Ultimate Suspension Test for a Pro Touring Car
 

I've been thinking about this a little lately. What popular handling test equates to the best all around handling performance in our segment.

Skid Pad
Slalom
Max G
Run through the cones
Run around the road course

Or is it the best average of the cumulative of tests?

You stated handling test so I'm not sure where the skid pad fits into that equation.
As far as best overall handling test I would have to say maybe a tight road course.

slalom has always been a base test for handling. In that small test you can quickly identify weaknesses or strengths.

When Art Morrison first starting selling his Tri-Five chassis -- he pounded the numbers he got against other well known "performance cars":

He used 0-60 -- 1/4 mile -- Skid Pad -- 60-0 braking



Super Chevy Magazine recently performed a series of tests on Art Morrison Enterprises, Inc. “GT55” project vehicle. Testing was conducted with the GT55 after it was driven 1,200 miles from Tacoma, WA to Los Angeles, CA. There were no modifications made to the chassis or to the BFGoodrich tires before testing. The results (vs. Road & Track tests) were:
MORRISON GT55 vs. EXOTIC SPORTS CARS
Model 0-60mph Quarter Mile Skid Pad 60-0mph
GT55 4.2 seconds 12.6 seconds @116mph 0.94G 132 feet
Cadillac XLR-V ($100K) 4.3 seconds 12.7 @ 112 mph 0.87G 123 feet
Corvette C6 ($54K) 4.5 seconds 12.8 @ 115 mph 0.98G 110 feet
Ferrari F430 Spider ($205K) 4.0 seconds 12.3 @ 117 mph 0.90G 107 feet
Ford Shelby GT500 ($48K) 4.7 seconds 13.1 @ 112 mph 0.87G 122 feet
Lamborghini Gallardo ($184K) 4.0 seconds 12.3 @ 117 mph 0.95G 110 feet
Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG ($187K) 4.0 seconds 12.0 @ 123 mph 0.90G 115 feet
Porsche 911 GT3 ($118K) 4.2 seconds 12.4 @ 114 mph 0.92G 119 feet

I'll go with technical road courses. Cumulative elevation changes of +200', off-chambers, increasing/decreasing radius corners, 10* banking, medium to short straights with hard braking zones.

Streets of Willow came to mind before you posted this, but I believe it may have many of these features you list.

Todd, so you are gonna bring to market the Iowegian Super Pro Touring Suspension Challenge... good for you Big Daddy. :thumbsup:

I know some level b roads and terraced fields to put your cars to a real test! Oh wait those were from my booze-touring days in high school... :_paranoid

Judging by the Super Chevy shoot outs, slalom speed doesn't always reflect race speed.(I am doubting the new Camaro autocross time published) I find it really hard to believe that it's getting beat by 8 seconds on a 44 second course.

I'm interested to hear from the suspension manufacturers. Remember, this is a pro touring site and we autocross AND road race.

The ultimate has to be unlimited testing in both venues for a day and making adjustments. That's something I'd really like to do. I've always felt my car was a natural on the big track but no so much around a parking lot.

I'm going to change my perspective on this a bit. If I were looking at this from a manufactures stand point I would want to build a suspension that I could tune for autocross and road course.

After finally building this system I would test it over and over again on the same road course and post lap times, Lateral-G's, etc, etc. with a 200 treadwear tire since that is what the target audience has been using per the rules of the ASC , Optima, etc, etc.

Since no two cone courses are alike I would use a slalom test with a left hand u-turn on one end and right hand u-turn on the other.

I'd just go to driving school....


:D