Would Appreciate Opinions On Altezza Handling

[londoner2001]

For those of you that have RS200 Altezzas, what do you think of the handling for fast road driving, mostly dual carriageway and motorway, the car at 14ft 4 inches is quite small so is it agile? What's the acceleration like from rolling start say from 40-80mph? Doe it feel stable when cruising on the motorway at a tonne or so?

Many thanks for your views, am definetly considering getting one now as the RX7 although a great performer is looking out of date!

[AltezzaScott]

Hi mate, handling is good, having driven quite a few Altezza`s they are a pleasure to drive at a tonne( not on british road though,obviously)

Also, good from a rolling start, as with the is200, it pulls merrily all through the gears.

Must admit i found it made quite a difference driving one with the standard 17" alloys to my Tooras (18") Felt more sturdy( for obvious reasons)

You won`t have any quarms buddy....trust me i`m a doctor... :D

[altezzaz]

In comparison to what, though?

40 is about where second gear kicks, but I alway think the car feels fastest (compared to other cars out there) between 65 and 85 in third - it's great for getting past a line of cars.

[shotwood]

It depends on how you like to drive the car. If you expect an Altezza to waft you from 40 to 80 on a wave of torque in top gear, then prepare to be dissappointed. It will do it, but 80mph in 6th is around 4000 rpm and the vvti is just about to kick in...

If you don't mind changing down a couple of gears to make rapid progress, then you've made the right choice. I find mine nimble, comfortable and plenty fast enough when I need to ahem... get a move on. Let's just say I haven't noticed any problems when cruising at 'immediate driving ban speeds...' (On a test track of course occifer... :winky:

I picked mine up in February and so far its been everything I expected, and more. But then I knew what I wanted from a car, and thanks to this club, what to expect.

[OLI_EP3]

Shotwood, but you have the TOMS ECU that 'may' make a difference :P

[londoner2001]

Scott, 18's are just too big, they look bling bling(not my cup of tea!) and they slow you down a bit, 17's work real nice for grip.

Shotwood I don't expect that, I am quite well versed on the differences between Jap performance cars and German and Italian stuff. I don't mind having to keep in the power band at the top of the rev range to get your speed, it's fun and keeps the noise coming non stop!

I was thinking more in terms of stability, I know strut braces and aftermarket suspension will affect this but when you are say doing 80mph and you wanna overtake someone or do a bit of lane hopping is there a lot of roll or does it feel taught and stable?

Toms ECU and zorst will definetly affect things, have you had your car mapped and dynod?

[shotwood]

OLI_EP3: Shotwood, but you have the TOMS ECU that 'may' make a difference

AFAIK the TOM'S ECU should increase the torque more than the outright power. Without driving another Tezza and doing a back-to-back comparison, I wouldn't like to say what the difference is...

ondoner2001: I was thinking more in terms of stability, I know strut braces and aftermarket suspension will affect this but when you are say doing 80mph and you wanna overtake someone or do a bit of lane hopping is there a lot of roll or does it feel taught and stable?

Very stable, though mine does have stiff suspension. (Soon to be changed to APEXi coilovers). Turn-in is crisp and from 4000 rpm onwards, she flies. :P

londoner2001: Toms ECU and zorst will definetly affect things, have you had your car mapped and dynod?

Not yet. I am hoping to go to the dyno session at TDI later on in the year. Everything on the car was fitted in Japan, so I'm in the dark there. Haven't noticed any quirks though so I suspect the mapping is fine. Though I stand to be corrected

My advice, if you like Jap performance and good hadling coupled with a bit of luxury, is go for an Altezza.

[londoner2001]

If your car was set up in Japan then presume it's set up better than anyone here could, of all the tuned cars i have seen and talked to people about it seems the Jap tuning houses are unmatched they simply are better than us in UK we are lagging behind, not to say there aren't people who can modify Jap cars here, it just sems that the Japs get the best results as it sounds you have with your car!

You are spot on, I like Jap Performance and a decent handling car but with that tad of respectability that the RX7 just doesn't have and some comfort which the RX7 certainly doesn't have. Have you baged yours as a lexus or left it as an altezza?

One thing I forgot to ask is how is visibility? Can you see the front of the bonnet and the rear or is rear parking a guessing game or parking sensor routine?

One thing I must say also is I have looked on a couple of Jap car forums and the people here seem well down to earth and more wel roudned as opposed to completely tunnel visioned on performance and let's face it it's a car you still have to lik eit overall and have some degree of comfort.

[altezzaz]

One thing I forgot to ask is how is visibility? Can you see the front of the bonnet and the rear or is rear parking a guessing game or parking sensor routine?

How tall are you? I can see most of the bonnet, and can have a very good guess where the back is - from where I sit it is 1 cm below the bottom of the rear window, but if you want to be sure you just need a spoiler...

Sounds to me like you need to try one. They are generally very similar to the IS. The spring rate is different although I've yet to put my finger on how, the trim is either cloth or leather, and the steering feels 'better' as there is less weight over the front of the car.

[shotwood]

londoner2001: Have you baged yours as a lexus or left it as an altezza?

She's an Altezza, and always will be in my ownership. Why would you want to import a car from Japan, then hide the fact?

Can you see the front of the bonnet and the rear or is rear parking a guessing game or parking sensor routine?

I always guess. :P (and no dents yet... ) AFAIAC the visibility is no worse than any modern-day car.

Came back on a the A146 last night. Covered 26 miles in 31 minutes and obeyed all he village speed limits. Need I say more about the handling/stability? :D

Edit: Must get the 'n' working on my keyboard :duh: Steve, we need a spelcjeker! :D

[londoner2001]

Bout 5ft 10 I believe. Would like to test drive one but nothing has come in to UK yet in the spec I want and I won't test drive a car I am not looking to buy, I think it is a bit disrespectful to whoever is selling it after all they are nto there to provide test drives. I think it is the TRD wing that is pretty low key and normal goes bout 6 inches above the boot that I like, would definetly help as you say with reversing. I am hoping Scott at Altezza Sports and Prestige imports a nice tiptrnoic black RS200, that would be right up my street.

Might be that the damping is a little less than the UK models, normally the JDM models because of them having better roads than us are slightly firmer and geared for more enthusiastic driving so that may be the difference, the RS was designed as an enthusiasts saloon so the drive must be better than the IS300. Good point about the weight over the front, read a Japanese review and they said the difference between the IS300 and the RS200 is enormous to handling from the weight of the engine and they can't emphasize enough how much this improves the RS200's drivability.

Shotwood I noticed some people rebadged because otherwise nobody knows what their altezza is, undecided over whether I would. Visibility does sound good, it is small for a compact executive car at 14ft 4 so it can't be bad, I sat in a CL 55AMG once when I was with my family at Mercedes(helping the parents choose, they aren't too car knowledgable!) and I swear I would not at my height be able to drive this thing for a good few years, you can't see the front or the back it's rediculous, must be why older folk get them.