The Chris Harris thread

[Heez]

The R8 looks fanfuckingtastic. Would definitely have that over the terrifying GTR... It does make my balls tingle though.

 

[ColinG]

What is the left hand dial on the GTR's dash that doesnt seem to move very much?? Disconnected speedo?

 

[sbridgey]

Found this on pistonheads. Definitely worth a look.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/...945&i=0&nmt=Photoshop+Chris+Harris&mid=374945

 

[welshname]

It's good but I think CS could do a much better job.

 

[gez 172]

I've always loved the GTR, I'd pick a standard 'non-Lichfield' one over everything too.

i think the car is incredible. Love the looks of it, there's no way to describe the looks, it's not dated or modern. Just love it.

 

[Munson]

the GTR must win the award for worlds worst interior for a car over 20k though surely, its terrible, not sure i could live with it tbh

its like going out with a girl who's an immense girl in bed, but looks like susan boyle.

But then if there were an award for cheapest 0-60 in sub 3s & 200mph car...

 

[jam.]

 

[Gally]

My boss was off last week to silverstone to drive that one. His friend has ordered one. I believe he chose the Martini livery with option to remove when selling on.

 

[Feirny]

 

[sbridgey]

Looks like its a really good, such a shame the ESP in always on.

 

[welshname]

I know I'm on cliosport BUT I want the ST more than the EDC.

 

[Gally]

Looks like its a really good, such a shame the ESP in always on.

Not sure if serious.

 

[Sam@NP]

I cant help but think Renault have dropped a bollock with the new RS

 

[sbridgey]

Not sure if serious.

Did you watch the video?

 

[Topgeartom]

I cant help but think Renault have dropped a bollock with the new RS

This.

"Where is one of our biggest markets for the Renault Sport brand?"

"The UK"

"Great, lets alienate a large portion of the core buyers within that demographic"

I get they are trying to go 'mass-market', but purely from a selfish point of view, I have wanted each previous clio RS model. I dont think i'm alone in saying that's not the case any more. I'd be down a Ford showroom if I was looking to buy in a flash, and im not sure thats because the ST is so amazing, its because the 200 is so far away from what many hot hatch buyers want.

Meh, its all been said before by more eloquent people than me.

 

[MarkCup]

Will be interesting to see what he makes of them when he drives them back to back. For now though he still has a lot of love for the Clio.

I think when he does get them out together, the weight of the Clio will count against it. Or maybe it won't as the fancy dampers make it all so manageable.

Who knows LOL

 

[Gally]

Did you watch the video?

Yes. Why the f**k would you want to turn it off?

Oh I forgot, because racedriver.

 

[sbridgey]

Yes. Why the f**k would you want to turn it off?

Oh I forgot, because racedriver.

I think a car like that is the kind of car that is bought by someone who will at some stage want to be 100% in control.

 

[Gally]

I have to completely disagree.

 

[sbridgey]

I have to completely disagree.

Ok.

 

[Jaff.]

I've once turned the esc in my focus fully off (because I can in the focus B-))

i can honestly say I have no desire to do it again. It goes into "half off" a few times though

 

[Mr Burns]

Both the new Clio and Fiesta ST are shaping up to be very nice cars. In the real world MPG, tax and insurance will be more important than being able to switch off the ESP. Way too many Ayrton Sennas on here tbh.

 

[Sir_Dave]

such a shame the ESP in always on.

I would have to agree. You cant do this on track with ESP on.

 

[MarkCup]

From the video he didn't have any issue getting it out of shape...it certainly wasn't being snatched back on-line. He said it was still trying to 'trim' the line on occasions. I think he's feeling the torque-vectoring...and the brakes nibbling away at the front wheels on the way through a turn trying to keep them rotating at the roughly the same speeds.

Time will tell. I'm not remotely bothered by it myself...I like to get a bit out of shape but I'm no racing driver who likes to enter corners looking through the rear window so to know there's something there to catch me if/when it does go pear-shaped on track is comforting.

 

[Mr Burns]

Most trackday organisers don't allow you to get your car 'out of shape' repeatedly, not by any significant amount anyway. I have done in the past any usually end up getting black flagged at some point.

 

[Chapppers11]

From the video he didn't have any issue getting it out of shape...it certainly wasn't being snatched back on-line. He said it was still trying to 'trim' the line on occasions. I think he's feeling the torque-vectoring...and the brakes nibbling away at the front wheels on the way through a turn trying to keep them rotating at the roughly the same speeds.

Time will tell. I'm not remotely bothered by it myself...I like to get a bit out of shape but I'm no racing driver who likes to enter corners looking through the rear window so to know there's something there to catch me if/when it does go pear-shaped on track is comforting.

Just out of interest Mark, do you use TC on track in the Clio?

I never switched it off around Llandow and it was still brilliant fun.

Why anyone really needs the option in a Fiesta is beyond me, unless they are looking at setting lap times.

 

[Gally]

Maybe I don't get it because i'm not becauseracedriver.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Most trackday organisers don't allow you to get your car 'out of shape' repeatedly, not by any significant amount anyway. I have done in the past any usually end up getting black flagged at some point.

You never been to Llandow in the wet, its great fun drifting round Glue-pot with a dap of oppo.

Cant imagine you can get too much lift-off oversteer with ESP on?

 

[MarkCup]

Just out of interest Mark, do you use TC on track in the Clio?

I never switched it off around Llandow and it was still brilliant fun.

Why anyone really needs the option in a Fiesta is beyond me, unless they are looking at setting lap times.

Always off in the Clio.

Never had the option in the 172 Cup so when I first took the 200 out I switched it off from the outset.

Around Llandow I did leave it on at first in the wet as the surface/grip levels were unknown...it did permit a fair bit of movement but whenever it did intervene it was quite heavy handed...that I don't like so off it went. Got some pretty sizable slides after that

 

[Mr Burns]

You never been to Llandow in the wet, its great fun drifting round Glue-pot with a dap of oppo.

Cant imagine you can get too much lift-off oversteer with ESP on?

I have and I did... Llandow isn't really big enough to get into any major trouble, it's a nice track though.

 

[Chapppers11]

Always off in the Clio.

Never had the option in the 172 Cup so when I first took the 200 out I switched it off from the outset.

Around Llandow I did leave it on at first in the wet as the surface/grip levels were unknown...it did permit a fair bit of movement but whenever it did intervene it was quite heavy handed...that I don't like so off it went. Got some pretty sizable slides after that

Fair enough! I know what you mean, it was limiting on the bend coming round to the pit straight, but I didn't want to have to peel my Clio off the tyres because I thought I was better than I am.

 

[RDH]

I think the 200T looks superb compared to that. It's just so underwhelming to look at.

 

[sbridgey]

Both the new Clio and Fiesta ST are shaping up to be very nice cars. In the real world MPG, tax and insurance will be more important than being able to switch off the ESP. Way too many Ayrton Sennas on here tbh.

Personally I found that in the Clio, on track in the wet, ESP refused to let me have any power and kept braking wheels and it quite annoying. I wouldn't be happy not being able to turn it off, its not as if it has a million BHP so it doesn't really need it.

 

[Mr Burns]

Personally I found that in the Clio, on track in the wet, ESP refused to let me have any power and kept braking wheels and it quite annoying. I wouldn't be happy not being able to turn it off, its not as if it has a million BHP so it doesn't really need it.

I agree to an extent, the ESP on the 197 is even more intrusive and I always turned it off. However, as for people out there who won't buy one because they can't turn it off yet only use their car for the Tescos run and the occasional meet at Krispy Kreme then I'm afraid they're just being stupid.

 

[sbridgey]

Turning ESP off on the road is a daft idea anyway. You shouldn't be going fast enough to require it so I agree with you there. But as this car will be used on tracks by many people not being able to turn it off was a bit of a strange decision by Ford.

 

[Gally]

You mean about 1% of FSTs sold will be on track.

 

[MarkCup]

You mean about 1% of FSTs sold will be on track.

Yep. I started a "Who'll be tracking their ST?" thread on STOC trying to see if there was a group of track enthusiasts and got one response I think LOL

 

[John Gordon]

I have to completely disagree.

Is it not just a shopping trolly that you will take on track?

If I take a car on track I don't want the ESP braking for me mid corner. An option to turn it off would have been nice.

 

[Gally]

Yeah. Hence my point about petrolheads actually making up a small amount of the buying public.

I certainly wouldn't be tracking mine.

 

[Jay Payne]

Occasional track use I cant see the problem with having partial ESP. It wont be that much of a problem. If its a serious trackday car they buy something else rather than a £17k road car