Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Few points here:
1. A skidpad number is not "handling." It's peak lateral acceleration with very gradual loading. Quoting a skidpad number and calling it "handling" is like picking up some nice silverware and calling it "fine dining". Understandable for a Head of Passenger Car Brands, but not exactly the most technically sound statement.
2. 1g at the skidpad with a 315-section DR is not even that impressive when
a Hellcat can pull 0.92g with a 275-section summer tire.
3. Even if it were impressive, it's a peak number (i.e. the best achievable under ideal circumstances), and the difference between the peak and the everyday is going to be large for a DR.
4. Ditto the above for the braking number, given the Demon's smaller steel brakes.
5. Ditto x2 for the insane comparison with the ACR. Even if Kuniskis is right -- which is
seriously doubtful unless he's comparing cold stops on both cars -- the ACR's bigger ceramics (and lower weight, and better weight distribution, and aero) will make that comparison look awfully silly after a few braking zones on a real course.
5. Yes, the
dampers can switch modes for the strip vs. everything else. But the
springs and
sway bars are much softer than on the Hellcat, and those are static. The commonly reported numbers are 35% softer front springs, 28% softer rear springs, 75% (!!) softer front sway bar, and 44% softer rear sway bar. (
example source) Those are significant changes. To say "it's not a drag suspension util you want it to be" just isn't true. It's as soft as they thought they could get away with, and Dodge reprogrammed the dampers to try to make up at least some of what they had lost.
6. Chassis-wise, the one thing that's really on the Demon's side here is the weight reduction. >200 lbs ain't nothing. It's not a game changer for a 2-ton car, though.
Overall, I'm sure the Demon is no slouch in a corner. "Better than a Hellcat" seems like a bit of a stretch, though I can see that point being arguable, depending on what aspects of handling you value. Just trying to keep it real.
P.S.,
here's a source for what ms21043 pasted
here.
Great summation! Pretty much what I was trying to say earlier, but you've touched on all the little details point-by-point. I don't think it is going to be a poorly handling car, but the springs are drag springs, which are at odds with springs used for handling. And yes, then you get into swaybars and other fun stuff... The car is intentionally compromised for the best 1/4 mile performance. That doesn't make it bad or mean that it is like driving a '72 El Dorado around corners, but that compared to its more balanced siblings that lack those compromises that on the same rubber, it would not handle as well. Of course it doesn't ship on the same rubber, but we've covered that.
