SLC (Street) ride?

I am curious about the ride/feel of the SLC on the street. Can someone provide me with a comparison to other street vehicles like an R8. I am currently driving an X5 with run flats. My wife drives g37 coupe in which you really feel the road surface here in AZ.

Thanks,

Chris

For a sports car, I'd call the ride kinda cushy. It rides softer than I would have expected. But with the front/rear weight distribution and the low center of gravity, that supple ride does not translate into unwanted sway or front dive. It's a relatively comfortable highway cruiser, as well as a stout canyon carver.

Note: I have all 4 of the compression and rebound dampeners adjusted to their minimum setting for the street. Increasing their setting would dial in a bit more stiffness.

Other aspects of the driving experience are:

• The steering has a very light feel, almost like power steering. The ratio is good for the street and of coarse, it's go-kart direct since nothing is rubber mounted.
• The brakes require only light pressure as well. Those large disks and Brembo calipers haul the SLC's feather weight to zero without much strain.
• The clutch is heavy. I'm running a GM LS3 connected to a Porsche G50-20, with a street clutch/pressure plate setup from Kennedy Engineering. I considered swapping out the master cylinder for a smaller one, but I don't think it will push the slave cylinder far enough to reliably disengage the clutch.
• The shifter takes some getting used to. It's a bit stiff and notchy, but that's just the way a Porsche shifts. My G50-20 has a shift rod, but I hear that the G50s with a side shifter work better.
• There is an overwhelming amount of power. I'm running a bone stock GM LS3 that pumped 420HP when it was in a 2010 Corvette. I swapped to LS7 headers, I fabricated a 3" exhaust that's only 20" long, with see thru mufflers, no catalytic converter, and the ECM flash removed the emissions. I figure the motor now has somewhere in the neighborhood of 450HP (with a smooth idle). I've been working my way up to it, but I honestly haven't had enough guts or open road to try a full throttle run thru the gears yet.
• The seat is adjustable, but you tend to sit somewhat low. I'm 5'11" and I started with seat angled way back, but found there was enough headroom to set the seat in a comfortable angle. You will need to play with the adjustment within a somewhat narrow envelope between seeing over the dash and hitting your head on the ceiling.
• Overall, the SLC driving position is quite roomy for a sports car. There is enough leg room, lots of hip/shoulder room, and the distance to the steering wheel is ok.
• Visibility is excellent in the forward 180 degree view. The visibility in the rearward 180 degree view is very limited. A rear view camera is a requirement when backing up.
• The SLC looks like it sits so low to the ground, that it would get hung up on a toad. In reality, it's not as low as it looks. I have the front lift kit and have no problem getting the nose over most obstacles. The lowest parts of the undercarriage are the seat pans, and that it where I tend to scrape the speed bumps.
• Lastly, my heart rate elevates everytime I drive it and I can't help but smile:shocked:

rumbles said:

• The SLC looks like it sits so low to the ground, that it would get hung up on a toad. In reality, it's not as low as it looks.

Click to expand...

Bill, that is a fabulous write up! Why are you not working for Road & Track or Automobile Magazine?

Les

"The seat is adjustable, but you tend to sit somewhat low. I'm 5'11" and I started with seat angled way back, but found there was enough headroom to set the seat in a comfortable angle. You will need to play with the adjustment within a somewhat narrow envelope between seeing over the dash and hitting your head on the ceiling."

I'm 5'4" so the ceiling will not be an issue. BTW excellent write up.

Chris

I'll add that it's different from any road car to me at least. I've got solid motor mounts and there are no bushings. Combine that with a very rigid chassis and that allows you to feel every lb/ft of torque.

I've found going back to driving a Z-06 or even Ferrari 430/599 like driving a road sponge, lotsa body roll compared to the SLC. The Audi R-8 is probably the closest but still more roll.

I've been driven in GT2 and ferrari challenge, and I think it's a better comparison then a road car.