[gnat]

Originally Posted by RPM90

You can be "sloppy" in how you apply the power of 300hp and 300lb ft?
You're kidding, you've got to be.

Are you not paying attention to the context of the statement? As they say, reading is fundamental.

The context for both the article and my comments is purely for normal driving conditions not real performance driving.

If what your shoveling is true, than one of the easiest to drive sloppoly cars would be a Z06. Yeah, right. Go drive one and go ahead and be sloppy with your power application. You'll wonder why you made such a statement as it spits you off into the weeds.

I don't know the Z06's power curve so I can't speak to it, there also isn't a NA vs FI comparison to be made (as far as I know). But if it applies it's power in such a manner that down shifting is not required to accelerate (quickly) when you are already at highway speeds, then yes I would say the same thing. If, instead, it's power curve is such that you do need to down shift, then no I wouldn't.

In a better comparison, I've driven both a NA 996 C4 and a 996 Turbo. I would say that the same statement holds true. At highway speeds, just pressing the gas in the Turbo gives you more than enough power to get you from 65 to 85 with no hesitation. In the NA 996, you have to downshift for that same feeling. Yes the NA will still accelerate nicely in 6th gear, but not like the Turbo does. To do that (just like with the 128 vs the 135) you MUST down shift.

And yes I have watched an idiot that didn't know what he was doing or how to drive it run a Z06 off an Auto-X course and literally launch it about 4 ft in the air when he hit the curb which sent him over the embankment and into a 6 foot ditch. I was quite surprised that the car was actually drivable (no idea how road worthy it really was, but it moved under it's own power) after it was pulled from the ditch. Wasn't even his car...

To say the 128i requires more skill or concentration is simply ego stroking.

Again, you aren't comprehending either the article or my comments. The point is that the 135 (because of it's power curve) has the ability to mask an inexperienced driver's lack of understanding in day to day driving. You punch the gas and it goes and goes quickly. In that same scenario in a 128, you punch the gas in the 1500 - 2500 range and it's going take it's sweet time to do anything (comparatively speaking).

I never implied that the 135 doesn't require skill to drive well or that the 128 requires more skill, just that it won't mask your lack of skill in a very specific instance of day to day driving. In point of fact I clearly said that I agreed with the opinion that you should have more skill to drive the 135 because it's power will surprise the inexperienced and contribute to an accident.

And contrary to your overly simplistic view point, if everything else in the cars is equal they do require slightly different skills to drive effectively at the performance level. The engines do not apply their power in the same manner and you have to know that and adjust your driving to that. If you try to drive them the same you are either going to kill your self when you launch the 135 out of a corner with way too much power or think the 128 is an under performing piece of crap (and still potentially kill yourself when you cause an accident on the track).