Un-official GTPlanet BBC Topgear UK ThreadTV

[Dave A]

Sounds like another good episode, I've been looking forward to that budget supercar part, I'm glad it's here.

 

[Pebb]

It was funny when they showed it on the series trailer. Where they tried to park those cars.

 

[Slick Rick]

Does anyone remember last week where JC was comparing the Ford focus to the Astra VXR. He said the VXR had too much ''torque steer''
Just wanted to know what 'torque steer' is...

 

[amp88]

Does anyone remember last week where JC was comparing the Ford focus to the Astra VXR. He said the VXR had too much ''torque steer''
Just wanted to know what 'torque steer' is...

I thought he explained it in the programme...?

Anyway, torue steer usually occurs in powerful front wheel drive cars. Basically what happens is that when you plant the throttle, because there's so much torque going through the front wheels (and because one driveshaft is usually shorter than the other in a front driver), the car will pull to one side or the other. So, you're going along in a straight line, you plant the throttle and all of a sudden the steering wheel starts pulling to one side.

edit: Hmmm, according to Wikipedia, I'm wrong about the driveshafts...

"Torque steer can be a problem on front wheel drive cars with higher torque motors( > 210 Nm ). This is the name given to the tendency for some front wheel drive cars to pull to the left or right under hard acceleration. It is a result of the offset between the point about which the wheel steers (which falls at a point which is aligned with the points at which the wheel is connected to the steering mechanisms) and the centroid of its contact patch. The tractive force acts through the centroid of the contact patch, and the offset of the steering point means that a turning moment about the axis of steering is generated. In an ideal situation, the left and right wheels would generate equal and opposite moments, cancelling each other out, however in reality this is less likely to happen. Torque Steer is often incorrectly attributed to differing rates of twist along the lengths of unequal front drive shafts."

 

[Dave A]

Torque steer is when you put the power down and without touching the wheel or being on a cambered road the car starts to turn.

 

[Slick Rick]

I thought he explained it in the programme...?

Anyway, torue steer usually occurs in powerful front wheel drive cars. Basically what happens is that when you plant the throttle, because there's so much torque going through the front wheels (and because one driveshaft is usually shorter than the other in a front driver), the car will pull to one side or the other. So, you're going along in a straight line, you plant the throttle and all of a sudden the steering wheel starts pulling to one side.

Torque steer is when you put the power down and without touching the wheel or being on a cambered road the car starts to turn.

Thanks. I probally wasnt concentrating if he explained...
I tried to figure it out myself before and i thought it had something to do with understeer

 

[Pebb]

Torque steer is when you put the power down and without touching the wheel or being on a cambered road the car starts to turn.

Didn't the Ford RS200 have that. Another thing i reckon the Top Gear crew will put a boat mast on the car, when Ellen MacArthur's races it for a good lap time.

 

[Dave A]

Don't know enough about that car tbh, it could have.

 

[Scaff]

edit: Hmmm, according to Wikipedia, I'm wrong about the driveshafts...

Nope your not wrong about it and neither is wikipidia which says
"Torque Steer is often incorrectly attributed to differing rates of twist along the lengths of unequal front drive shafts."

Unequal length driveshaft (among other things) can cause torque steer, however in a effort to conbat it driveshaft are often made of differing thicknesses, this allows some of the torque to be absorbed by the shorter shaft and equal out some of the issue caused by the un-equal length.

Hope that helps


Now onto something else

TOP GEAR USA

Just got this months Top Gear magazine and it has a piece in it about how JC has recorded the US friendly links for the new series.

However of more interest is that Discovery have produced a pilot of a US version of Top Gear, with three american presenters, star in a resonable priced car, Stig in a CLS55, Charger and Mustang.

According to piece if the pilot is well received a full series could be on the cards for 2006.

Regards

Scaff

 

[F1GTR]

Intresting. Probably won't have the humour though.

 

[Dave A]

Not for us, but a lot of Americans don't get out humour so it might be beer for them. I can't see it being half as good though.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Few American rip offs are

Oh well, shouldn't be too bad.

 

[Famine]

Does anyone remember last week where JC was comparing the Ford focus to the Astra VXR. He said the VXR had too much ''torque steer''
Just wanted to know what 'torque steer' is...

Just to add to what everyone else has said, take your (FWD) car to a flat car park. Stop. Take your hands off the wheel. Pile revs up to "scary" then drop the clutch.

If your car decides to turn all by itself (probably to the left), then you have experienced "torque steer".

The Astra VXR has so much torque steer that it can parallel park itself from rest.

 

[jammyozzy]

The Astra VXR has so much torque steer that it can parallel park itself from rest.

 

[livemusic]

I downloaded the "new" first season a while ago and they complained a lot of torque steer in the Focus RS review on one of the episodes.

 

[Pebb]

Its still funny they pulled Top Gear out of being showen in USA. Because they had to translate it.

 

[vtec_guy]

gee atherton a top uk mountain biker is racing james may tongih i cant wait it looks realy good

 

[Pebb]

Vtec guy not seen you in a while, i hope in 2 series time Top Gear. Will do some highlights of Goodwood FOS 06. Only 7 hours and 35 mins till Top Gear is on w00t.

 

[Jondot]

Jame's supercar

 

[Dave A]

The new Pagani Zonda F is the new fastest car around the track, beating the Enzo and MC12.

 

[Jondot]

James is on -99 points for his used mondeo priced supercar.

 

[Dave A]

James drives like a loony when he's in a race .

 

[amp88]

I'm surprised they actually had a Roots song on the soundtrack tonight.

Certainly not a highlight episode though...

 

[Dave A]

I certainly enjoyed it, not as good as last week, but last weeks was superb.

 

[Dave A]

Omg, They Veyron Is On Next Week. Come On Next Week.

 

[Pebb]

Bugger you beat me to it.

 

[Der Alta]

I've noticed a long bit of "slow chatting" in this thread. Please, guys, keep that to a minimum (no discussion of what you're having for dinner )

 

[nitro_2005]

oh damn next sunday can't come quick enough! and this week's show only just finished!!!

 

[G.T]

I like this episode very much.

WOW, that Pagani was great!

The £10k supercars was funny, especialy when Jeremy's car engine just exploded.

And YES, the Veyron is on next week!

 

[Lee]

That was a great episode but next weeks sounds awesome!

The supercars were so haggard And that Pagani, phewee!!