heinrich

A Cadillac with the 32V Northstar just tore my '85 up off the line. He got a car length ahead right off the bat and I could not gain it back, though he could not open the gap up. However .... a freaking 90's Caddy??? Must not have been stock. Very few few cars have the pleasure of out-accelerating the 928 ..... it's a bit of a letdown that the second one ever to manage that, has to be an older Caddie bearing some gangsta punks. .... wish I'd been in my S4

Lizard928

the 32V northstar comes with about 300bhp factory as well, and is another 5.0L, however that engine is slightly lighter than ours, and I am not sure what the cars way, but there power curve is abit lower giving them the off the line, also there gear ratios are MUCH shorter where our cars have rediculiously tall gear ratios.

JKelly

I know the 99 Cadillac Deville has 280-90 hp stock (can't remember exactly). It is FRONT wheel drive and when you mash on it, it starts roaring pleasantly and digs into the pavement. The Cadillac Concours of the same year has 300 hp. You must not have gotten up over 115-120 because the fuel cuts out around there; I guess it depends on the year. The 32v Northstar engine is sweet. I think you should have taking him by 100mph. They still pull pretty good over 90, but you definitely notice the air resistance factor vs. their gearing and aerodynamics. The rate of acceleration drops off fairly quick.
Was their exhaust loud? (modified?)

Thaddeus

The Northstar is a terrific engine. I rented a Seville with one a few years ago and had lots of fun. Got 25 mpg while being heavy-footed into the bargain.

A pity GM can't build a chassis worth a ****.

heinrich

It was a very quick deal, a few seconds and we were upon the cars ahead ... or rahter I was, so I had to drop and fall behind him. The way his car ran I could see he was running out of steam, but unfortunately that was just about the time we were all done ... I'd say we hit about 60.

I do notice that with the auto '85 as opposed to the 5spd S4, she does tend to have a significant hurdle as you mash the throttle in first, for exactly two carlengths.... after that it's gangbusters and herds of angry bulls ... but till then ... the older Northstar had the drop on me :-) Yes agreed I would likely have had him at 100, but I don't know Guys ... this Caddie hopped ahead like I was standing still for a second there ...... who knows :-) Maybe it is hopped up. Anyway earlier a latest-model Camaro Z whatever tried and failed to outrun me. I really hated that he took the right lane at an onramp in heavy traffic to pass all of us, and merge again to look as if he had just entered the freeway. Of course I was easily able to find my way back to in front of him. And stay there.

heinrich

Yes Colin, gearing would explain it. I thing the induction of the '85 also leaves the low-end way unattended (as opposed to the S4).

Simon Jester

Oh yeah, I have a friend at work that has one.

Very quick off the line. My stroked 79 would get whipped even from a slow rolling start. On the other hand, I can cruise at speeds that he can't even attain.

Not to mention my 928 is WAY cooler.

Ron_H

I hear that Porsche developed the Northstar engine for Cadillac. Don't feel so badly. But again, use the 928 as it was designed to be used, and you should not have any reason to feel embarrased.

BrianG

HEINRICH NEEDS A HUFFER!!!

Old & New

heiney,

Stop the embarassment by not drag racing (in an un-modified 928). They are not designed for that.

Jim_H

Here's the deal, there are a lot of cars that will beat our 928's off the line, period. So what? That's not what they were made for. In only 2 track days this year and a dyno session the one thing I know for certain is there are a lot of cars out there that are f'ing fast. I know this will rub a certain person wrong but the 928 guys got our fannies spanked by 2 STi's in 'every' dept. today. I see no way I will ever be able to compete with these guys in the twisties. They are nuts. But forget about them, some kid had a cheapo Nissan nx. Bolted a turbo charger on it, probably didn't have $5k total in to the car and presto the guy had the ultimate sleeper. How about an old Talon? The 928 was no competition through the turns and doing 140 down the front straight bought me zero breathing room. So after all this what car do I want ? My 928, easy call for me. It's the BWAAA baby!
I don't need to stick my head in the sand to love my car. I enjoyed standing around with a bunch of fellow Sharksters who love our cars for what they are, which made it possible to laugh and say 'holy sh*t those bleep'n things scream'! Then jump back in our cars and go out and tear up the track, have a blast and occasionally give the pass sign to some cars that regardless of the fact they are faster, we don't care to own.

Ron_H

A few years ago, and more than I would like to repeat here, I was involved with P-car autocrossers, who did fairly well with their 356s against all sorts of other cars. Then one day a guy in a Saab coupe stopped by the track (airport)
to "watch" and then "try his luck". Well, he cleaned up. From that time on we referred to this behavior as a "saab story". Then it was the Lotus elans and europas when they were not broken (they were very fragile because Chapman made them so light). Of course this was not endurance racing, and P cars are GTs after all, but even Speedsters and 914s have their rivals, some of whom can surprise us.

I prefer the long races and rallies as I regard them as better tests of what roles GT cars are intended to fulfill. At these, until a few years ago, P cars have cleaned up. And the street cars reflect this supremacy. How long do our cars last and perform as they do? I have heard of 911SCs with 400,000 miles on unopened engine cases. If your friend wants to race, ask him to race from San Francisco to Philadelphia and back again twice. Real world please.

As has been said, there are cars that will post marginally faster 0-60 times and cars with higher top speeds. So what? I also would not trade my 928 for any of them of which I am aware. So what is the concern? I didn't buy my P car to impress my acquaitances. And I certainly couldn't care less about some drag prepared fart can that will self destruct in 50 miles. I am not impressed.
I am impressed by the 917, the 908 spyder, and the GT1. ( and maybe the NSX)

Tom. M

Jim stated some good points...those WRX STi's were just plain old wicked....slightly modded...had four people in the car at one point..and still rocked...amazing..but to the point......I believe that most of the 928's on the track yesterday were approaching 100k miles...mine has 155k...Adams is up there...etc...and all were around 15 years old or so....put it into perspective....lets see where this awesome STi is in 10 years and 100k miles..original engine..I bet not...Sure Subie will offer up something even more amazing in another 10 years..and guess what..I'll be on the track with my 25 year old GT....and saying the same thing....Porsche ...there is no substitute.. ;-)

BTW..if anyone out there is around Spokane next April..stop out at the semi annual PacNW 928 Track Attack....just an awesome day of flying around the track...

Later,
Tom
midlman@rennlist.net
89GT

Jim_H

Tom,

Spot on. The 928, with some commonsense upkeep is the most durable car I am aware of. Classy, beautiful, fast, comfortable and a Porsche, too cool. After a long day on the track drove a little under 5 hours straight to Portland and could have went another 5. Not too many cars you can say that about

Flint

Nobody's asked what the caddy's stopping ability is compared to a 928? I don't know myself, better or worse?