[zuffy]

I met up with a guy with an '02 STi. Besides being taken for a hard 'spin' and driving the car myself, we did some acceleration comparisions as well. We did a fair few runs (ie. around 10), but the location and timing was not suited to anything else but 100 - 160kph runs (and the odd 80-160kph starting in 3rd gear). Here's how things went:

- Test #1: 80 - 160kph, both cars starting in 3rd gear:
The first few times we run, I jumped on the throttle a fraction before him and jumped to a 1 car lead straight away. Though, from there on, I could not see any difference in terms of acceleration .... maybe I pulled away another 1/2 a car, but that's about it.

- Test #2: 80 - 160kph, both cars starting in 3rd gear:
Next few runs he started a fraction ahead and pulled about 1 car on me straight away. Then all the way to the top of the 3rd gear there was nothing between the cars. Once into 4th the Zed may have been a slightly quicker, but we're talking at most about a 1/4 of a car made up from 140 - 160kph.

- Test #3: 100 - 170kph, both cars starting in 3rd gear:
This time we managed to start at more or less the same time and we stayed next to each other through the 3rd gear (ie. up to 140kph). Then when I made a gear-change to 4th, I lost about 1/3 of a car-length. Then things did not look that different, but I did manage to 'creep' back the 1/3 of a car-length by 170kph. So in this run we ended up next to each other like we started ... perfectly even. Later I noticed I had my A/C on ... not sure if it made me any slower. I would not think so.

So in summary there's practically nothing between the STi and my 350Z when accelerating from 80 to 160kph. It looks like the Zed is maybe a fraction quicker at higher speeds (ie. over 150kph), but it's barely noticable. I think that the Zed may be even quicker over 180kph, but we did not go to those speeds when next to each other ... just seperately in each car. Either way, when the STi has 4000+ rpm on the tacho, it is a very good match for the 350Z.

When I get a chance/opportunity, I'll do some 'comparisions' with the car in diffrent gears and at much lower speeds. Though, I can practically quarantee that I won't be able match the STi from a stand-still start.

ps. My car has the Hi-tech exhaust and K&N filter. Also, there was only the driver in each car.


Last edited by DavidM on 01-30-2004 at 12:14 AM

 

[lionkiller]

Nice to know...was worried about 'em. A/C shuts off automatically @ WOT.....I think.

 

[Perth 350z]

How much quicker is the STi than a starndard WRX in a straight line at these speeds do you know?

 

[davidm]

How much quicker is the STi than a starndard WRX in a straight line at these speeds do you know?

I take it you're asking about the newer shape WRXs and not the older ones. Though, it still depending on which model year, but the it diference can be a fair bit. The WRXs can do 0-160kph in 15 to 17sec depending on the model. On the right day, some of them can even get into 14s (like the '00 model, and maybe eventhe new
'04 model). On the other hand the STi will do 0-160kph in 14sec flat.

Also the greater the speed, the greater the advantage of the STi. The STi can sprint from 0-200kph in about 25.5sec, while a WRX takes 30+ sec ... no matter what year.

 

[davidm]

A friend of mine recently got himself an '02 STi. At the moment it's totaly stock and last night we strapped the G'tech on it and clocked some numbers. Best we manged is:

- 0-60kph = 2.20sec
- 0-100kph = 6.02sec
- 0-160kph = 14.49sec

- 0-60mph = 5.75sec

- 400m = 14.01sec @ 157.54kph

Interestingly, when taking off from standstill with a 'street start' (ie. minimal revs and clutch play and floored once the clutch is engaded), these were the numbers that it returned:

- 0-60kph = 3.79sec
- 0-100kph = 7.81sec

So just goes to show that at lower revs is does not have too much go.

Now, if I took the best times that we clocked with the '02 STi, and compared them to the best times that I extracted from my Zed, then this is what a standing start run would look like:

1. Off the line the STi would immediately jump ahead, and be 3.5m ahead at the 20m mark (ie. when we reach ~50kph).

2. The STi would stretch this lead to 6.8m by 100m mark (ie. when we reach ~100kph).

3. Even at the 200m mark it would still ahead, but the Zed would be finaly gaining some ground back and would have the gap down to ~4.4m. This would be at aorund 125kph.

4. The Zed would finaly pass the STi at around the 300m mark (ie. when doing ~145kph). At the 300m mark the Zed would be less than meter ahead.

5. By the 400m mark the Zed would stretch the lead to 6.5m, and by this stage the STi would be doing ~157kph, and the Zed ~166kph.

So the 4WD launch would see the STi ahead for a good part of the race and at most trafic-light dergies where the speeds don't exceed much over 100kph, the STi would be clearly ahead. Though, that's pressuming that the STi was launched hard. If not, then the Zed would annihilate it (even with a street start).

Though, if the 2 cars went from roll ... let's say 60kph, then the Zed should have the advantage, and by ~100kph it would be ~2.5m ahead, by ~150kph about 16m ahead, and by 170kph the Zed would stretch the gap to about 30m. So at higher speeds the Zeds advantage should show.

STi details:
Here are some statistics for the '02 STi:
- weight = 1470kg
- power = 195kW @ 6,000rpm
- torque = 343Nm @ 4000rpm
- redline = 7,500rpm
- cutout = 7,800rpm

The gearing (when shifting at 7,800rpm) is:
- 1st gear = 62kph
- 2nd gear = 96kph
- 3rd gear = 129kph
- 4th gear = 169kph
- 5th gear = 215kph
- 6th gear = 271kph

 

[davidm]

Couple months later, and my friend has a few mods on the car. Besides some handling mods, he has now APEXI computer, bigger intercooler, boost controller, exhaust, intake, and few other bits and bobs. He's now running 1.2bar of boost (ie. 18psi).

Strapped Yun's G'tech on it again and the car shows some pretty good gains now:

- 0-60kph = 1.96sec
- 0-100kph = 5.07sec
- 0-160kph = 11.95sec

- 0-60mph = 4.81sec

- 400m = 13.19sec @ 166.53kph

That's ~1sec gain to 100kph, ~2.5sec gain to 160kph, and 0.8sec gain over 400m.

 

[mchapman]

Nice gains.

 

[NISM0ZTUNE]

Thanx David, that was some very interesting and detailed information .. seems like if not dump clutch at high rpm.. it wont get that much 4WD advantage... and... i think i wont dump clutch like that all the time.. since i do have some mechanical sympathy.. ~~ ^-^

 

[Domino]

those are awesome gains for the STi, you'd have to bolt on a supercharger or go TT to get the Z below 13s

 

[davidm]

those are awesome gains for the STi, you'd have to bolt on a supercharger or go TT to get the Z below 13s

True, but the STi is in low 13s still. The best run was at 13.2sec, next best at 13.3, and next best at 13.4sec. Awesome times no matter how you look at it.

And also keep in mind that the 4WD launch is worth good 1/2sec over 400m.

seems like if not dump clutch at high rpm.. it wont get that much 4WD advantage... and... i think i wont dump clutch like that all the time.. since i do have some mechanical sympathy

Yep, off the line they are not that fast if you're not super agressive with the throttle/clutch. But if you are, then practicaly nothing will keep up with you over the first 100 meters.

 

[davidm]

Last night we took out the abovementioned STi out again with the G'tech to see if we can improve the numbers from last time. We did improve them, but only by a few 100th of a second:

- 0-100kph = 5.01sec
- 0-160kph = 11.79sec

- 400m = 13.14sec @ 168.08kph

As hard as we tried for the elusive 4sec pass to 100kph, it did not happen ... could not find extra 2/100th of a second.

Besides that we lined up my car with this STi. We did not go from standstill, as not only that would be a foregone conclusion (well in the STi's favour), but also I could not put the foot down in 1st gear without breaking the rear traction. So we went from a 2nd gear roll instead, where the starting speed was picked by the STi so that is was at the right boost/revs when we went for it.

- 70 - 175kph, rolling start, bit in 2nd gear:
We tried this a few times with more or less the same result. There is literally nothing between the 2 cars from 70kph, all the way to 175kph, which is where we backed off. At the start (ie. 2nd gear at ~70kph), the Zed would inch away for maybe 1/2 a meter before we reached 90kph, and then the STi would inch back that 1/2 meter before were reached 130kph. After that you could have 'locked' our mirrors as that is how even it was.

One time we tried this and the STi got a slight jump on me. That resulted in the STi pulling away ever so slightly so that it would be 1.5 to 2 car-lengths ahead of me by 170kph. Which shows that when it got a jump on me, then I'd always be at a disadvantage. I'd presume it'd be the same thing if I got a jump on the STi.

Pretty surprising result IMHO. the G'tech numbers do tell the same story, but considering that I was under the impression that a stock '02 WRX is a good match for a Zed (with exhaust), I guess I was wrong. I could not pull away from the STi that I met up with (a while back) and lined up for the 80 - 160kph runs. Either the semi-wet conditions made me more hesitant when putting my foot down, or it just was not stock. After all, the '02 STi that my friend has good 35 - 40kW of extra power now. Very interesting.

 

[beefy]

From test driving both cars it feels like an 02 STI would be a fair bit quicker over a Track 350z especially around a Race Track.

I know you discussed rolling starts but if it was from standing still I believe the STI would be much quicker off the line too. Don't get me wrong I like both cars and would be a hard decision if I had a choice.

 

[davidm]

From test driving both cars it feels like an 02 STI would be a fair bit quicker over a Track 350z especially around a Race Track.

On a racetrack the 350Z should have an edge. Not huge deal in it, but with a same pro behind the wheel of both cars, the 350Z was 0.7sec quicker around a track that takes ~100sec.

I know you discussed rolling starts but if it was from standing still I believe the STI would be much quicker off the line too.

Absolutely. From standing start the Zed stands no chance (when/if the STi is launched with an agressive clutch dup from high revs). And it does not need any mods to do that ... even a WRX would see the Zed off the line with a 'proper launch'.

Look at the 400m times that we clocked for the (now) modded STi - 13.2sec over 400m. That would see me behind by good 6 car-lengths even if I managed to reproduce my best run.

There's not much that can compete with a 4WD in terms of launch-ability.