TerryMcK Posted April 7, 2016 Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 Heads up car fans. Here is some footage and commentary from Mark Higgins doing his record run for a 4 wheeled vehicle around the world famous Isle Of Man 37.3 mile track back in 2014. The car he used for this is a US spec, British tuning company Prodrive breathed upon, Subaru WRX STi (used to be known as the Impreza) world rally car. 4 wheel drive with countless horses and torques under the hood no doubt. Not content with just giving us the jaw-dropping footage, Subaru managed to source Mark’s USB slot and download his heart rate, skin temperature and the g-forces his organs endured as he threw his US-spec WRX STI round the 37.3-mile course in 19m 15s. That’s an average speed of 117.5mph. That’s ridiculous. Yes that's an average speed not top speed. If you have a look at the lap record for motor cycles he's in the same ball park - astonishing. Later on in 2016 he is going to try and break his record. He is a Manx (that's an Isle Of Man native) born rally driver and (according to Wikipedia so it must be right!) "Higgins has worked for many years with Top Gear's former Stig Ben Collins on various film and television sequences. Higgins was a stunt driver for the James Bond films Quantum of Solace and Skyfall." The video is over 20 minutes long so crack open a can or two of your favourite beverage, sit a spell and enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted April 7, 2016 Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 I watched all 20 min of that a while back and it's freaking scary the how he drives that car. I have a WRX and my friend has an STI and we commonly joke that the car has far better cornering traction and control than we have guts to push the car. I know a lot of people thumb their nose at these cars and their huge spoilers but they really are awesome drivers cars but I'm biased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrrhode04 Posted April 7, 2016 Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 Awesome video, makes me miss my STI. That thing was scary fun to drive. It was nothing to do 60ish around a clover leaf in that car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted April 7, 2016 Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 18 minutes ago, mrrhode04 said: Awesome video, makes me miss my STI. That thing was scary fun to drive. It was nothing to do 60ish around a clover leaf in that car. I got in bad habits and frequently hit 3 digits cursing 494 & 694. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrrhode04 Posted April 7, 2016 Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 20 minutes ago, Chestnut said: I got in bad habits and frequently hit 3 digits cursing 494 & 694. Yeah that was pretty easy to do, I had louder exhaust on mine so I kinda knew I was going to fast so I would slow it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted April 7, 2016 Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 Just now, mrrhode04 said: Yeah that was pretty easy to do, I had louder exhaust on mine so I kinda knew I was going to fast so I would slow it down. Ahh I've said it multiple times, loud exhaust ruins the car. I want to go fast and not catch ANY attention. My car isn't loud visually so if i can blend it I'm going to jump at that opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 7, 2016 Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 2 hours ago, Chestnut said: Ahh I've said it multiple times, loud exhaust ruins the car. I want to go fast and not catch ANY attention. My car isn't loud visually so if i can blend it I'm going to jump at that opportunity. I couldn't agree more, my Camaro W custom built SS piping was really quiet. Obviously when I opened it up, to WOT,you can't silence that but it wasn't a screamer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 Yeah that was pretty easy to do, I had louder exhaust on mine so I kinda knew I was going to fast so I would slow it down. Ahh I've said it multiple times, loud exhaust ruins the car. I want to go fast and not catch ANY attention. My car isn't loud visually so if i can blend it I'm going to jump at that opportunity. Brendon, sounds like you are the perfect candidate for a Tesla! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 5 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said: Brendon, sounds like you are the perfect candidate for a Tesla! Unfortunately not, I drive too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 Brendon, sounds like you are the perfect candidate for a Tesla! Unfortunately not, I drive too much. I hear the new Chevy Volt includes a gas generator for extended travel. Just nowhere near as cool as a Tesla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 47 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said: I hear the new Chevy Volt includes a gas generator for extended travel. Just nowhere near as cool as a Tesla. Haha, my commuter car ain't much better than a volt in lameness but I'll tell you, my honda gets 32 mpg with my fat butt in it. driving that also makes me enjoy my truck all the more when I'm just going around town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted April 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 Somebody mentioned Tesla. Here is one racing a 737 - pointless and no noise. It has Ludicrous mode engaged. What they don't show you is it out of juice with smoke pouring from the hood a few seconds after the 737 "drove" past it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 Check out youtube for clips of the tZero roadster from AC Propulsion. Built as a concept / demo car for their drive system. Does 0-60 in 3.6 seconds. Also had 100 mile range per charge. http://www.acpropulsion.com/products-tzero.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted April 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 I think the Tesla S in the video is 3.1seconds 0 to 62MPH (which is 0 to 100km/h) so is no slouch for a 4 door sedan with the equivalent of nearly 700BHP or 508kW using a 85kWh motor . Don't think it'll last long before the batteries need charging doing flying starts like that all the time though. The AC company seem to do motors upto 200kW so look great. Imagine that in a table saw! Would need a hook up to an overhead powerline for that. Tim Taylor would love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 Electric is great! I hope that some day most people have electric cars. I'd love to have the rest of the oil reserves to myself to burn. I'll never give up turbochargers, screaming engines and manual transmissions. It's like the horse. We don't use it for transportation any more but that doesn't mean that it's obsolete it's just used as a recreation now. Some day gas cars will be the same way and I'm totally fine with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 I'd love a nice, quiet, electric car (truck, really), with torque out the wazoo and a decent top speed. But until battery tech gives me 350-400 miles per charge, and 10 minute recharges, it ain't happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 @TerryMcK Higgins beat his old record this time he was driving a Prodrive STI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 That is astonishing. The TT races are on at the moment so the island is full of bikers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncfowler Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 I down loaded the app for my phone real time coverage and live feeds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 I had to look up the timings for this. This year 2016 he was driving what is essentially a specially race prepared rally car. In 2014 it was closer to a production spec STI so almost like the ones mere mortals can buy. This time he lapped the course in 17min 35.1sec, which equates to an average speed of 128.73mph around the circuit. He was reaching top speeds on a road circuit in excess of 170mph! To put that into perspective the current lap record in a race on a bike is an average of 132mph by John McGuiness on a Honda CBR1000RR 17 min 3 seconds. Great to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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