I took the 4Motion around Croft Circuit today.

[PhatVR6 0]

I use the Mk4 as a daily car and my Corrado is my project car, BUT seeing as the corrado is a pile of bits I thought I'd take the mk4 out.

 

Breif Spec

 

2001 V6 4motion, BDE engine (I took the 3.2 out and sold it, I need the money in order to keep the mk4)

K&N panel filter

Milltek R32 race cats

 

Full R32 supsension, including ARB's, quick ratio rack, cast wishbones, the lot.

 

18" R32 OZ aristos with pirelli pzero rosso tyres.

 

Carbon fibre bonnet.

 

Got there really early, as I wanted to change the wheels. I'd borrowed a set of 17" Compomotive MO's, with my old Toyo R888's on them. fitted 3 of them, then found out that one (typically, the last bloody one) had not been machined right, and the cnetre bore was too small to fit over the hub. so, back to my road wheels......

 

First session was pap. I had a steering angle sensor fault, so the 4wd and esp wasn't working. it was understerring like a wet pig, absolutely awful. Luckily, Allan Fishburn, from The Golf Centre, DArlington was on hand with his VAG-COM so I recalibrated the sensor to get the 4wd working again. I can honestly say that I will NEVER won another FWD car, it's absolute crap, I cannot stand understeer.

 

2nd session again was a bit poor, no grip. Came in, front NS tyre had no writing on the side of it!! checks pressure, 14psi!! oops! pumped em up to 30 and tried again.

 

Much better now. I tried a few laps without the ESP on (as it's never worked sine I bought the car!) but I was still struggling with the psychologic barrier of keeping off the gas until I could see the exit on the tight bends, so I resorted to putting the ESP on, which cleverly lets you keep your foot flat ont he floor and doesn't even let the tyres squeak. Extremely impressive system! I barely got the car out of shape all day, and only had one sideways moment, which I was lucky enought to catch. Well, I applied an arm full of oppsosite lock, then instantly though "no!! that's too much, it's going to snap the other way now" when the whel snatched out of my hands, immediately taking off half a turn, which was perfect to correct the slide! very lucky, it must have looked ace! It's not like it does the driving for you, you still have to be good with the steering and your line otherwise it just kills the power and the engine bogs down something rotten, and a 1550KG car with only 204BHP takes some dragging from 60mph.

 

On the early sessions I was getting passed quite a bit, but I was happy to be at the back where I was free to feel my way and get a feel for the car and the track. by session 3 i was well in the pace. come session 4, I started out 2nd, made 1st by the 3rd lap, and the only car that caught me was a radical SR3 with a Hyabusa engine in it. It took the whole 20 minute session before one of the RS4's caught up, then he kept falling off trying to keep up!

 

What I was finding frustrating were the straight line heros. all the gimps with wound up turbos who can't really drive properly. I spent a whole session pushing an MTM badged Audi A3 20FSI sport quattro around, simply becasue he had about 270bhp so I couldn't touch him on the straights, and you're not allowed to pass on the bends. On another session I was having the same trouble with a flame spiting chipped up Ibiza Cupra R. But I nipped past him when he pulled over to let the radical past. He'd held me up for 5 laps, getting in my way on the bends, but then blasting down the straights and pulling away from me. I passed him, shut him out when he tried to pass me on the start/finish straight, and then pulled a good 200 yards on him within a lap. It was amusing watching him literlly smoking the inside front wheel trying to get the power down on the tight bends, and he was braking for literally TWICE the distance I was, but because his car was "fast" he just would not give in and let me past. That's just bad etiquette, and people should get blcak flagged for it because you end up doing an "illegal" overtake to get past them.

 

As for my car, well, I can say I'm EXTREMELY impressed with the handling and traction. it's such a well balanced car, and so easy to drive absolutely flat out. It was foot to the floor all the way from tower to sunny in. I saw 120 on the speedo several times, cornering at those speeds is simply incredible, and made the day for me.

 

On the downsides, it have to say that the 312mm brakes are utter crap. I had the same problem with the 288's on the corrado around donnington. a few good laps and they've gone. Lap 1, they are warming up. Lap 2 and 3 they are spot on, and the abs is doing it's job well when you need it. come lap 4 and you are lifting out of the seat your pressing on the pedal so hard, but the pads have cooked so much that the ABS isn't even kicking in as there's no bite left. actally wore a set of pads out in 4 sessions and had to fit some more, the inside pad on the drivers side was right through to the metal, knackered.

 

So, all I really needed was more power, and better brakes, which leaves me thinking that I should have fitted the R32 brakes and left the 3.2 in it!!! I'm going to rebuild the original engine with my spare R32 crank and head DOH! Along with fitting an LPG kit. I was getting 10.3mpg. that's only 170miles, on £60 worth of BP ultimate.

 

The look on peoples faces when they saw it was "only" a 4motion was priceless. Stealthy cars, great fun.

 

So now I know I can take the piss out of 300bhp R32's driven by unskilled mongs I just can't wait to have a full on mental corrado track car, it's going to be ballistic.

[Sc0rian 0]

sounds like a good day out mate...

 

Here are some videos:

 

http://sc0rian.com/vids/MOV02209.MPG

 

http://sc0rian.com/vids/MOV02210.MPG

[PhatVR6 0]

note the elise

 

thats one lap after another. look at how much I gain on him!

 

thanks to coxylaad for the camera skills and geordie commentary...like,, y'knaa,, marra.

[CoxyLaad 0]

Just to back up what Mr H says. I was utterly astounded by the lateral G forces that car could generate at such high speed, and not even squeak a tyre.

 

The first time we went round that top section of the track I nearly cacked my pants on the last corner! It looked like a sharp 90 degree right hander, and he had his foot to the floor for the last 4 corners, up to 110 ish, and the mental get shifted up to the next gear! the car just tucked its nose in and hammered round.

 

Imense! 300 times better than any fairground ride!

[PhatVR6 0]

balls, posted wrong vid.

 

will get the right one up shortly.

[rolex 0]

im just grining reading your write up, sounds like you had a blast :)

[CoxyLaad 0]

sorry for the 'canny bag O tuda' commentry, I forgot it had sound too!

[chrishill 0]

he look on peoples faces when they saw it was "only" a 4motion was priceless. Stealthy cars, great fun.

 

Driver skill obviously plays a big part, If you're on a track you should know all about apex's and braking/accerating points however I doubt many people can use that knowladge to their advantage in an adrenaline filled track situation. sounds to me like you've got a knack for it!

 

It looked like a sharp 90 degree right hander, and he had his foot to the floor for the last 4 corners, up to 110 ish, and the mental get shifted up to the next gear!

 

of course being slightly unhinged helps too ;)

[billinjah 0]

your not allowed to pass on the bends?! are all car mince days like that then? bike track days thats where you overtake all the time especially if your on a slower bike.

[PhatVR6 0]

yeah, bikers use their mirrors. daft young lad in their "souped up" ibiza's don't. so to avoid the situation of there being a possibilit of them not seeing you, you are meant to wait until they confirm this by signalling to the right.

 

of course, when you've killed you brakes, you sometimes can't help overtaking them and driving aroudn the outside on a bend!

 

just heard a rumour that the ibiza in question is gay and all his mates can't handle the truth

[chrishill 0]

cars quick, he isnt ;)

 

no amount of fettling can replace superiour drivers skills

[PhatVR6 0]

one monged brake pad!

 

 

me and coxy. probably somewhere near a 110mph+ corner by the looks of the lean (on the body roll and the occupants!)

 

 

ooh, carbon bonnet.

 

Shame there were no Corrado's there, I'd have liked to see a performance comparison between the corrado's and the other cars out on track.

[CoxyLaad 0]

cool pictures! 8)

 

point to note is that is actually the 'pad' side of the brake pad on show :shock:

[24V Renshaw 0]

Oh I so need to get out on track. :)

 

Jay

[The Oracle 0]

just heard a rumour that the ibiza in question has an IHI turbo and 350bhp, and the owner is know for constantly bragging about how quick it is on the forums....I think I need to find out if htis is true and put him right

 

You heard wrong then. Once again Horracks caught out talking bollocks. Stick to crashing your car into pub car park walls. What a donkey you really are. Give yourself a bloody good shake, you were spanked on the straights by a k03 chipped ibiza 195bhp with shagged brakes and a track newbie. Get your car looked at if it had been a 350bhp IHI ibiza you would have been lapped fool. LOL.

 

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=86384

[chrishill 0]

ahh friendly interforum relations....

[The Oracle 0]

LOL true, but in a fairness its best to get the facts RIGHT.......confirm them 100

[chrishill 0]

simular power in a lighter car, I'm not 'too' suprised the ibiza had the edge on the strights, and in fairness to Paul he did say he'd 'heard rumour' it was an 350bhp IHI, not that it definatly was. I dont think he was casting aspersions about a tuned up ibiza being slow, more that the driver wasnt so hot which if he was a track newbie, appears to be right. Also explains his mistakes in track etiquette.

[The Oracle 0]

So its not track etiquette to drive as fast as you can in the twistys holding people up. But it is track etiquette to block someone on the main straight who is quicker and in a postion to overtake. double standards springs to mind.

 

They were told overtaking on the 2 main straights only. 2 wrongs dont make a right.

[CoxyLaad 0]

wow, check out mr angry.

 

You dont have to state that a 200bhp seat ibiza is going to comfortably outdrag 200bhp lardarsed mk4 in a straight line. Not really much of an achievement is it.

I didnt realise there was such rivalry between VW and Seat owners?

 

I dont understand the bitterness, I was there too, and watched all these events, and it was clear the lad in the ibiza was really enjoying himself, which is the point of track days is it not?

 

As for track etiquette, as far as I am concerned if I am holding someone up over the course of a lap I would feel obliged to pull over and let him past regardless of whether I was faster on the straights or not. Its not really fair to spoil someone elses enjoyment by making them queue up behind you. In fact it would be a challenge to let them past and try to hang onto the back of them.

 

Good day though, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[The Oracle 0]

What I was finding frustrating were the straight line heros. all the gimps with wound up turbos who can't really drive properly. I spent a whole session pushing an MTM badged Audi A3 20FSI sport quattro around, simply becasue he had about 270bhp so I couldn't touch him on the straights, and you're not allowed to pass on the bends. On another session I was having the same trouble with a flame spiting chipped up Ibiza Cupra R. But I nipped past him when he pulled over to let the radical past. He'd held me up for 5 laps, getting in my way on the bends, but then blasting down the straights and pulling away from me. I passed him, shut him out when he tried to pass me on the start/finish straight, and then pulled a good 200 yards on him within a lap. It was amusing watching him literlly smoking the inside front wheel trying to get the power down on the tight bends, and he was braking for literally TWICE the distance I was, but because his car was "fast" he just would not give in and let me past. That's just bad etiquette, and people should get blcak flagged for it because you end up doing an "illegal" overtake to get past them.

 

The look on peoples faces when they saw it was "only" a 4motion was priceless. Stealthy cars, great fun.

 

So now I know I can take the piss out of 300bhp R32's driven by unskilled mongs I just can't wait to have a full on mental corrado track car, it's going to be ballistic.

 

 

Not angry but if you cant see the double standards and total lack of respect for others in this above text your being blinkered. He wanted on track respect yet never showed it himself and then reverts to calling people mongs etc. What was noticed by many was the red Ibiza cupra lapping 3 seconds a lap quicker than Mr Horrocks even though it was 2 up with a knackered maf, but no one felt the need to blanket post these facts across many Vag forums.

[Morpheus 0]

So its not track etiquette to drive as fast as you can in the twistys holding people up. But it is track etiquette to block someone on the main straight who is quicker and in a postion to overtake. double standards springs to mind.

Any fool can drive a 4wheel drive car Fast with all its electronic gizmos doing all the hard work for you.

I've seen first hand Mr horrock's driving skills in a Mild powered Vr6 Mk2 golf with front wheel drive going backwards across a central reservation and into oncoming traffic (which he missed),just to end up parking it into a pub wall. :lol:

 

Don't think its Mr H's driving skills that should be praised but the fact that the 4motion is a good car capable of putting 204bhp to the road where it matters with the right mods.

 

The blue ibiza he refers to was driven by a young lad with no track experience whatsoever.

Its only mods are ko3 chipped with decat(hence the flames)194bhp.

 

Driving etiquette was breached by both from what i saw with Mr H being the worst offender.

 

Cutting someone up down the straight at 120mph is not clever ,whereas all the blue ibiza did was make him work a bit harder to get passed through the corners.

 

If your driving skills are so superior paul you should have got past sooner and enjoyed the fact you had to work for it instead of getting your facts/untruths wrong.

 

Also Mike (YOUR MATE)came over asking about what the mods were on the blue ibiza so i know for a fact you were informed of its mods 'cos i spent the best part of 20 mins talking to him and telling him.

 

BAD form on your part ...... :mad:

[Morpheus 0]

wow, check out mr angry.

 

You dont have to state that a 200bhp seat ibiza is going to comfortably outdrag 200bhp lardarsed mk4 in a straight line. Not really much of an achievement is it.

I didnt realise there was such rivalry between VW and Seat owners?

 

I dont understand the bitterness, I was there too, and watched all these events, and it was clear the lad in the ibiza was really enjoying himself, which is the point of track days is it not?

 

As for track etiquette, as far as I am concerned if I am holding someone up over the course of a lap I would feel obliged to pull over and let him past regardless of whether I was faster on the straights or not. Its not really fair to spoil someone elses enjoyment by making them queue up behind you. In fact it would be a challenge to let them past and try to hang onto the back of them.

 

Good day though, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Totally agree m8.

No rivalry between vw and seat or any of the other vag cars.

Just Paul being a tool (as usual.) and trying to BIG himself up (as usual).

[CoxyLaad 0]

I am really supprised that the purple ibiza only had 195bhp mind... the enormous intercooler on show and the way it was accelerating away from almost everything else on the straights made me think it would have a bit more. Didnt look any slower in a straight line than the red one to be honest. Just looking I would have said it had to be pushing 250 - 270bhp.

 

Not angry but if you cant see the double standards and total lack of respect for others in this above text your being blinkered.

 

I see what you mean, and I have to say I might have wrote it a little different (lol) but, I have to say that pauls bad manouevre was bourne out of frustration from Si's bad form. As you say two wrongs do not make a right, but what would you do in that situation? knowing that the car that is about to nip past you at the end of the straight is going to hold you up for the rest of the lap?

 

If your driving skills are so superior paul you should have got past sooner and enjoyed the fact you had to work for it instead of getting your facts/untruths wrong.

 

That would be a fair comment had the rules not stated that you could only overtake on the straights...correct me if I am wrong on that one cos I am not 100 percent sure, but you have stated this very fact a couple of posts previously...

[Morpheus 0]

The Fmic is a forge one rated to 300bhp and was put on ready for it getting IHI'd in 2 weeks.(aquamist getting fitted too)

Believe me its only 194bhp.

Red one was 230bhp which was quicker than paul .

A 350 bhp one would have lapped him for sure.

 

I was there last year in my IHI'd ibiza and i was lapping R32's.

Will let you work that one out. :wink: