Quote:
Originally Posted by Dlampe  Quote "Thats the one thing that kills me: how do these cars handel? We know how much R&D went into setting up the NSX; it sure makes me wonder about these RCR cars."
John, what makes you wonder? If you have a question, then lets hear it. I am not sure I like the tone of your last line.
If I am off base, I apologize. Maybe I am reading it wrong. |
Dean, I think John was raising a valid concern that a lot of people may have. How can a boutique operation like Frans compete with the R&D budgets of the big manufacturers?
Basically, I feel the answer is that the big guys have a whole team of university graduates driving computers to come up with setups and then the results are incorporated in a chassis and they are tested by numerous different test drivers then revised and changed ad infinitum until they get it the way they want it. Huge development costs!
Conversely for Frans specialist operation, as I understand it he has been around motorsport most of his life, he and his team have a lifetime of real experience to draw upon. They have the practical experience to know what works and why, so they are ahead of the ballpark to start with. From there it doesn't take much to come up with a fairly optimum setup.
Bearing in mind that what one consumer may think is ideal, another may not! Handling can be subjective. Frans cars I am sure will work very well on the factory setup and he has hit the nail on the head when he states that everything can be adjusted to suit individual requirements. That is the answer!
I am not familar with NSX suspension but I bet you are generally stuck with the compromises that Honda has decided upon. An NSX may be the best thing since sliced bread but of necessity there will be tradeoffs in the suspension department. So too with the RCR factory setup! The difference being it is probably easier and cheaper to personalise
your optimum setup with an RCR than a Honda.
Just because something is a boutique operation doesn't mean that it is necessarily any good! There have been instances on this forum of GT40 manufacturers who have got their suspensions terribly wrong. The difference is the experience of the individuals involved.
Some RCR's will soon have some road and track time under them, it will be interesting to hear their feedback.
John was right to raise that point.
Cheers