Speaking of cars
On travel, the rental car place automatically upgraded my rental. They gave me a Lincoln MKS, which is apparently the luxury model of the Taurus SHO. But it’s not quite tuned like the SHO. It was a fun car to drive. Roomy, adequate power and decent handling. However, it could really use some traction control. If you thumped the gas, the tires would squeal even in automatic transmission mode. And that’s just wasted forward momentum.
Also, paddle shifters are kind of stupid. See, a lot of times when you’re shifting gears, you’re also steering. And the shifters maybe upside down when you’re trying to get it into third and this can be problematic. In a straight line, however, it was quite fun when the tires actually gripped.
November 12th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Seriously, it has the paddle shifters attached to the wheel rather than the steering column? LOL
Does your Infiniti have those? I don’t remember. I have a G35S and use the heck out of the paddle shifters (which do not move with the wheel as they are attached to the steering column).
November 12th, 2010 at 10:26 am
yes they are on the wheel.
November 12th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Sounds like it doesn’t need traction control, it needs traction.
OEM rubber is specified for a number of reasons including ride, cost subsidies, noise control, fuel economy and performance. No surprise that Lincoln didn’t put a lot of effort into choosing sticky rubber.
November 12th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Paddle shifters on a Formula car, who’s steering wheel only turns 100deg (0.28 turns) lock-to-lock = good idea.
Paddle shifters on a street car that takes 2.98 full turns lock-to-lock = really dumb.
November 12th, 2010 at 11:35 am
Ha! You are Jeremy Clarkson and I claim my five pounds.
November 12th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
“See, a lot of times when you’re shifting gears, you’re also steering.”
When you’re driving HARD you complete your downshifts before the turn in. You might up-shift on the way out, but by then you’ve usually unwound most of your steering input and the position of the paddles isn’t an issue. Shifting gears while loaded up in a turn just upsets the balance of the car… bad juju.
November 12th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
“If you thumped the gas, the tires would squeal even in automatic transmission mode. And that’s just wasted forward momentum.”
Uh, what’s that now? Momentum = mass x velocity. I think you meant to note that it’s wasted energy. But since we get some of it back in the form of a warmer planet, it’s not necessarily wasted.
November 12th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
You are supposed to be in the right gear before turning, thats the idea.
And, hey, uncle, youve got traction control, its your right foot. Do you want the car to steer for you too?
November 12th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
It needs all wheel drive. I’ve really liked it in the cars I’ve driven that had it. You can really jump into motion. Plus it sure doesn’t hurt in the winter here.