Spanked BY a WRX

[navdhanju]

Raced my TL for the first time today. A WRX pulled up to me and he was looking at my car. He signaled to go at the green and obviously im not gonna back down. But WOW did i ever recieve the spanking of a lifetime. I know i backed down a bit, but even though, i dont think i was anywhere close to cathcinh up to him. He was bout 1.5 car lengths ahead. Is the WRX a`AWD. cuz i think that would have helped a lot more since the streets are fairly bad here in edmonton.

[theslik1]

Yes the WRX is AWD...and although it's "only" 227 hp stock, his superior traction from a stop will annihilate you every time unless the driver is a complete dunce. Even worse, it's just too easy to find significant extra horsepower in these cars with very little skill/time/money (I know because I have a turbo DSM). If you simply have to race an AWD car like the WRX, STi, Evo, Audi A6, etc., try to get them from a roll because the launch dynamics from a stop always favor the most traction. Unfortunately our TL's have the worst launch dynamics from a stop even with VSA...that's just the nature of FWD and weight transfer. A race on the highway, say from a 30mph roll, might produce different results...especially at the top end...but it would still be tough to beat a 276 hp Evo or 300 hp STi.

By the way...your car is broken in, right?

[Inferno]

I'm assuming you're in an automatic since you have the Navi and are in Canada.

A stock WRX will do 0-60 in 5.7-5.8, which is similar to a 6-spd 2004 TL, and .3-.4s faster than an auto. I don't think you should've lost that bad... as theslik1 said, the WRX's are easily moddable so it's likely (if he beat you as bad as you said he did) that he wasn't stock. Also, his engine was likely way more broken in than yours, since the WRX's have been around for a while. Don't feel bad

And again, you'd have fared better from a roll.

Off topic: Just curious, why did you choose to get the Nav package in Edmonton? I was talking to my Acura dealership yesterday, and they said that maps are only available for Southern Ontario, Vancouver, and Montreal (and, of course, all of the US).

[jimthegreek]

umm... are you sure it wasnt a STi..????

because a stock WRX shouldnt take off and kill you like that... either he was modded or it was an STi....


or maybe you just dont know how to drive

j/k

[rominl]

the wrx is fast. off the line it can kill a lot of people already. a stock wrx is what, 5.6 0-60? no chance

[theslik1]

Don't underestimate the WRX...it's very easy to launch quickly from a stop due to the AWD and a slightly laggy stock turbo. The WRX's 5.6-5.7 sec 0-60 is much easier to achieve in the real world with an average driver than the TL's published 0-60 time. His traction advantage more than makes up for his horsepower deficit, which isn't as much as you think, even stock-to-stock. As you get up to speed then the TL should be able to overtake the Subie due to horsepower and gearing, but you need some running room to do it. If it's an STi or an Evo, you can pretty much forget about it regardless.

Cars like the TL are not good stoplight dragsters and we shouldn't expect them to be, even with upgrades such as forced induction...they're in their element on the open road at speed (70+ mph) where traction isn't the overriding issue. I'd hate to see a bunch of posts on how the new TL "sux" because it can't beat a WRX out of the hole...it was never built to do that in the first place. The WRX, STi, and Evo are purpose-built rally styled niche cars that have been held from the American market for far too long. I for one am glad that they're here, and I appreciate their raw performance. The TL, thankfully, is a different and much more complete automobile overall than any of those niche cars. Enjoy what you have!

[jimthegreek]

well said....

and i like how solid the acura is built opposed to the WRX and EVO... they cheesy and junkie looking interiors are just

[rominl]

Originally posted by theslik1
Don't underestimate the WRX...it's very easy to launch quickly from a stop due to the AWD and a slightly laggy stock turbo. The WRX's 5.6-5.7 sec 0-60 is much easier to achieve in the real world with an average driver than the TL's published 0-60 time. His traction advantage more than makes up for his horsepower deficit, which isn't as much as you think, even stock-to-stock. As you get up to speed then the TL should be able to overtake the Subie due to horsepower and gearing, but you need some running room to do it. If it's an STi or an Evo, you can pretty much forget about it regardless.

Cars like the TL are not good stoplight dragsters and we shouldn't expect them to be, even with upgrades such as forced induction...they're in their element on the open road at speed (70+ mph) where traction isn't the overriding issue. I'd hate to see a bunch of posts on how the new TL "sux" because it can't beat a WRX out of the hole...it was never built to do that in the first place. The WRX, STi, and Evo are purpose-built rally styled niche cars that have been held from the American market for far too long. I for one am glad that they're here, and I appreciate their raw performance. The TL, thankfully, is a different and much more complete automobile overall than any of those niche cars. Enjoy what you have!

very well put man

[navdhanju]

yeah.... i thought it might be the AWD. im not saying that my car suz or anything, i luv it. But i wish it was AWD or RWD at the least. That should be acura's next mission if anything. They should inroduce the RWD in the RL and go from there. Im sure they would get more business in retun if it was that way as well.

Thanx guys for ur input.

[theslik1]

I apologize if I implied that you were bashing your car...all I meant was that other drivers with TL's might start with the "why can't I beat a XXXXX?", and we just don't need to go there. If you're going to race your car against ANYONE, you have to know at least three things: Your car's capabilities, your capabilities as a driver, and most importantly...KNOW YOUR COMPETITION. There are plenty of drivers with "fast" cars that are getting their asses handed to them by Neons (SRT-4's). They have no clue that Dodge is making a 19K pocket rocket with 230hp/250ft-lbs stock at the wheels.

The TL is a highly capable automobile, within a year or so you'll see a few truly fast modded examples on the street, but don't expect 12 second TL's to be commonplace.

Which reminds me...one of the Fast 'n' Furious faves...the Mark IV Supra turbo...is notorious for being a dog off the line (relative to its horsepower) due to its independent rear suspension setup. However, the brutality of the Supra from a roll is undisputed, especially in the 500hp+ range. Personally, I would be happy with a TL that consistently runs low 14's but traps at 110 mph or better, which seems odd but I prefer having "highway" power available at the top end vice having a killer 60' time.