Kind of a weird question. I have to write a paper at school where I try to prove a thesis. I have always wondered personally if a more moderate sports car (such as an audi R8 aston martin db9 or Honda NSX) can be tweaked or modified to hold its own against more exotic super cars like lambos or Ferraris, Mclarens, SSC etc I only have a basic knowledge of cars, how torque and horsepower work, what‘s ideal when trying to build a fast car, and I understand that some cars can compete in theory (like driving in a straight line on ideal roads) but not when considering turning or other real life situations. I would like to know what type of modifications can be done or are ideal, and if they would give any of the examples listed a fighting chance against say a ventador or Ultimate aero or something of similar stats
The modifications would fall into area's of: 1. Suspension 2. Aerodynamics 3. Power. Suspension includes brakes, shocks, springs and arm lengths. Air management is needed to keep the car from lifting and reduce aero drag when possible and having a way to produce air drag if needed. Power is needed for raw speed. Now horse power is needed- this is just an expression for how much weight is being moved a second. For a 2000 lb. car to go 210 mph it takes a specific amount of horsepower when aero drag ins considered constant. But it is not- at about 50 miles per hour air for resistance purposes is more like a fluid then air. This is why a straight formula for horsepower and top speed does not work. The actual resistance increases and with the right formula's compensation can be made for air drag. Torque is the ability to effect a change, this determines rate of acceleration. So to match acceleration rates- it will take torque, to match top speed takes horse power. To decrease the amount of horsepower needed air management becomes important. Now the reason it is not done on a regular biases is simple a Honda no matter how fast is still a Honda. The amount of dollars needed to make it perform like a super car just is not worth the bragging rights. Keep in mind Super cars are not that practical and are just toys. Those who have the money to sink into a R8 and the like to make it match other super cars performance would just go buy the real thing. In all reality a Lotus would be just as much fun and a lot cheaper.
Yes. And the Audi R8 V10 is as fast if not faster than many Lambo's Ferrari's and Porsche's and McLarens. In Japan, some rich race car drivers modify their Mazda RX-7's and Nissan Skylines to 600+ hp and they beat high end supercars on the race tracks. Look up Best Motoring or Tsukuba Battle on youtube to watch the many racing video's they have of Japanese cars versus Europe's and America's best.
