WTF is the Deal with Clarkson
- Thread starter bellegt06
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kooldawg6
mine works really well and can take a fair amount
cowtown
Founding Member
I actually really like Top Gear. I think it's a well done show. Aside from their heavy handed coverage of a few US vehicles (they are often right) there is a lot of entertainment on that show. I grabbed 8 seasons worth on DivX and I am half way through the fifth season and enjoying each one.
LuS1fer
New Member
+1. It's just how they say things about American cars that I don't like. I'm pleasantly surprised he owns a Ford GT, though
Now gone I'm afraid. I suspect it went on the basis that he suffers from a bad back and the daft doors make using it a real nightmare, especially if you're very tall and especially in the UK. He also took it to what we call a road-narrowing restriction which is designed to stop trtucks using certain roads and he couldn't get through so had to back up in a highly embarassing way.
He's now ordered a lamborghini Gallardo Spider.
Is he that car 'expert' from Europe? If so best I can tell from other posts on here he is bascially an ass. Maybe a highly cultured and educated ass but an ass nonetheless. If it's not a gawdy 50k+ AWD from across the pond it's not worthy of being bought in his opinion. His car segments are a possible cure for various sleep disorders so watch with caution and have a pillow handy.
you are wrong. he actually did a segment praising the mustang. also the ford focus st. no but since he loves car we get there he must be bashing cars from over here. oh wait some of the great cars are by ford, but we dont get them here. just watch the show more before you make an assumtion.
your missing the point. a mustang might get off the line a slight bit quicker, but in the end it will lose.
i love both cars im not bias in anyway. im just going by numbers here. hp/tq to weight ratio the 350z is faster.
celticstanger
Member
I had a boy-racer try me a while back, pulled on me at the 1st light, took him before easing off at 60. 2nd light, I was good and ready, blew him away, before easing off again at 60. In my experience, the GT is noticeably quicker. Ok, so it was only up to 60, but he was done and I had plenty of pull left, just didn't want to get up to kill-an-innocent speed.
No you are missing the point. You can't simply look at manifactor HP claims and weight and determine which is faster. I also love both cars and frequent 350z forums and most drivers their with stock Z's are running high 13s to low 14s (new edge times). S197 Gts are running mid to high 13s. Also the HP on the Z (pre 07) was rated using the a different forumla. Ford as I understand it has been using the the new SAE standard for several years while Nissan just started using the new standard for 07 models.
Agreed. I wasn't trying to start a pissing match about what car is faster. I was just stating that the 350z was the only other car that provided a similar bang for the buck.
Rock36
Member
Agreed. I wasn't trying to start a pissing match about what car is faster. I was just stating that the 350z was the only other car that provided a similar bang for the buck.
Exactly! This 350Z/Mustang GT debate has been going on for a long time now. If anyone hasn't been paying attention, the majority consensus by far is the Mustang is faster in the 1/4mile and the 350Z is faster on a road course. There was even a thread where I guy who owned BOTH cars agreed with that statement.
If that consensus isn't good enough, then get out and race one and set your mind at ease.
This Clarkson debate is been around before too, and this isn't the first mistake he has made in his reporting. However, as others have said, he does it to get people worked up and pay attention to what he says. Good, bad, or indifferent, he has been successful, and has made a lot of money as a result.
Some of you guys need a sense of humor. They make fun of American cars but they also like to bag on the Germans and even themselves (*cough* Lucas electrics). And let's face it, a lot of American cars are crap. They are getting better but I think the Japanese have the economy car segment pegged. The only American car I've bought or would ever buy is a Mustang. Or a Vette.
They are always biased towards Aston Martin though.
It's just for entertainment. In one segment they race a greyhound and an 06 Miata around a mud track. The greyhound wins. Does this mean the greyhound is faster? No, it just means he wasn;t sliding around all over the place. Just for entertainment's sake.
They are always biased towards Aston Martin though.
It's just for entertainment. In one segment they race a greyhound and an 06 Miata around a mud track. The greyhound wins. Does this mean the greyhound is faster? No, it just means he wasn;t sliding around all over the place. Just for entertainment's sake.
ramjetlx
New Member
Numbers dont say everything, with two even cars, it comes down to the driver. Every 350Z Ive raced are slow off the line and cant keep up! I even beat them in my 260 hp 5.0. They are heavy also for their size, about 3300 pounds. They can beat the last gen mustangs, but I dont think theyre faster then the current generation.
I have a 06 GT and my dad has a 03 350Z. Having driven both cars, and driven them hard, I can tell you that they aren't really that far apart from each other in terms of speed. Really, a good driver would more than make the difference between either car, so I wouldn't wager any bets on the street, because one cars isn't significantly faster than the other in a straight line. My Mustang will probably edge the 350z out up top, but really, the cars are pretty darn close. What our Mustangs have in torque, the 350z makes up for with an extra gear and less weight.
I will say that, stock for stock, the 350z will take the Mustang in the corners. (But now I can tear 'em apart with my suspension mods and better tires!)
Don't put too much stock in one car being marginally faster than another and thus "superior". We're talking about literally 1/10th here or .01g there, which equates to little if any noticeable difference in the seat of the pants. Just appreciate your car for what it is. The key to getting the most from your car isn't bolting on power adders, it's learning how to use all of the power that's already on the table from good launches and quick gear changes.
I will say that, stock for stock, the 350z will take the Mustang in the corners. (But now I can tear 'em apart with my suspension mods and better tires!)
Don't put too much stock in one car being marginally faster than another and thus "superior". We're talking about literally 1/10th here or .01g there, which equates to little if any noticeable difference in the seat of the pants. Just appreciate your car for what it is. The key to getting the most from your car isn't bolting on power adders, it's learning how to use all of the power that's already on the table from good launches and quick gear changes.
