FITT-Hot Hatch Tuning Challenge - Final Results are in!

[brian wolf]

Thank you, didn't even think about the ride height and throttle use for testing the LSD in the logger.
Just an observation I've made with the tuning i'e been doing the ride height on the drives also seems to impact the LSD setting and which wheel spins out first. Maybe with this logger we can tell why.

@Motor City Hami I agree with ya that is some advanced thinking on Brian's part.

Hallelujah! I'm done with testing. I'm going to double post here unless I get tree'd, But i refuse to post a reply and the test results in the same post it just clutters it up.

Cheers! Higher ride height = more body roll = unloading inside wheel maybe? i do tend to add FC suspension, which would lower the car, before tuning LSD. Maybe the LSD need basic tuning with stock suspension then fine tuned later.

 

[biffa3]

Testing for Spec class complete and as follows.

All cars tested for 10 minutes (completed lap after passing through time barrier, as per F1 qualifying!!), using DS3 (pad, not stick). All aids off except ABS 1 and driving line, using automatic transmission.

Listed as per tuner post.

@brian wolf
Time - 1:33:490
DC - 8
Good turn in, good rotation. Easy to get the power down on exit. Good effort.

@DaBomb
Time - 1:33:472
DC - 6
Struggled to adjust to this one after Brian's. A bit of understeer present and noticed the noise of the tyres. If you can hit your lines consistently it will provide good times. Not much room for error.

@donpost
Time - 1:32:800
DC - 7
Good turn in and easy to throw around providing you stay off the kerbs. Slow in fast out the best policy here.

@jules283
Time - 1:32:720
DC - 7.5
Good solid tune with a hint of understeer if you are too quick into the corners. Handled the change of direction well.

@krenkme
Time - 1:32:685
DC - 9
Does exactly what you want it to, which is something i've come to expect from this tuner. Easy to get on the power, good through the corners. Flows very nicely.

@Ridox2JZGTE
Time - 1:33:682
DC - 6
Struggled to get this car to turn in when I wanted it to, and it would push wide when accelerating out of the corner.

@shaunm80
Time - 1:32:875
DC - 7
Nice car to drive but easy to lose your way with it. Took some getting used to and the fastest lap was the last.

@xande1959
Time - 1:33:116
DC - 7
Good turn in and rotation. A little understeer when getting on the power. Solid tune.

@787B
Time - 1:32:871
DC - 7
Another car that I took a while to grow into. Each lap was quicker than the last though. Easy to get through the corners with a good change of direction.

 

[shaunm80]

List order is the same as the order posted by @Bowtie-muscle found here.

All testing done in arcade mode grip=Real ABS=1 only aid active. All cars received the same treatment for laps. 5 laps to learn the tune. Brands Hatch GP is a devil track for me, So after the 5 lap learning period I gave each car up to 10 laps, till I put a good lap together on this one. So some may get 4 laps some may get 10. The 1st, 6th and 13th corners are my testers if the car takes them turns like a champ it’s solid, if I have continuous problems with them there I deem something amiss with the tune. * barring me knowing it’s not driver error lol* For FF cars is use the term TLOR throttle lift off rotation in place of BLOR as BLOR not as much of a factor in FF cars.


@backnfourth - Golf V GTi '05

Fastest Lap;1:39.842 Drivers Choice; 8

Impressions of the tune;This car was solid from the get go. It was balanced, great grip at entry and mid corner and for a FF excellent grip at exit. I felt confident in this car. I knew I could throw it in a corner lay on the gas and it would stick. Not sure why I couldn't get a faster time with this car I just couldn't make it go faster.


Bobby Steel - Golf IV GTi '01

Fastest Lap;1:42.438 Drivers Choice; 5

Impressions of the tune; Well balanced, great turn in. It just has low grip throughout the corner. The acceleration is very good,early shifting definitely helped this car get up and go. I just couldn’t make it go faster, it felt like a semi-drift tune where it’s in it element with a driver that could slide the car through the corners but I don’t got the skill to do that with any reliability.


@Bowtie-muscle - Scirocco R '10

Fastest Lap;1:39.580 Drivers Choice; 8.5

Impressions of the tune; This car was light on it’s feet so to speak, almost to light, it had great turn in and grip on entry-mid corner, I found exit grip a little on the light side. I did find that this car didn't like having it’s tail tapped on curbs. I had more than a few great laps go out the window cause I tapped the tail on a curb. I found the TLOR hard to control in this car, it either didn't happen or happened so fast I spun the car. I could tell there was more in this car I just couldn't find it, maybe a better driver will. The LSD was done very with this car, allowed for great turn in and control on exit. But caused mid corner understeer.


@brian wolf - Ibiza Cupra '04

Fastest Lap;1:40.711 Drivers Choice; 6

Impressions of the tune; Try as I might I could not keep the tail on check with this car. It was stable in the slides but it would slide into every corner costing speed and time. The LSD was tuned very well helped pull the car outta the slides and drive it out of corners very well. The transmission was spot on for the car. I just could not keep the tail from flying out in turns 1, 8 and 12 which are the ones at the ends of the high speed straights.


@DigitalBaka - Scirocco R '10

Fastest Lap;1:39.980 Drivers Choice; 6.5

Impressions of the tune; Well rounded tune, great rotation, excellent balance. I found corner entry had to be cautious due to low entry-mid corner grip, exit grip was fantastic and I could really attack the corners from just after the apex. No matter what I tried the low entry grip slowed this car down and I couldn’t find anymore time in this car. The LSD was set up to allow for great exit and turn in but caused understeer if the throttle was used too soon after the apex.


@DolHaus - C30 R-Design '09

Fastest Lap;1:42.398 Drivers Choice; 6

Impressions of the tune; Well balanced, turns well, just lacks entry-mid corner grip which slowed me down, exit grip was very good. Overall this car was very well tuned, I just couldn’t get it to go fast. It did suffer from short-transmission-ites I was hitting the redline with 50 yards to go on the back straight, the shorter transmission did make for some great acceleration out of the car but in the end I think it hurt the time.


@Motor City Hami - Scirocco R '10

Fastest Lap;1:39.250 Drivers Choice; 9

Impressions of the tune; This tune looked odd when I plugged it in, but man did it fly. Grip was fantastic throughout the corners. I did find a touch of understeer on entry but once I adjusted for it, it was no issue at all. I found the TLOR to be easily controlled and very helpful. The listed Final gear was a tad long, but still this car still ended up being the fastest at the end of the back straight by a couple km/h. The LSD set up on this car was done in a way that allowed for aggressive exit attack, it would cause understeer if too much throttle was used too soon.


@oppositelock - Clio R.S. '11

Fastest Lap;1:40.226 Drivers Choice; 8

Impressions of the tune; The question with this tune was how brave was I? the harder I pushed the faster it went. It was stable and consistent in the mid 1:40’s I could tell there was more in this I just couldn’t keep the lap together to get it. There a bit of understeer on entry otherwise it had great grip throughout the turn.


@Otaliema - Scirocco R '10

Fastest Lap;1:39.221 Drivers Choice; 9

Impressions of the tune; Stable good recovery, very good grip throughout the turn, late mid-exit grip was little light compared to some of the other tunes, this caused slower exit speeds, the TLOR was present and easy to control. The transmission was on the short side causing a large amount of shifting and hurt the time due to limiting the top speed to much. The LSD was set up to allow you to just stand on the gas in most turns and it would rotate around the turn.


@Ridox2JZGTE - Ibiza Cupra '04

Fastest Lap;1:40.864 Drivers Choice; 8.5

Impressions of the tune; Don’t ask me how or why but camber worked very well on this car, it helped it rotate and slip the corners. But ultimately it hurt the time as it caused a good amount of understeer that I couldn’t make up for. The transmission was spot on, the LSD was set great. The only place I found the tune to be struggling was mid corner, it would understeer heaviley under throttle.

Bonus testing; Removed the camber logged a time of 1:40.350


@shaunm80 - Mini Cooper S '11

Fastest Lap;1:40.141 Drivers Choice; 9.5

Impressions of the tune; Planted stable and consistent. All my laps were within a half second of each other. The only place this little car fell short was top speed and acceleration. I have a feeling if this had be a short track challenge this car would be first or right there with first place. I couldn’t do anything other than brake late to ruin a lap. This car and this tune have been moved to my Apec use due to it’s consistency and reliability to put out the same laps every time.


@Woodski_427 - Ibiza Cupra '04

Fastest Lap;1:4.525 Drivers Choice; 7

Impressions of the tune; Great race tune, very stable very consistent very reliable, just not fast. I had to coast into turns as I couldn’t use the brakes or throttle during turn in. So entry grip was very loose. Mid-exit grip was fantastic and I could power my way through the corners and come out of them like a bat outta *&$@ but the signifgantly reduced entrance speed hurt the time. If I drove it in deep it wouldn’t stick and I found myself spining or drifting out.


@xande1959 - Clio R.S. '11

Fastest Lap;1:40.345 Drivers Choice; 6

Impressions of the tune; This car at first was very stable took the corners like a champ then it got loose. I noticed that the rear tires went cold. Meaning the front of this car was doing all the work and the rear was just holding it off the ground. During the first two laps of a set the car was great, excellent in turns from entry to exit. I could stand on the gas and get around the corners, and it just stuck to the pavement. If I ran more than two laps the car developed major understeer the tail would slide unexpectedly, and I would frequently hit the dirt. The transmission was a bit long I never really used 6th gear.

Many thanks for the review. Good to see I have learnt from my previous gear issues from the first challenge I entered

 

[DolHaus]

@DolHaus - C30 R-Design '09

Fastest Lap;1:42.398 Drivers Choice; 6

Impressions of the tune; Well balanced, turns well, just lacks entry-mid corner grip which slowed me down, exit grip was very good. Overall this car was very well tuned, I just couldn’t get it to go fast. It did suffer from short-transmission-ites I was hitting the redline with 50 yards to go on the back straight, the shorter transmission did make for some great acceleration out of the car but in the end I think it hurt the time.

Thank you for the review, I never really had high hopes for the Volvo but I figured I'd give it a go lol

 

[Otaliema]

@shaunm80 I didn't mention it in the review but the transmission was done very well, just about perfect for the car. The mini just doesn't have the same acceleration as the Sicrocco none of them did.

Thank you for the review, I never really had high hopes for the Volvo but I figured I'd give it a go lol

I'm sure a bettter driver that can get the front end under control will put down a better time. It was just a bit too loose on the entry for me to really lay down a good lap. Other wise that was a great car.

 

[brian wolf]

List order is the same as the order posted by @Bowtie-muscle found here.

All testing done in arcade mode grip=Real ABS=1 only aid active. All cars received the same treatment for laps. 5 laps to learn the tune. Brands Hatch GP is a devil track for me, So after the 5 lap learning period I gave each car up to 10 laps, till I put a good lap together on this one. So some may get 4 laps some may get 10. The 1st, 6th and 13th corners are my testers if the car takes them turns like a champ it’s solid, if I have continuous problems with them there I deem something amiss with the tune. * barring me knowing it’s not driver error lol* For FF cars is use the term TLOR throttle lift off rotation in place of BLOR as BLOR not as much of a factor in FF cars.


@backnfourth - Golf V GTi '05

Fastest Lap;1:39.842 Drivers Choice; 8

Impressions of the tune;This car was solid from the get go. It was balanced, great grip at entry and mid corner and for a FF excellent grip at exit. I felt confident in this car. I knew I could throw it in a corner lay on the gas and it would stick. Not sure why I couldn't get a faster time with this car I just couldn't make it go faster.


Bobby Steel - Golf IV GTi '01

Fastest Lap;1:42.438 Drivers Choice; 5

Impressions of the tune; Well balanced, great turn in. It just has low grip throughout the corner. The acceleration is very good,early shifting definitely helped this car get up and go. I just couldn’t make it go faster, it felt like a semi-drift tune where it’s in it element with a driver that could slide the car through the corners but I don’t got the skill to do that with any reliability.


@Bowtie-muscle - Scirocco R '10

Fastest Lap;1:39.580 Drivers Choice; 8.5

Impressions of the tune; This car was light on it’s feet so to speak, almost to light, it had great turn in and grip on entry-mid corner, I found exit grip a little on the light side. I did find that this car didn't like having it’s tail tapped on curbs. I had more than a few great laps go out the window cause I tapped the tail on a curb. I found the TLOR hard to control in this car, it either didn't happen or happened so fast I spun the car. I could tell there was more in this car I just couldn't find it, maybe a better driver will. The LSD was done very with this car, allowed for great turn in and control on exit. But caused mid corner understeer.


@brian wolf - Ibiza Cupra '04

Fastest Lap;1:40.711 Drivers Choice; 6

Impressions of the tune; Try as I might I could not keep the tail on check with this car. It was stable in the slides but it would slide into every corner costing speed and time. The LSD was tuned very well helped pull the car outta the slides and drive it out of corners very well. The transmission was spot on for the car. I just could not keep the tail from flying out in turns 1, 8 and 12 which are the ones at the ends of the high speed straights.


@DigitalBaka - Scirocco R '10

Fastest Lap;1:39.980 Drivers Choice; 6.5

Impressions of the tune; Well rounded tune, great rotation, excellent balance. I found corner entry had to be cautious due to low entry-mid corner grip, exit grip was fantastic and I could really attack the corners from just after the apex. No matter what I tried the low entry grip slowed this car down and I couldn’t find anymore time in this car. The LSD was set up to allow for great exit and turn in but caused understeer if the throttle was used too soon after the apex.


@DolHaus - C30 R-Design '09

Fastest Lap;1:42.398 Drivers Choice; 6

Impressions of the tune; Well balanced, turns well, just lacks entry-mid corner grip which slowed me down, exit grip was very good. Overall this car was very well tuned, I just couldn’t get it to go fast. It did suffer from short-transmission-ites I was hitting the redline with 50 yards to go on the back straight, the shorter transmission did make for some great acceleration out of the car but in the end I think it hurt the time.


@Motor City Hami - Scirocco R '10

Fastest Lap;1:39.250 Drivers Choice; 9

Impressions of the tune; This tune looked odd when I plugged it in, but man did it fly. Grip was fantastic throughout the corners. I did find a touch of understeer on entry but once I adjusted for it, it was no issue at all. I found the TLOR to be easily controlled and very helpful. The listed Final gear was a tad long, but still this car still ended up being the fastest at the end of the back straight by a couple km/h. The LSD set up on this car was done in a way that allowed for aggressive exit attack, it would cause understeer if too much throttle was used too soon.


@oppositelock - Clio R.S. '11

Fastest Lap;1:40.226 Drivers Choice; 8

Impressions of the tune; The question with this tune was how brave was I? the harder I pushed the faster it went. It was stable and consistent in the mid 1:40’s I could tell there was more in this I just couldn’t keep the lap together to get it. There a bit of understeer on entry otherwise it had great grip throughout the turn.


@Otaliema - Scirocco R '10

Fastest Lap;1:39.221 Drivers Choice; 9

Impressions of the tune; Stable good recovery, very good grip throughout the turn, late mid-exit grip was little light compared to some of the other tunes, this caused slower exit speeds, the TLOR was present and easy to control. The transmission was on the short side causing a large amount of shifting and hurt the time due to limiting the top speed to much. The LSD was set up to allow you to just stand on the gas in most turns and it would rotate around the turn.


@Ridox2JZGTE - Ibiza Cupra '04

Fastest Lap;1:40.864 Drivers Choice; 8.5

Impressions of the tune; Don’t ask me how or why but camber worked very well on this car, it helped it rotate and slip the corners. But ultimately it hurt the time as it caused a good amount of understeer that I couldn’t make up for. The transmission was spot on, the LSD was set great. The only place I found the tune to be struggling was mid corner, it would understeer heaviley under throttle.

Bonus testing; Removed the camber logged a time of 1:40.350


@shaunm80 - Mini Cooper S '11

Fastest Lap;1:40.141 Drivers Choice; 9.5

Impressions of the tune; Planted stable and consistent. All my laps were within a half second of each other. The only place this little car fell short was top speed and acceleration. I have a feeling if this had be a short track challenge this car would be first or right there with first place. I couldn’t do anything other than brake late to ruin a lap. This car and this tune have been moved to my Apec use due to it’s consistency and reliability to put out the same laps every time.


@Woodski_427 - Ibiza Cupra '04

Fastest Lap;1:4.525 Drivers Choice; 7

Impressions of the tune; Great race tune, very stable very consistent very reliable, just not fast. I had to coast into turns as I couldn’t use the brakes or throttle during turn in. So entry grip was very loose. Mid-exit grip was fantastic and I could power my way through the corners and come out of them like a bat outta *&$@ but the signifgantly reduced entrance speed hurt the time. If I drove it in deep it wouldn’t stick and I found myself spining or drifting out.


@xande1959 - Clio R.S. '11

Fastest Lap;1:40.345 Drivers Choice; 6

Impressions of the tune; This car at first was very stable took the corners like a champ then it got loose. I noticed that the rear tires went cold. Meaning the front of this car was doing all the work and the rear was just holding it off the ground. During the first two laps of a set the car was great, excellent in turns from entry to exit. I could stand on the gas and get around the corners, and it just stuck to the pavement. If I ran more than two laps the car developed major understeer the tail would slide unexpectedly, and I would frequently hit the dirt. The transmission was a bit long I never really used 6th gear.

Great work with the reviews! I was a little worried about the ballast making the rear too unstable for all driving styles, but i left it how i had it when i did my fastest lap in testing. I had a great time tuning and testing this car!!

 

[brian wolf]

Testing for Spec class complete and as follows.

All cars tested for 10 minutes (completed lap after passing through time barrier, as per F1 qualifying!!), using DS3 (pad, not stick). All aids off except ABS 1 and driving line, using automatic transmission.

Listed as per tuner post.

@brian wolf
Time - 1:33:490
DC - 8
Good turn in, good rotation. Easy to get the power down on exit. Good effort.

@DaBomb
Time - 1:33:472
DC - 6
Struggled to adjust to this one after Brian's. A bit of understeer present and noticed the noise of the tyres. If you can hit your lines consistently it will provide good times. Not much room for error.

@donpost
Time - 1:32:800
DC - 7
Good turn in and easy to throw around providing you stay off the kerbs. Slow in fast out the best policy here.

@jules283
Time - 1:32:720
DC - 7.5
Good solid tune with a hint of understeer if you are too quick into the corners. Handled the change of direction well.

@krenkme
Time - 1:32:685
DC - 9
Does exactly what you want it to, which is something i've come to expect from this tuner. Easy to get on the power, good through the corners. Flows very nicely.

@Ridox2JZGTE
Time - 1:33:682
DC - 6
Struggled to get this car to turn in when I wanted it to, and it would push wide when accelerating out of the corner.

@shaunm80
Time - 1:32:875
DC - 7
Nice car to drive but easy to lose your way with it. Took some getting used to and the fastest lap was the last.

@xande1959
Time - 1:33:116
DC - 7
Good turn in and rotation. A little understeer when getting on the power. Solid tune.

@787B
Time - 1:32:871
DC - 7
Another car that I took a while to grow into. Each lap was quicker than the last though. Easy to get through the corners with a good change of direction.

Good Work @biffa3. Top reviewing!

edit : sorry double post! wont happen again

 

[Woodski_427]

@Otaliema I'm happy with how you found my car, exactly what I thought of it! You've missed the critical digit from the time though.

 

[Otaliema]

@Otaliema I'm happy with how you found my car, exactly what I thought of it! You've missed the critical digit from the time though.

Fixxed sorry about that, my laptop has a twitchy keyboard.

 

[Bowtie-muscle]

@Otaliema isn't it not the right thing to give the host a half second head start?.....Just kidding, thanks for the review, hope to get mine done later or tomorrow. Mid corner issue with mine?

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

@Ridox2JZGTE
Time - 1:33:682
DC - 6
Struggled to get this car to turn in when I wanted it to, and it would push wide when accelerating out of the corner.

I was expecting the understeer , as I used a replica setup from another car, some kind of experiment I made the car tight as a result and the car requires trail braking, lift off and careful planning to attack the corners - especially the 1st corner and the esses, also the big left curve has to be taken by out in out with precision - full throttle possible Maybe I would call it advanced learning car
By the way, that's a great time biffa 👍

@Ridox2JZGTE - Ibiza Cupra '04

Fastest Lap;1:40.864 Drivers Choice; 8.5

Impressions of the tune; Don’t ask me how or why but camber worked very well on this car, it helped it rotate and slip the corners. But ultimately it hurt the time as it caused a good amount of understeer that I couldn’t make up for. The transmission was spot on, the LSD was set great. The only place I found the tune to be struggling was mid corner, it would understeer heaviley under throttle.

Bonus testing; Removed the camber logged a time of 1:40.350

The camber at the rear was added to make the rear easier to rotate, but the car would still also be as good with zero camber. The understeer in mid corner can be lessened with more aggressive toe, and some changes on rear spring and damper I was thinking that you could break into 1:39s with the car.

Somehow I feel the car drive better online I did low 1:39s when we met, and when I tested again online, managed high 1:38s.

 

[Otaliema]

@Otaliema isn't it not the right thing to give the host a half second head start?.....Just kidding, thanks for the review, hope to get mine done later or tomorrow. Mid corner issue with mine?

I tried I just couldn't keep it on the track when I was flying too light on it's feet. The slightest change in grip on one the tires and I was fishing e.g. i got close to the edge. I know the review sounds contradictory in the it has great entry-mid grip but understeer with the LSD. If I went in full power let off and exited full power I would scream through corners, soon as I hit the gas I would start understeering. This is where I would encounter problems with the TLOR on hard corners I'd let off the gas ad find my self sideways, in the mid low I was fine and highs I could work the gas to stay stable. So turns 4 and 12 where the daemon corners for your tune in my hands.

The camber at the rear was added to make the rear easier to rotate, but the car would still also be as good with zero camber. The understeer in mid corner can be lessened with more aggressive toe, and some changes on rear spring and damper I was thinking that you could break into 1:39s with the car.

Somehow I feel the car drive better online I did low 1:39s when we met, and when I tested again online, managed high 1:38s.

I'm sure a better driver could do it. I can feel the willingness to go faster I just lack the skillz to get it.
My style is drive it in deep and hope it sticks -or- break early and power the turn currently camber plays against that style of driving.

 

[backnfourth]

FITT Spec MiTo Testing Results

All testing was done in Arcade Time Trial with grip set to real and all other course setting left on their default values. Cars were tested with automatic transmission and all aids off, except ABS: 1. Each tune received it's own MiTo. Set up was done in the same order for each with the transmission being purchased last. 2 rounds of testing were done and order of testing was randomized for each round. Each round consisted of 8 laps. For whatever reason when I wrote the comments I used the words 'push', 'pull', 'wide' and 'tight' a lot. Basically these terms refer to how the car felt behaved through turns, in particular mid corner and getting on the throttle for the exit.

@brian wolf
Fast Lap: 1:32.946
DC:8.5
Comments: Great fast lap tune. Higher variability in lap times and less forgiving if I missed the entry. Felt great when I got the slide into turns just right and then caught it with the throttle to pull through.

@DaBomm4
Fast Lap: 1:32.926
DC:9.5
Comments: Great braking and corner entry with quick and tight slide. Quick through the tight turns and easy to correct mistakes without losing time. Would push a little wide with full throttle on exit. Felt stable in control.

@donpost
Fast Lap: 1:32.876
DC:9
Comments: Excellent slide corner entry/mid corner and rotation felt great. Definitely a hot lap tune and more difficult to recover from mistakes. Would push a bit wide when I got on the throttle.

@jules283
Fast Lap: 1:33.053
DC:9
Comments: Very quick and responsive turn in with braking and partial throttle. Quick and consistent through the 1st sector. Felt very sharp in pretty much all phases. A tad bit wide on exit/mid corner, mostly noticed on the round a bout turn.

@krenkme
Fast Lap: 1:33.104
DC:8.5
Comments: Easy and smooth movements. Controllable slide. Easily corrected my mistakes. Rotation overall was not the best of the group but felt very cohesive and connected between braking, off throttle and on throttle.

@Ridox2JZGTE
Fast Lap: 1:33.705
DC:6.5
Comments: A bit of a learning curve, required very early braking and power through corners. Entry and mid corner were pretty wide but getting on throttle quick tightened rotation nicely and pulled car through the exit well. Staying on throttle made rotation tighter and smoother but still fairly slow to rotate.

@shaunm80
Fast Lap: 1:33.063
DC:8
Comments: All parts of a corner felt well connected. Getting on the throttle exiting corners did very well pulling rotation tight. Braking felt a bit heavy on the front and for corner entry the change of direction could feel too abrupt.

@xande1959
Fast Lap: 1:33.196
DC:9
Comments: Corner entry felt really good and sharp. Consistent and comfortable through the first sector. Getting on throttle pulled car tight through corner. A tad sluggish mid corner. Very easy to repeat consistent laps.

@787bcgr
Fast Lap: 1:33.877
DC: 6.5
Comments: Brake distance was great but felt heavy on the front which effected turn in. Tight and quick rotation when off throttle and good mid corner rotation. Exiting corners I felt like I was getting pushed wide.

All in all a great bunch of tunes and a whole lot of fun! Just finishing proofing my Hot Hatch results and will post those soon.

 

[krenkme]

Great job testers. 👍 when I have time, I will address you as such (because I'm supposed to ). Keep up the great work

 

[Bowtie-muscle]

Edit: Nevermind

 

[backnfourth]

FITT Hot Hatch Series Testing Results

All testing was done in Arcade Time Trial with grip set to real and all other course setting left on their default values. Cars were tested with automatic transmission and all aids off, except ABS: 1. 2 rounds of testing were done and order of testing was randomized for each round. The 1st round consisted of 10 laps and the 2nd round consisted of 6 laps. For whatever reason when I wrote the comments I used the words 'push', 'pull', 'wide' and 'tight' a lot. Basically these terms refer to how the car felt behaved through turns, in particular mid corner and getting on the throttle for the exit.

@backnfourth
Fast Lap: 1:37.817
DC: 9
Comments: Feels consistent and stable throughout lap. Good brake distance allows for early braking and powering through corners. Back end seems to want to rotate more but front end is a bit sluggish. Can get a bit wide through turns at times.

Bobby Steel
Fast Lap: 1:40.992
DC: 5.5
Comments: Required a slow in and fast out approach. Entry for low speed corners was consistent. Understeer mid corner and off throttle throughout track. Would pull tight very well on corner exit but lost traction and transmission would stutter exiting low speed corners. Felt it lacked overall speed and acceleration, maybe due to 5 speed transmission?

@Bowtie-muscle
Fast Lap: 1:38.072
DC: 7
Comments: The most fun and probably most consistent through turn 1 and always good sector 1 times. Steep learning curve. Braking was solid and helped with corner entry. Mid corner slide could be unpredictable and over rotate at times and getting on the throttle would turn the outer front tire red. When rotation was manageable corner exit was tight and with good speed. The back end just felt too floaty to be consistent.

@brian wolf
Fast Lap: 1:38.465
DC: 7
Comments: Braking led to the back end flying out consistently and was difficult to predict. Aside from that the car felt very comfortable. Turns were smooth from mid to exit when the entry was good and there was just the amount of understeer I personally like. Exiting low speed corners would get the front tires warming up but the transmission didn't sputter. Address those brakes and this car will be really quick.

@DigitalBaka
Fast Lap: 1:38.314
DC: 8
Comments: Consistent turn in and mid corner rotation. Felt very stable and was always in control. Some understeer exiting corner on full throttle but rotated very nicely with throttle control. Brake distance felt long so it was sometimes hard to get the right entry. Good traction on front wheels throughout track.

@DolHaus
Fast Lap: 1:39.466
DC: 6.5
Comments: Braking and off throttle rotation felt great. Handled the high speed corners after the long straight consistently very well with predictable rotation and much less understeer at higher speeds. Slide on corner entry was very manageable. Understeer on corner exit and tires would get toasty exiting low and mid speed corners. Transmission too short.

@Motor City Hami
Fast Lap: 1:37.899
DC: 8
Comments: A learning curve and tough to be consistent throughout lap. Rotation felt smooth most of the time and almost swivel-like (this was good at times and tough to handle at times). Occasionally felt like the rotation was 'rubber banding' back wide when I got on throttle mid corner/slide. I liked how the front end would dive into corners and the back would follow suit. One of the fastest through the wide turns after the long straight. Had to be very cautious with the brakes entering turn 1 or else I'd leave same massive skid marks.

@oppositelock
Fast Lap: 1:38.887 1:37.886
DC: 6.5 8.5
Comments: Overall rotation felt very good in all phases of turning. Entry and speed through low speed turns was very good. Transmission would consistently stutter when trying to change gears mostly exiting low speed turns. Easing onto throttle instead of slamming it out of turns greatly improved how the transmission responded I think it was too much weight shift that would sometimes make rotation entering a turn feel inconsistent. Felt like there was a little too much body roll/weight shift that affected changes in direction at times. I felt like a very good/comfortable amount of rotation is in the tune, it just didn't feel tied together.

@Otaliema
Fast Lap: 1:37.700
DC: 9
Comments: First things first, the car would squeal like a pig every lap when I exited turn 2 (no points deducted for this, but man it was an annoying sound.) There was a learning curve and tough to be consistent throughout laps. Despite that, most of my laps were very close to each other and I was able to pull off a lap where I hit pretty much every corner just right. I felt like the back end was doing more than it's fair share of rotation . I found I could 'catch' the rotation after a fairly predictable arc and get threw corners quick. Corner exit was sometimes a bit of a puzzle. Some corners it would pull tight, some it would push wide and then sometimes it would push before pulling.

@Ridox2JZGTE
Fast Lap: 1:38.842
DC: 8.5
Comments: Excellent and tight pull getting on the throttle exiting corners. Traction and front grip was excellent throughout the track and I felt I was powering through the gears with good speed. Understeer when off throttle entering or mid corner. Braking early and staying on the throttle as much as possible through corners made rotation through corner tight. Wanted the back end to be just a little more loose.

@shaunm80
Fast Lap: 1:39.267
DC: 9.5
Comments: I could have driven this for hours. Handling wise it was solid all around. Entry/mid/corner felt well connected and had great traction throughout track. Brakes felt a bit heavy on the front brake and slowed turn in a bit. The overall speed just wasn't there and felt a little slow getting up to speed. Somehow squeeze a little more out of that engine, maybe a transmission adjustment, and this would have been a perfect 10 for me .

@Woodski_427
Fast Lap: 1:39.188
DC: 8
Comments: Rotation through all phases of corner felt connected and pulled tight exiting, especially out of low speed corners. Could correct rotation well by coming off the throttle slightly. Lacked overall top speed and understeer showed up more in high speed corners.

@xande1959
Fast Lap: 1:38.089
DC: 8
Comments: Change of direction felt quick and 'darty' (in a good way). Good stability and control throughout track. Excellent top speed. Rotated well off throttle entering and mid corner. Some understeer on corner exit and loss of traction exiting low speed corners or when applying full throttle mid turn.

 

[Bowtie-muscle]

FITT Hot Hatch Tuning Challenge

My first time testing and I really enjoyed it, fun to see how others tuned and to see where I could have tried something different. All cars were given equal time, 10 laps each. Tested using DS3, Manual trans, ABS 1 and all others off. Grip set to Real In Arcade.

@backnfourth

1:38.865 DC - 8.5
Nice tune, good trans setup, I had the usual FWD issues. Little loose but once I learned what it wanted it was quite quick. Could have shaved more with a few more laps.

@Bobby Steel
1:42.178 DC - 5
Not enough rotation at all for me, I brake early usually and had to even earlier with this car. Would suggest changing camber to 0.0 front and rear and lowering downforce. Too much throttle and car would just not turn enough to carry any speed.

@Bowtie-muscle

1:38.223 DC - 8.5
Too soft on the dampers. Too long to get used to the tune after driving the others but still fast.
10 Laps chasing Hami' ghost and couldn't hold on.

@brian wolf

1:39.193 DC - 7.5
This was the most frustrating tune for me. I love the turn in, mid-corner rotation, gearing and handling overall but the brakes ruined this tune for me. Every good lap was ruined by the rear flying out if I gave just a little too much, other corners suffered from me trying to be careful. Lowering rear brake to 7 or 8 may have made better.

@DigitalBaka

1:38.491 DC - 8
Really really good tune. For me I think the brake settings should have been reversed. Less front, more rear may have made it just that little bit better. But I'm obviously not a Pro Tuner. Good job dusting off that worn out hat:tup:.

@DolHaus

1:40.730 DC - 7
I liked this tune but I was not able to get it to go faster. Needed a little more rotation so I could get on throttle sooner. More the car than the tuner I believe.

@Motor City Hami

1:38.046 DC 9
Let me apologize as this car was better than the time I got out of it. Easily an upper 1:37 tune with a better driver. Along with Otaliema's Scirocco, made me feel like my tune missed the mark a little.

@oppositelock

1.37.915 DC - 9
The fastest of the bunch. This car was my second choice but I went with the Scirocco. This tune was fast and fun. Had a slight on throttle push but easily manageable. Chased xande1959's ghost for 10 laps and only passed on the last to take the lead. Great job:tup:

@Otaliema

1.38.142 DC - 9
Fast great tune with a hint of looseness which I liked. Occassionally on throttle push but not a problem. Another tune where the driver failed as within 5 more laps I think a 1:37 was possible.

@Ridox2JZGTE

1:39.802 DC - 7.5
Good tune held back by the test driver, I really liked this tune and even the PINK paint. Just not enough speed thru the back section, took too long to get on throttle. But it was stable and comfortable for me.

@shaunm80

1:39.763 DC - 8.5

Call the police because you got robbed. This was BY FAR the best handling and most consistent car in the field. Very easy to drive and enjoy. Unfortunately it lost out on the back section as I watched backnfourth's ghost just pull away. Another track and this car may have been the winner.

@Woodski_427

1.39.564 DC - 7.5
Braking was the difference, get it right and I was fast, too late or too hard and the lap suffered. A good tune that handled real good for FWD.

@xande1959

1:38.025 DC - 8.5
Great fast fun tune that shocked me in a good way. Wheel spin present but after driving Base Model I could easily adjust. Would understeer on throttle until I found what she wanted. When I was good to her I was well rewarded. Was the fastest car until opposite lock which was tested right after. See his review. Great Job

 

[oppositelock]

Thanks for the reviews, guys.


Nice driving, @Bowtie-muscle. You were over half a second faster than me in my own car.

 

[DolHaus]

@DolHaus
Fast Lap: 1:39.466
DC: 6.5
Comments: Braking and off throttle rotation felt great. Handled the high speed corners after the long straight consistently very well with predictable rotation and much less understeer at higher speeds. Slide on corner entry was very manageable. Understeer on corner exit and tires would get toasty exiting low and mid speed corners. Transmission too short.

Thank you for your review, great job getting such a decent lap out of it!

@DolHaus

1:40.730 DC - 7
I liked this tune but I was not able to get it to go faster. Needed a little more rotation so I could get on throttle sooner. More the car than the tuner I believe.

Thank you for testing, I can assure you that it was probably the car that was causing the problems and not your driving lol The volvo doesn't like rotating I'm afraid, its a bit of a bus in the corners

 

[Otaliema]

@Bowtie-muscle and @backnfourth thank you for the feedback, it's right about what I was expecting it to be in terms of time.

Yeah I was getting that push pull thing to it deepened on the camber of the track was it a falling turn or was it a rising/flat turn, in the falling turns it pushed out, flat and raising turns it pulled in.

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

@Ridox2JZGTE
Fast Lap: 1:33.705
DC:6.5
Comments: A bit of a learning curve, required very early braking and power through corners. Entry and mid corner were pretty wide but getting on throttle quick tightened rotation nicely and pulled car through the exit well. Staying on throttle made rotation tighter and smoother but still fairly slow to rotate.

The 1st tester who figured out about the throttle rotation As I said, the car is somewhat like an advanced learning car For entry and mid corner, the car requires trail braking and careful planning in picking the best line. When I drive the car, I would brake as late as possible, full brake for a few moment, then modulate smoothly to avoid lockups while turning in, then hold on the throttle about half way or more, there's a sweet spot when LSD is about to kick in. Hold that steady and gradually reaching full throttle from mid corner That's what addicting to me
What I like most from the track with this car is the esses, the right sweeper that leads to 2nd straight, and the big left curve, they requires the techniques I mentioned above, and if they are done correctly, the car can be "felt" very quick

@Ridox2JZGTE
Fast Lap: 1:38.842
DC: 8.5
Comments: Excellent and tight pull getting on the throttle exiting corners. Traction and front grip was excellent throughout the track and I felt I was powering through the gears with good speed. Understeer when off throttle entering or mid corner. Braking early and staying on the throttle as much as possible through corners made rotation through corner tight. Wanted the back end to be just a little more loose.

Thanks for reviewing both cars The car needs some more fine tuning with front and rear damper to fix that off throttle understeer and improve rotation, and as for looser rear end, a bit more camber could do the trick, but it will made the car tend to slide about when pushed too hard.

@Ridox2JZGTE

1:39.802 DC - 7.5
Good tune held back by the test driver, I really liked this tune and even the PINK paint. Just not enough speed thru the back section, took too long to get on throttle. But it was stable and comfortable for me.

Thank you for liking my Pink Cupra It's not exactly a pick of the crop kind of car, but I wanted to tune a rarely used car, poor Seat Only one model from one country. There are a few good cars from Seat

Overall I am quite happy withe both entries result, considering I didn't use ride height difference , now what if both uses ride height difference as much as allowed ? Is it possible to over rotate then

I will post 450PP Cupra and MitO on my garage, they will be tuned for racing like my other 450PP FF cars.

 

[jules283]

Hi guys. Here are my Spec-class test results.

Brian Wolf 1.32.535 DC:7
Easy to adjust to as my second lap was my quickest. Lift-off rotation helps with turn-in, and when I miss an apex. Trying to go faster gets a bit messy as the front end sometimes falls into a corner, and there is very little exit rotation available. I immediately enjoyed this car. It was good fun and very quick too!

DaBomm4 1.33.181 DC:6
Plenty of understeer available here, with great exit rotation. Applying a small amount of power as early as possible helps smooth out that understeer. I found it difficult to drive with total precision, but I did really enjoy the exit rotation of this car.

donpost 1.32.403 DC:6
Lots of lift-off rotation, poor exit rotation. The lack of exit rotation forces me to wait too long when applying the power. The sudden front end requires care and would tire me quickly, but BOY is it fast!
The lap-time champion in my hands. Nuff Said!

jules283 1.32.629 DC:7
I don't remember signing this car off with such a lazy front end !
To say something nice, it does rotate well on exit and is reasonably nice to drive. Anyway, I think I know how to improve it so I learned from my mistake!

krenkme 1.32.942 DC:6
I found this car the most difficult to assess, as I couldn't easily feel what the tyres were doing. My overall impression is of a car with plenty of stability and an underlying rotation that happens slowly, maybe too slowly. This character made it interesting and also enjoyable. The rotation has echoes of Nissan Skyline, which cant be bad!

Ridox2JZGTE 1.33.669 DC:7
Very stable car with a lot of understeer. As is typical with understeer , I slowly adapted and went quicker and quicker until on the final lap I was 0.700 up and ran wide at the final corner. Doh!
So this car definitely has a quicker lap time available but I couldn't quite access it during my ten lap run. Enjoyable!

Shaunm80 1.32.682 DC:7
Good stability provided by understeer, but not too much and held its line very well at apex. Rides the kerbs well.
The fourth fastest of this group, but the quickest of those built to the understeer style with a lazier front and better exit rotation. Nice!

xande1959 1.32.796 DC:7
A tune making full use of uneven ride height. Corner exit rotation was in abundance, but the rear didn't always steer at the same rate as the front which caused understeer at times, especially on corner entry. Very interesting car. It has a precise and quick front end with lift-off rotation that is held in check and slowed by a rear end which feels like it has downforce! I think sometimes that these two effects are fighting each other. Cool car, and pretty quick!

787bcgr 1.33.577 DC:6
Like a few other cars in this group, this car has a fierce, quick-steering front end with lots of corner entry rotation and very little exit rotation. What caught me out and slowed me down in this car was that at higher speed the entry rotation faded away (maybe due to added front weight ?). I couldn't go any faster, sorry!
I liked the precise front end at low speed. Also, this car was great over the kerbs!

 

[shaunm80]

FITT Hot Hatch Tuning Challenge

1:39.763 DC - 8.5

Call the police because you got robbed. This was BY FAR the best handling and most consistent car in the field. Very easy to drive and enjoy. Unfortunately it lost out on the back section as I watched backnfourth's ghost just pull away. Another track and this car may have been the winner.

Thanks for the review. I agree with you, this car has very good handling characteristics. The issue as you pointed out was the low top speed and engine power. I did finish off the Ford Focus tune which was my other consideration after I posted this tune and the Ford had an extra 30 ponies under the hood. I am impressed that this car with its reduced power was able to play with its more powerful counterparts as well as it did in terms of time.

Hi guys. Here are my Spec-class test results.

Shaunm80 1.32.682 DC:7
Good stability provided by understeer, but not too much and held its line very well at apex. Rides the kerbs well.
The fourth fastest of this group, but the quickest of those built to the understeer style with a lazier front and better exit rotation. Nice!

Again, thank you for the review. On a personal level, I felt this tune did this car justice. It is a little pocket rocket that was happy to use all the track, and give the driver confidence to push this car all the way to the kerbs to keep speed through the corners.

FITT Hot Hatch Series Testing Results

@shaunm80
Fast Lap: 1:39.267
DC: 9.5
Comments: I could have driven this for hours. Handling wise it was solid all around. Entry/mid/corner felt well connected and had great traction throughout track. Brakes felt a bit heavy on the front brake and slowed turn in a bit. The overall speed just wasn't there and felt a little slow getting up to speed. Somehow squeeze a little more out of that engine, maybe a transmission adjustment, and this would have been a perfect 10 for me .

Thanks for the comprehensive review. Its nice to know that this car could be better if it was able to have more power. The lack of HP compared to other FF cars made it slower on the straights but I'm impressed that you could get such a good time out of it even with that deficit.

 

[Woodski_427]

@Otaliema, @Bowtie-muscle, @backnfourth

I'll repeat the thanks for the testing and write-ups. I've only done one FITT challenge as a tester but I know how gruelling it can get. 👍

As a novice and first time entry, I'm really pleased with how my Seat has been received so far and that the times aren't so bad. I knew that corner entry was a problem - I did have a looser back-end at one stage which could give better initial turn-in if you got it right but I preferred the more stable setup.

I also like a FWD that will allow early power out of the corner - I find it frustrating when they just understeer too much at a hint of throttle. I think the grip is aided by the 60:40 weight distribution, but this more than likely contributes to the poor entry performance. With more time and development (and tuning experience) I might have found a better compromise.

 

[Pete05]

FITT HOT HATCH RESULTS

The results are in guys . All testing performed on a DS3 with Manual transmission, ABS 1 and all other driving aids switched off, Time Trial in Arcade mode with Real grip setting. Gear changes were made at peak power figure.

Results listed as fastest to slowest.

@Otaliema Volkswagen Scirocco
1:37:364 DC 9
Great rotation, handling & traction. Very stable & therefore fast. I felt 6th gear was a little short & the exhaust made it sound awful.

@Bowtie-muscle VW Scirocco
1:37:406 DC 8.5
A little on the loose side but good rotation. Corner exit traction was very on edge but fast if you're careful.

@Opposite Lock Renault Clio
1:37:625 DC 9
A great car made better. Gave rewards for pushing that bit extra. Good rotation.

@Motor City Hami VW Scirocco
1:37:830 DC 9
Very loose on entry & under brakes. Excellent rotation & traction with great gearing.

@xande1959 Renault Clio
1:37:856 DC 7.5
Great stability & traction if you're patient. Didn't use 6th gear at all yet it's almost as fast as @Opposite Lock.

@DigitalBaka VW Scirocco
1:38:060 DC 8
Excellent gearing & good brakes but rotation suffered.

@brian wolf Seat Ibiza
1:38:318 DC 8
I found it hard to be consistent with this car. Very taily but good rotation & traction as a trade off. Geared very well.

@backnfourth VW Golf GTi V
1:38:514 DC 9
Consistently stable, good entry & exit. 6th gear was a little short though.

@shaunm80 Mini Cooper S
1:38:542 DC 9.5
The most fun in the class. Stable & predictable with good rotation encouraging you to push harder. 6th gear was a little short & the car hit an imaginary wall at 6000rpm hurting top speed. Very impressed & now a resident in my garage as a JCW replica

@Ridox2JZGTE Seat Ibiza
1:38:572 DC 8
Good transmission & rotation once you got on the power however the corner entry hurt it too much and lap time suffered.

@DolHaus Volvo C30
1:39:819 DC 7
Very stable with great rotation. Gear ratios hurt this car way too much. Only used 4th for turn 2. Rest of the lap done in 5th/6th.

@Woodski_427 Seat Ibiza
1:39:902 DC 7
Very loose on entry but a lot better on exit. Confidence & lap time suffered a result.

Congratulations to all that took part

 

[Woodski_427]

Some good times there @Pete05 👍. Just not in my car , I see you struggled with its reluctance to enter the corner.

 

[Pete05]

Some good times there @Pete05 👍. Just not in my car , I see you struggled with its reluctance to enter the corner.

Yeah sorry about that Woodski. Whenever I tried bravery under brakes or to attack the entry phase a bit more, it had a bad effect on the exit. Fast in = slow out.

 

[DolHaus]

@DolHaus Volvo C30
1:39:819 DC 7
Very stable with great rotation. Gear ratios hurt this car way too much. Only used 4th for turn 2. Rest of the lap done in 5th/6th.

Thank you for your review, its becoming apparent that I should have set the trans a little bit longer lol

 

[Bowtie-muscle]

@Bowtie-muscle

Yeah I was getting that push pull thing to it deepened on the camber of the track was it a falling turn or was it a rising/flat turn, in the falling turns it pushed out, flat and raising turns it pulled in.

Three cars I did not want to stop driving, yours - Hami's - and brian wolf's. Yours was dependant on corner exit a little, would push on down hill turns if I missed just a little which wasn't too often. Loose was always welcomed with a front wheel drive car. Between your car and @Motor City Hami 's, I felt like I was really close to breaking off a really good lap and just never quite got there. @brian wolf car was another for a different reason. I would be ahead of my best lap over a half second and lose it in 1 corner with slight over or under braking because I just couldn't get the back right consistently. Seems I'm the only one who had that issue, similar to @DigitalBaka which would do the opposite and push in a corner while doing a good lap. Throw in @backnfourth 's car and I would have loved another 10 laps with each.

@oppositelock I was impressed by the Clio Twins, my best times in my tune were 1:37.955 and 1:38.007. Your car was faster and 2 others were pretty much dead even with the second fastest lap. How's that for honest testing. Couldn't repeat those laps in my own tune.

 

[Motor City Hami]

I will have scoring sheets updated later today.