This is my tests post. I've had a couple of runs (pretest) in the Samba and 240ZG...loved both, especially the underrated pace of the bus.
As a plus, my times have been compatible with other testers so that wiill aid consistency of results. I don't know that I'm looking forward the the 2002, but will have a shot at it Tell my wife I love her
I'll start posting times tomorrow evening, but some quick notes:
The Mazda Cosmos - up till now showing the slowest times of the quartet in pretesting which was unusual as it felt as though it was the quickest. A fun car to drive as the feel of the car was veru direct for me
BMW 2002 - Had a lot of fun with this one, not as scary a ride as anticipated with the DS3 and a time compatible with the others which have been run.
I do want to spend a good amount of time on each car as I want to give all the best chance possible given the closeness of the times and working out how to gain time at differing points on the course.
OFFICIAL TESTING: I use a DS3, manual, with all parameters as in the Challenge guidelines. My driving skills are fairly reasonable and am capable of pulling out some good laps fairly consistently, but maybe not so much the ability to replicate exact driving lines/braking points lap after lap. I am doing a minimum of 20 - 25 minutes per car to give each entrant every possible chance.
1.
XDesperado67 - Mazda Cosmo....
1:22.673
I loved being able to throw this car around, and yet was still frustrated by my inability to match points during the run when I was at times able to see the ghost falling behind, then being unable to stop it overtaking me with little seeming difference to how I approached the same point of the course. I loved the direct 'feel' of the car with the responsiveness of the power and the sound of the exhaust completing the experience.
2/5
2.
Krenkme - Samba Bus....
1:22.466
Again, and it will be a constant for me, is driving long enough to get that lap where I am able to keep the ghost behind me consistently to do justice to the vehicles.
Deceptive little beastie that she was, my primary difficulty was the short gearing. Caused me particular problems with smoothness through and out of the two sets of doubles. Aside from that, a fun and deceptively quick ride given that I was able to go a tad quicker than the Cosmo. Enjoyment/driveability factor was purely centred around the fact that it was the Samba.
2.5/5
3.
Theo777 - Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale '63...
1:23.331
Hardest part of the drive was keeping it in a semblance of balance through both sweepers. When I was able to do so, I found much time was gained with good speed coming out of both turns. This was crucial to banking good times. I was able to hold good lines through and out of both sets of doubles and bring better speed without having the arse flick out and waste time spinning the wheels with little forward motion. Enjoyment factor for me was quite good, but not up there with the Cosmo primarily due to having to work much harder keeping it balanced through the sweepers.
3/5
4.
DigitalBaka - 2002 Turbo....
1:22.897
Love driving this car. The more I drove it the more I loved it. I normally drive hard and aggressively (not to be confused with alien-like speed/ability) and being forced to rein in these tendencies I found brought out the best this little box had to offer. Easy to flick around hitting the two doubles, and quite easy to control the squirrelling coming through both sets if you stayed aware of the teeth waiting for you. I had no problems maintaining top speed through the 'S's coming up the hill. My natural inclination to hold back through the sweepers for fear of hanging sideways was well founded, but I found that I could still maintain a good straight line speed through both turns without feeling like I was going on a Sunday drive.
Not my quickest ride so far, but the most enjoyable.
1.8/5
5.
Newdriver2 - Skyline 2000GT-R....
1:21.642
Point & shoot and it goes there. The most stable of the rides so far and the time clocked tells the story. Not quite the direct feel of the Cosmo, and a degree of understeer held it back significantly through the 'S' bend up the hill. It didn't feel like it was putting power to the bitumen coming out of the turns but I found that I could put the pedal down with a greater degree of certainty.
I do prefer driving cars where you do feel the 'grunt' and this didn't match that, but ease of driving compensated for this.
2/5
6.
MrMelancholy - Skyline 2000GT-R....
1:22.111
The significant difference in the times between the two 2000GT-R's was not an accident. I simply wasn't able to drive this one with as much certainty as that of Newdriver2. It always felt as if it was going to get away from me, particularly through the two sweepers and the S's going up the hill. Any time I tried to get that little extra out of it, she started throwing the arse around like Stephanie around an American basketballer. Did lack the stability of the other 2000GT-R.
More suited to a leisurely stroll in the bracing breezes of the northern alps, rather than a testy zip through the swailes of Wales.
3.5/5
7.
acsr421 - 240ZG '71....
1:21.633
This car had everything. Stability through the sweepers, significantly more than any other car tested - to this point. Good holding speed through the S's, and excellent control through the doubles. I was thoroughly enjoying the car anyway, but once I twigged to changing gears well before the redline, I saw a dramatic (0.8 sec) drop in lap times.
Easy to drive, good feel of power to the road, handles well, stable under pressure, ....this car thoroughly deserves it's rating.
1/5
8.
Trackripper123 - Isuzu 117....
1:22.313
Another thoroughly enjoyable drive. Held the tail in place well with careful throttle control out of the tighter turns, but not overly so as to negate the driving experience. Didn't really like bringing the nose to where it should be under hard braking into the two tight doubles (yes, it's called understeer), but I did find that it came around to the driving line through the two sweepers. Held the line well up through the S's, it was just a matter of getting it spot on to keep optimum speed up the hill.
I'm not sure why the times for this didn't come down any further, this was the best I could get out of it.
1.5/5
9.
MrGrado - VW Kharmann Ghia....
1:22.711
A little slippery yet reasonably easily to hang onto the tail when she fanned out. This was a car that was fun to drive, yet (for me anyways) din't back it up with race speed. Not really a car that I would enjoy racing with, particularly over longer runs. This is suited to it's own class alone, and not a series where you have to push hard to move up the leaderboard.
This was a funny one to grade, in the end I went a little better than average.
2.5/5
Thanks for the opportunity to try some setups and cars I normally wouldn't.
Been working on something else today and haven't gotten over to the computer for long. Made myself a quick banner and slapped together a picture and will update that post within the hour. You can link it if you haven't yet. 
Too many better tuners here. 
Just turning the wheel on a G4 costs WAY too much speed, because the friction is way more powerful than the inertia. 
And, it sucks, but, the game doesn't model in people's driving habits. I'm sure that a robot could drive the Ginetta G4 much faster than Jeremy Clarkson, because the robot will be able to control its steering inputs just that much more accurately. This is a big clue, though, as to which car I'm using, for my entry into this series, which I've begun testing-today.
