[rich]

I notice that the new Lamborghini Murcielago has a g-force meter integrated into the onboard computer - records peak g pulled

Oh yes! Now that's a gadget I would like in my Mini Cooper S when it arrives eventually

Does anyone know if these are available as an aftermarket add-on?

 

[BruceK]

.....Does anyone know if these are available as an aftermarket add-on?

YES! They have been available in the US for about 15 years now. They are about the size of a radar detector and fairly cheap to buy (about US$140 or AUS$275 or €158 or £97)

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/gtech.htm

 

[BruceK]

Here's another one:

http://www.cb-racing.com/rt-ac-22.htm

 

[rich]

Thanks Bruce - Cool little gadget & cheap enough too, given it's a bit of fun. I will try and track down a local supplier

Maybe 'max g' should be included in comparative tests of vehicles as an assessment of "chuckability" - e.g. put car on a (large!) controlled tarmac surface & drive car at limit of adhesion of tyres in an increasing arc/spiral from 0mph up to max speed (if you have the nuts). On survival, simply read off maximum g pulled and speed

...Just a thought

 

[BruceK]

.....Maybe 'max g' should be included in comparative tests of vehicles as an assessment of "chuckability" - e.g. put car on a (large!) controlled tarmac surface & drive car at limit of adhesion of tyres in an increasing arc/spiral from 0mph up to max speed (if you have the nuts). On survival, simply read off maximum g pulled and speed

...Just a thought

Well, it's common practice for the US car magazines to do a standardized skidpad evaluation to determine maximum G force whenever a car is tested.

It's not an increasing spiral as you suggested but instead it's typically a fixed circle the car must follow. Car and Driver magazine uses a skidpad with a diameter of 300 feet and typically the results for street vehicles range from .70G for 4X4 SUVs to nearly 1.00 for exotic sports cars. No mention of the speed on the skidpad is ever made.

Of course there's a lot more to handling that driving fast in circles.

 

[rich]

Well, it's common practice for the US car magazines to do a standardized skidpad evaluation to determine maximum G force whenever a car is tested.

It's not an increasing spiral as you suggested but instead it's typically a fixed circle the car must follow. Car and Driver magazine uses a skidpad with a diameter of 300 feet and typically the results for street vehicles range from .70G for 4X4 SUVs to nearly 1.00 for exotic sports cars. No mention of the speed on the skidpad is ever made.

Thanks for this info - I never knew...

From memory, I think the recent EVO COTY test managed 1.05 in the Lambo, driving through sleepy Italian villages (!)

Of course there's a lot more to handling that driving fast in circles.

You've obviously never needed to drive on the M25 in London

On a more serious note, I'd like to see the MINI go through this test with different tyre & suspension options

I guess it's no more/less meaningful than any other completely artificial test measure (e.g. 0-60mph times)

 

[BruceK]

...You've obviously never needed to drive on the M25 in London..

I've driven on the M25 plenty of times, but I remember it as being rather larger than the 300 foot diameter skidpad.

But my favorite part of driving in the UK is negotiating roundabouts (they are almost completely non-existent in the US). Roundabouts are sort of public access skidpads, aren't they?

 

[Spoolin']

We have a few of them in New Jersey, but no fancy names. We just call them circles, mostly. I have a friend that performed 95 laps around one, before he was asked to move along by the local police. I doubt he pulled any significant G"s, due to the fact that he was driving a '68 Beetle!

 

[rich]

Swindon!

Spoolin' & BruceK... Given your penchant for roundabouts, you really should consider visiting Swindon

Does anyone reading this live in Swindon? Send these guys some photos!

 

[BruceK]

Re: Swindon!

Spoolin' & BruceK... Given your penchant for roundabouts, you really should consider visiting Swindon

Does anyone reading this live in Swindon? Send these guys some photos!

Been there. Survived it - barely! Had to change my underwear afterward though... May the guy who planned that rot in hell - better yet, be forced to drive in Swindon for eternity in a Sinclair C5!

My idea of roundabouts is in Milton Keynes - lots of simple ones.

 

[zoooooom]

who needs a G-force meter just watch for the dangle angle of yer furry dice.

 

[Spoolin']

Word!

 

[zoooooom]

Word????????

 

[Spoolin']

Ghetto slang for "Cool"!

 

[rich]

who needs a G-force meter just watch for the dangle angle of yer furry dice.

Ha Ha Ha...

You would need to allow for body roll, but assuming this is negligible in MINI with SSP+, then a 1g corner would equate to a furry dice dangle angle (FDDA) of 45 degrees

0.5g would be 30 degrees, I think, and 2g 60 degrees... Any mathematicians out there able to provide a handy formula for this?

Not sure my mind will be totally on this arithmetic, however, if the situation arises

Anyone know what g the airbags kick in? Presumably no one has managed to set them off yet through over-zealous cornering, braking or acceleration!

 

[Paul]

Who's got more roundabouts them Milton Keynes or Swindon? I thought we held that crown.

 

[BigC]

I think MK probably has more roundabouts but I don't think it can compete with Swindon's "Magic Roundabout" which is 5 mini roundabouts arranged in a circle to make 1 big roundabout

It particularly confuses people because as you treat each mini roundabout separately, you can go round the big roundabout in either direction
There is a similar one in Hemel Hempstead which I used to have to use on my commute to work which has 6 mini roundabouts - you could spot someone who wasn't used to it from a mile off as they always looked terrified.

 

[Spoolin']

You people are nuts! I would never drive through something like that! No wonder your nation has so many F1 drivers to it's credit! Crazy!

 

[BruceK]

I think MK probably has more roundabouts but I don't think it can compete with Swindon's "Magic Roundabout" which is 5 mini roundabouts arranged in a circle to make 1 big roundabout
It particularly confuses people because as you treat each mini roundabout separately, you can go round the big roundabout in either direction
......

ARHHH!! That's it! Now the nightmares will start up again! Even looking at it from the air, it doesn't seem to make sense, but on the ground.... with other traffic.... it only gets worse

Milton Keynes? Piece of cake after that.

 

[MrCooper]

I can beat that guys - Colchester - 7 mini roundabouts to make one big one. Its quite scary when you aren't ready for it!

Pete