Turbo X traction action
One of the activities we got a chance to participate in last weekend was a circuit drive on the skid pan at GM’s proving grounds at Lang Lang, here in Australia.
The two outer lanes of the skid pan were wetted down and our challenge was to get the cars around the course as quickly as possible. We travelled the outer ring half way round, then switched to the inside ring to do a full circle, then switching back outside again for another half-lap.
We did the exercise in Sportcombis and a convertible, but Swedish engineer and rally driver, Peter Johansson, had a go at it in the Turbo X. This quick circuit was filmed by one of the local TV stations for an automotive TV show.
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I’m not sure what speeds Peter got to here, but in our runs (we drove in pairs) we were regularly getting up around 70 km/h on the inside circuit. That mightn’t sound lightning quick to you, but when you’re on the slick stuff it’s definitely fast enough to make a sweeping bend into a reasonably tight corner. It’s a constant task to keep looking ahead and stay on course.
In your head you feel like the car should be breaking traction at any point - but it never does. We had a fair bit of water on the surface and it definitely heightened your concentration, but the car never felt out of shape. The ESP isn’t overly obtrusive but it’s obviously working.
Saab may not have invented ESP but they’ve done a heck of a job developing and implementing it, making it a standard inclusion on the Saab equipment list. They recently handed it down to Holden here in Australia, too, and the same software is now standard on the top-selling Commodore range.
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Hmm, that sort of speed and no run -off- just straight into unyielding tree trunks- rather him than me.
Not least as he is better at that than I am!
Does the auto slush box stifle the raw Porsche eater feel to the TX?
And what is th standard fit tyre choice- grippy but wear -out quick Pirellis, harder wearing but a touch less grippy Michelins, or is there a Bridgestone of Continental choice?
What say those of you in the know?
Fantastic stuff Swade.
Lance, the auto does’nt feel very urgent at all. Really bogs down off the line. Maybe that is due to complete traction rather than usual slippage I like to feel off the line. Didn’t know how to turn the ESP/TC off in a post ‘06 car, so don’t know how much was interference. Rolling response was still fun.
All the TXs I saw had Pirelli PZero Neros
exactly- it would be interesting to read or view any rolling xtra special sideways laps without esp or the with the elsd locked down.
ESP, TCS, CBC, ABS, EBD and EBA with ReAxs is a truly amazing combination even with front wheel drive Saabs that we drove. When I asked the team leader “how fast can we drive them around the skid pan in the wet ” He replied “as fast as you can”
Into second gear and foot to the floor was as quick as you could go round with the limited time available. I tried my hardest to go sideways and get out of control, but I just couldn’t. These are the hidden talents of these cars that cannot be seen. Fantastic experience, especially in somebody else’s car!