Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance Racing WRX's this week....

Posted by Dan Nixon: [I am interested more in "on road" performance. 4WD is a great advantage in mud & gravel but really not for the road beyond bad weather and hard launches. I don't drag race and the FWD is pretty good in bad weather in its own right. The downside of 4WD is weight (WRX is 100 lbs more than the larger SVT), complexity (more to break), and that 20-25% power loss to the ground (from 227 crank HP to 168-180 wheel HP per 2 recent dynos)]

I like on road and everyday performance too, and the WRX is supperior in that respect. Yes there is a lot of turbo lag in my Wrx, but guess what, it is still way easier to drive and faster than my Csvt without breaking a sweat! The all-wheel drive is an asset, not a liability. The WRX has a very long travel suspension and tuned much softer than the Csvt, but it corner just as well, and dare I say better entry and exit speed from a a turn. The all wheel drive actually allows me to accelerate harder into a turn and pull out quicker even with the WRX's softer and longer suspension travel. I believed if I want more conner capability, a sway bar and better tires would works very well for the WRX. But IHMO, I like it the way it is, very practical, refine, yet still very capable. There is no tire spin osccilation at quick start, slighty imperfect road surface will not upset the chassis. You have to experience the control of an all wheel drive to see its advantages. The reason I said Ford did a half baked job is they never intended to keep the Csvt competitive. They could have put in a 3.0, Or they could have put in a quaife for that matter. What Ford did was cost cutting to the core. If you look at the Contour chassis, even the thin metal subframe is cut short before reaching the back suspension.

Well Viet I will agree with you on some of your comments regarding the SVT and the WRX. I rode in my friends WRX and it does take a lot less effort to get the car rolling and definately a lot less skill. It will pull out of a turn a lot quicker thanks in part to All-Wheel Drive. In daily driving the SVT can feel a little slugish compare to the WRX or even the Audi A4 which I drove, mainly due the torque these cars provide at low RPM's, but the SVT makes it up once you get on the throttle. If you can refine your shifting and your launches in an SVT ( requires more skill ) than your in for a blast + there's nothing like the sound of N/A power. I'm able to get the rear completely loose and drift partially through the sweeper, still at full throttle, something you can't really do with All Wheel Drive, unless you're on dirt of course. It's basically about haven fun with something you like!!!

Oh by the way, Don't worry guys, next event I'm gonna try and mop up the competition.

I didn't have the 24mm Aussie Bar installed when I raced, I will next time around. Add to that Koni's, Willwood brakes, and hopefully by than MSDS headers, than I've just opened up a can of WHOOP-A*S for the WRX's.......Aloha and Stay Tuned....Micah

"They could have put in a 3.0, Or they could have put in a quaife for that matter"

They could have brought the WRX Sti too, does that make them bad? I agree on the Quaife though - along with baffeled oilpan IMHO the main ommisions for an otherwise great package. And I have seen the subframe - thats why I mentioned the subframe connectors.

I actually have a fair amount of 4WD seat time in my brothers (former) Talon turbo/AWD. It has its pros and cons. You are rifght about exiting turns - the LSD is critical for optimum results. But the CSVT seems to set up better, better balance - can even rotate a bit (even before I add the 24mm rear bar thats comming). Can keep alot of speed going in and with just a little rear stiffness I will dial out some scrub to keep cornering speeds up. Your right, it takes some practice to drive FWD fast but it is quite rewarding. Got to drive smooth. Another key is the smooth powerplant. Having diven not only the talon but owning an MR2 turbo for 6 years I know about turbo lag and non linear response. This is a quick way to upset an otherwise smooth turn. And as I cranked up the boost it got worse. I just swore off turbos in particular because I did not like them "dominating" the handling. But power - you bet! With a little more boost I have no doubt that you will flatten all the 2.5L N/A Contours. I do think with "moderate mods" such as mine I could give a stock WRX a good run, especially from a roll. Finding the stock one will be the trick.

Viet, no offense but really to each his own. I am glad you enjoy the WRX, that is what counts.

I guess I liked the WRX better, and you guy like the Csvt better. You guy liked the Csvt for its handling prowess and characteristic. I like the WRX for its well built/robust chassis, all around performance and everyday practicality. We can keep bench racing forever, but I think we should let the performance of the two cars speak for itself, on the track and on the street. If there is an Csvt the beats a WRX, I congratulate the driver for the skill and what he/she has done for the car, but I think the Csvt is in an uphill battle when it comes times to compete with the WRX. Cheers