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View Full Version : Evo X SST owner review



wilson1
07-03-2008, 02:55 PM
From SCE (http://www.socalevo.net/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=37&topic=61657.30#quickreply)





Congratulations!

Mark, I know you probably don't have a lot of seat time yet, but what are you initial impressions of the SST? So far most of the automotive press is fawning all over it. Would be curious to get your thoughts.

Thanks

Well, I will try to tell you what I think. So far the car has 290 miles on it. We drove it up from south coast and then around WLA. Today though, I finally got to drive the car. We went up to Angeles Crest and drove up to Mount Wilson. Now, I have been driving up there for 25 years and have to say it was kinda surreal. I have never had an automatic car in my life. I even ordered my Ford Explorer suv with a 5 speed manual. Going into a fast decreasing radius sweeper at 80 and having the tranny do perfect rev matched downshifts without me doing anything is just... freaky.

Okay, so you put it in sport mode and it tries to hang onto the gear your in unlike any auto I have ever driven. The car really just doesn't act like an auto. On the other hand, you do get some neg auto features:

I could get it to downshift and make noise for a second before there was any power in "normal" mode. Sport mode, most of the time, you have instant full power like a manual. It uses engine braking most of the time like you would with a manual as in the case of going downhill into a corner instead of just lugging into it like most auto trannys. This is the first auto I have ever driven that you can drive really fast in corners and braking and the tranny doesn't slow you down or upset the car.

If you use the paddle shifter to say, drop a gear in the middle of a corner, it blips the rpm as it shifts and there is no upsetting of the balance as your sliding through the corner. This is a bit of a relevation for me :)

It does NOT give you the instant always on of a true manual in certain situations. On the other hand, it does some things faster than you can do with a manual like clicking off through the gears under accel... after the tiny pause sometimes. Kill that and it would be nearly perfect. As it is, I can actually drive this car fast- auto and all. BTW, it really reaches corning limits easier than an 8.

At the end of the day, I will still prefer my highly modified evo 8 for full track duty. On the other hand, This car is amazing for allowing the degree of performance it offers in a wrapper that passes quite nicely for a family sedan. With tuning, suspension and some hoosiers, it still won't pass my VIII.(For perspective, the VIII has a built 2.4, 550whp, tuning, muellerized suspension, and 275 hoosiers)

On the other hand, I can love this car for that fact that it is just better for commuting with the family and yet it is still faster than 90% of whats out there on the track or the street. You don't have to make excuses for it being an "auto". For people in the real world or "old" folks like myself- having a car you you don't have to kill your left foot with the clutch during a long commute in LA traffic, is nice in a weird, but ultimately cool sort of way. It really is a change for me after daily driving my Evo VIII on race gas or e85 for the past 5 years and I have to admit I like it!

Most important, I think my wife will finally enjoy coming out to SOW with me for track days and drive :)

DirectorSe7en
07-03-2008, 03:01 PM
Going into a fast decreasing radius sweeper at 80 and having the tranny do perfect rev matched downshifts without me doing anything is just... freaky.

+1




Okay, so you put it in sport mode and it tries to hang onto the gear your in unlike any auto I have ever driven. The car really just doesn't act like an auto

+1




For people in the real world having a car you you don't have to kill your left foot with the clutch during a long commute in traffic is nice

+1

Unowned
07-03-2008, 03:03 PM
embrace the Paddles you want to get smacked by em

Devin@SpeedElement
07-04-2008, 01:53 AM
so you getting a GSR or MR doc ??? or both ???

PANGES
07-04-2008, 02:05 AM
so you getting a GSR or MR doc ??? or both ???


Which one are YOU getting, Dev???

wilson1
07-04-2008, 10:11 AM
so you getting a GSR or MR doc ??? or both ???


Which one are YOU getting, Dev???


+1

Devin@SpeedElement
07-05-2008, 01:14 AM
I'm getting a prius to save gas

xbox4414
07-05-2008, 02:46 AM
I'm getting a prius to save gas


ROFL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP6fe6i1vaY

bricel24
07-05-2008, 09:48 AM
that's a nice review. so doc... get the MR.



and the GSR as well :lol: