> And yes the ABS is great on turns, but not the answer.Was 
> just the other
> day with 2002 Cougar, front wheel drive, big engine, ABS 
> and traction
> control,

A man here has a Lamborghini for sale on the local auction 
site.
Then it turned up in multiple photos in the main city paper, 
and disappeared from auction site.

In the paper it was notched beautifully onto a power pole 
with bits of Lambo strewn far and wide
As may be seen here.

        http://zoltuger.orcon.net.nz/lambo/gotcha/-post

An "explanation" of how a presumably competent driver can 
wrap a $NZ450,000 car around a suburban power pole is given 
here

        http://zoltuger.orcon.net.nz/lambo/newspaper.jpg

They say that the traction control was off and that a rear 
wheel skid as the car turned right was picked up by the 
computer sending power to the front wheels as the driver 
corrected by turning to the left, as one does. Needless to 
say, anyone who attempts to drift a Lamborghini through a 
city T intersection under significant power really should 
know his (her) car and does really deserve the outcome if 
they haven't done their homework.

They quote Michael Schumaker on traction control in 
supercars. "If you have the skills of a Formula One driver, 
turn it off. If you don't, don't."
_____________

My ye olde Mk1 Supercharged MR2 has none of these things.
There is a local corner - right hand, off camber, BIG bump 
in the middle, around a wee traffic island, gutter protrudes 
into apex. I used to delight in throwing lesser cars into 
this corner at the legal speed limit (50 kph). Kabump 
kathump hop skitter,  crabs sideways claws for traction 
maybe drifts a bit under under steers, throttle on, here 
comes the curb, cmon bite now or, ah - kathump, turns right 
and claws its way up the street past the island.
I had to give it up with the MR2 - it just goes round the 
corner, shakes its head a bity and proceeds up the hill. To 
make it exciting I'd have to throw it into the corner at far 
far far greater speeds. I try to not exceed speed limits - 
not always successfully. So paradoxically, in the MR2 I 
instead go around that corner slower :-). The MR2, though 
traction controlless, will take "open road" bends at 2x 
posted speed with ease and 3x with suitable care. So 
anything posted at 50 kph+ is suitable for legal open road 
100 kph speeds and at 30 kph + posted you can do it while 
making life interesting. You can take ANY right angle corner 
at 50 kph and stay on the correct side of the road (with 
good tyres on) if you are willing to believe it is possible. 
Doubt tends to set in occasionally. A fun car.







        Russell


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