Hey guys........got an interesting story here!

I live in California and was driving the I-5 up to Oregon over winter.

I was cruising at the normal 80-85 MPH in 6th when I notice a car closing on me fast in my rearview mirror. I pulled over into the slow lane and watched as a Subaru WRX blew by me at about 100.

Well, I couldnt let that go...........So, I picked it up a little and watched as the WRX kept pulling away from me. (now I'm not stupid and I want a speeding ticket at those speeds like the plague!)

I noticed some traffic ahead and sure enough the WRX got slowed up and I caught up.

I noticed an opening (going about 75 MPH at this point) and I dropped it into 4th and punched it.

I blew by the WRX and kept accelerating all the way up to 115 or so...........the WRX fell in behind me and started gaining on me.

At around 120 - 125 (I'm in 6th gear by this point) this WRX pulled up next to me and passed me! (I had the gas floored)

I know that I should have been in 5th and I probably could have continued pulling this WRX.........but, WTF?

Are these cars really that fast? Anyone else have an experience with these turbo'd 4 bangers?

I tell you what! I was amazed!

(I've noticed something else this winter season........all the little rice burners want to race when it's wet!)

 

well your an LT1 so you dont pull well up top. and hes modified those cars arent fast up top either. and how is this autox or road racing related? no biggy. but yes they are pretty fast for what they are and they do rather well in autox if driven by a good driver. Trey

 

A new WRX STi has 300hp. They are NOT slow cars. That's one reason there has been so much flack about them running in ESP this year.

 

ESP? Really? Whats the EVO supposed to be running in?

 

ESP too.

 

What, have you been living under a rock? Even the non-STi WRX has the same power/weight as an LT1 F-body. Of course, going to 6th was an *extremely* poor move, you probably should've had him otherwise. Hell, 4th is good for 130mph, and there's a .5:1 gearing difference from 4th to 6th! You must've barely been accelerating at all, even at full throttle.

Funny that the 4-cyl crowd has just as little appreciation for how quick 4th gens (particularly LS1s) are as you had for how quick some "4-bangers" are. It's not the number of cylinders, or the displacement, the weight, or the drive configuration. It's the total PACKAGE.

 

Have you ever been on a race course? Have you ever visited the 5800 rpm zone transitioning from third to fourth? 6th gear? You've got to be kidding. Save the fast stuff for the course.

BTW, whatever you do, next time check for the STi badge. The one you messed with wasn't even the HP model.



Steve

 

Stock WRX's only trap about 94-95 mph in the 1/4 mile, compared to 98-100mph for the LT1. Stock they are not a match for the stock LT1 from a roll. You should have pulled him, especially at those speeds.

He was probably modded, but it KILLED you to be in 6th. You lost about 35% acceleration by doing that instead of staying in 5th.

Dan

 

Um. Not to perpetuate this thread, but...
3500 (high number for curb weight) / 285 = 12.28
3086 / 227 = 13.59
13.59 != 12.28.
And a non-STi WRX absolutely sucks after 5k.

And my housemate has an up-pipe gutted WRX. There's no comparison who's faster (curves aren't quite fair, considering my car's mods, but I have no power mods).

Dan

 

So basically you're saying that you're faster and handle better? I'm sure you only mean on dry roads. That's cool. My buddy has a '04 WRX wagon. I helped him install his gutted up-pipe too. Made a nice improvement. They do have nice power, but don't seem to have the pull of the LT1. I think the wagon weighs closer to 3200 lbs so the weight to power ratio is even worse. We have never raced head to head mainly because we want to stay friendly, and not compete with each other over cars. It's a nice vehicle though, and has plenty of room for mods.

He also has a new rear sway bar and a rear strut tower brace. Those two combos made a big difference for him. It feels very nice now. I know WRX's are known for good handling, so if you can outhandle a WRX, then that's pretty impressive.

He's getting Cobb tuning in the spring.

Dan

 

Let me put it this way....
Here is a post from the SCCAForums from this years F Stick National Champion Mike "Jr." Johnson...

Maybe my opinion isn't worth anything, but here it goes... Yesterday, Pat Salerno and I drove Steve Eguina's car at the event at Fontana. The course was a mimic of the north course at Nationals this year. We had already driven the course twice in other cars, and then took two runs a piece in Steve's car. Pat ran a 48.8??+1 I ran a 49.4?? CLEAN. I then got into the second place ESP car from Nationals last year, an EVO, and in one run went 48.000. There was still more in the car... The car also had just got new shocks and really has not been completely sorted. The Evo in my opinion is NOT an ESP car. If you are taking the other A/S cars to B/SP, then the EVO and STI should go to B/SP also. Maybe it won't run with the vettes and BMWs, but my money says it will. It just needs the driver and some seat time. By the way, those that think that the LS1 car is the car to have in a F-body have never driven a LT-4 with a 93 tranny. Pat and I both felt like Steve's car was the fastest Camaro that we have ever driven.

As for the Sti/Evo in A/S not being competitive. I drove a stock, no alignment and no tires, Sti at a local event here in New Jersey. I won the Pax and missed FTD by .200. So I think that car will do just fine in A/S, but what do I know...
Mike "Junior" Johnson
2003 F/S National Champion


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I love it when people say this.......

In fact LT1s pull quite nicely on the top end. A few bolt ons really helps them breathe up top. It's funny how up until the LS1 came out these cars were fast up top, but suddenly they got slower mysteriously when the LS1 came out, because that's all they're ever compared to.

one more for road-->>

 

I would think so also,since the peak hp/tq. is available earlier in the LT1.As is a 5th-6th gear situation.
If it were me in my LS1 4th to 125-30mph.Would have continued to gain on it.But that would be racing,meant for the track. This is a Road race/Auto X forum not a Street racing forum.Street Racing is ILLEGAL.Join a club doit at the the track,we love to hear those storys always.This one make me ill,Our wives and kids are out there man.

 

he only has a cat back so no hes not going to pull well up top, not like other cars. not like most turbos cars in fact.

and i assumed he was talking about a regular WRX which does not have any top end pull. if it is an STi then by all means will it fly in stock form. sorry if i gave the original author credit for knowing the difference between a regular WRX and an STi version. my bad next time ill consider his info and responses dumb just like you have.




theres a couple more for you

 

my comment had nothing to do with what the original poster said, it had everything to do with your all-encompassing dumbass remark about LT1s and their lack of top end. I realize a turbo's ability to pull on the high end, but I also realize the drawbacks of AWD cars. A stock WRX is no match for many normally aspirated cars up top, let alone a Z28, LT1 or otherwise.