Sunday paper always gets excited about these!
Turning Circles - Dave_TD
And cD figures.

The 2001 Skoda Octavia estate has a coefficient of drag identical to that of the 1990 Vauxhall Calibra, y'know...
Turning Circles - DavidHM
You sure about that? cD on an 8v Calibra was .26, .28 or .29 for the 16v and above. That's pretty much unbeaten by anything except a 1.6 Passat or a new E Class, AFAIR. Wouldn't have thought that the 'Tavia could add aerodynamics to its many attributes.

On the other hand, my '89 R19 is as aerodynamic as a current Astra, and better than a Focus.
Turning Circles - IanT
Here's a surprising answer to Dizzy's comment about noise levels:

The noise levels of all new cars are listed in "New Car Fuel Consumption And Emission Figures" published by the Vehicle Certification Agency. I picked up a copy at my local Ford dealer.

Unfortunately, the noise is "External Noise" - how noisy the car sounds to pedestrians - not how noisy the car is from the driver's point of view.

There's an on-line version at www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search_form_basic.asp - but you have to specify "Choose Extra Information" = "Noise Levels" to see the results.

Ian
Turning Circles - Dizzy {P}
Thanks, Ian. I'll take a look at that, though it's in-car noise levels that I'd particularly like to know, as you intimated.

I'm a bit surprised at the term "External Noise". At Perkins we worked hard at reducing "Drive-by Noise" and I thought this was the official term. I think it is more self-explanatory.
Turning Circles - Dave N
Don't forget you have to multiply the cd by the frontal area of the car to determine how aerodynamic it is.
Turning Circles - IanT
Dizzy - "External Noise" was just what I called it to distinguish from internal noise. But the VCA uses the same phrase in:

"The external noise emitted by passenger cars has been controlled since 1929 when the Motor Cars (Excessive Noise) regulations were introduced. Since 1973 new cars have been required to meet Europe-wide noise limits. These have been progressively reduced from 82 decibels (dB(A)) in 1976 to the current limit of 74 dB(A). This means it would take 7 new vehicles to make the same amount of noise as a vehicle that just meets the pre-1976 limits.

When looking at the tables it should be noted that off-road vehicles are allowed to be 1dB(A) louder, as are direct injection diesels and these are cumulative i.e. the limit for a off-road vehicle with a direct injection diesel is 76 dB(A)."

Ian
Turning Circles - pd
All Autocar road tests have interior decibel readings at idel/30/50/70mph and max acceleration.

As a very general rule rear drive cars tend to have better turning circles than front drive ones. Volvos, even the front drive models, also tend to be pretty good.

Some of the best models are short, rear drive, sports cars,
Turning Circles - Chad.R
Some of the best models are short, rear drive, sports cars,


Especially if you do a "doughnut". :-)

Chad.R
Turning Circles - blank
You can get a very small turning circle from front-wheel drive cars as well. Yank on the handbrake very tight, engage full lock, plenty of revs, 1st gear, drop clutch. Front will spin round a treat ... Apparently ... Not that I would ever have abused a hire car to check...well not often anyway!

Andy

Turning Circles - Cliff Pope

Some of the best models are short, rear drive, sports cars,


Volvos are neither short nor sports cars, yet 740s, 240s and even more so, 140s, have some of the smallest turning circles around.
It always seems crazy to me, but my hulking big estate car will get round corners and into tight spaces that defeat toy cars half its length.
I inadvertantly cut one up the other day, driving straight into a space he had been about to reverse into.
Turning Circles - lezebre
Another statistic that Car regularly and somewhat eccentrically reported at one time was '££s per ton'. Interesting to see how a Mini and a Vauxhall Royale, for example, would result in much the same figure. Most other cars, too, the pattern only broke down when they tested something like an Aston Zagato.