Thanks for the charts guys.
I had some comments in mind last night after staring at those charts and imagining myself tearing around an autox course, but when I started to write them out it sounded inane and redundant. Ahh what the hell, I'll say it anyway.
As I said, I've already got experience with turbo cars and autox, having driven a WRX locally quite a bit. I've also sampled an STi which was enlightening as well.
Basically I drive the turbo cars in more of a "point and shoot" style. Part of this is the extra 600lbs. the AWD cars are packing. The other part is you want the car to be pretty much done turning before you hit boost or you're behind the rest of the course. And in the STi I got a taste of what Greg was talking about regarding the "sweet spot", the car went much faster if you short shifted third because the torque fell off well before redline.
In the NX, it's more of a speed maintenance thing. I brake much less and carry higher speeds through corners. I also wind the hell out of it, no short shifting (or any shifting for that matter).
I'm trying really hard to imagine the weight of my NX with the power of the WRX. I think it would drive pretty similar to the WRX. Since I'd be going faster at the end of straights I'd be braking a lot more on corner entry. Since I'd be severely traction limited under boost I'd be more concerned with pointing the right way on exit, which would probably mean I'd go through corners a little slower than I do now.
With a VE I think I'd drive it the same way as I do now, just faster. I honestly think the VE would be easier to drive, but the DET would be more fun.
It's all tangential to the discussion though really, I just wanted to know which is less maintenance.
But thanks everyone for the insights.
