Jason C
06-13-2005, 04:52 AM
The latest episode of Top Gear featured a segment about *authentic* British roadsters made by non-British manufactures. The two they flogged around their track was a TVR and this nifty thing:
http://www.autosrapidos.com/superautos/w/wiesmann-roadstermf301.jpg
Custom chassis using an E46 M3 drivetrain. A base engine is also offered but TG tested the S54 version, which lapped their track faster than an Evo VIII and about a second behind an Exige. Clarkson absolutely loved it, praising it for its communication, especially the steering. "...very delicate, very fingertippy, very poised and precise kind of car. Brakes are brilliant, the steering is fabulous..." Huge low-profile tires and what appears to be no give in the suspension, but "somehow, it glides over the bumps" in his words. "It's even got wind-down windows, but Wiesmann says there's less to go wrong, and you have to admit... they do have a point."
http://www.wiesmann-auto-sport.de/eroastart.html
One of the things I loved about it was (yes!) they got rid of that horrid, absolutely rubbish exhaust rasp. Click on the "Engine" link. I can't believe that's an S54, listen to that. Sounded fantastic in the episode. Both Hammond and Clarkson picked it over the TVR Tuscan, which was faster and significantly cheaper but also had a heavy, unrefined wrestling-a-fat-pig sort of feel.
Wasn't someone on roadfly a while ago trying to build a lightweight E46 M3 by ordering a stripper and then tearing down the interior? He should have considered one of these. ;)
*But these kind of niche cars don't come cheap, as you might have expected
http://www.autosrapidos.com/superautos/w/wiesmann-roadstermf301.jpg
Custom chassis using an E46 M3 drivetrain. A base engine is also offered but TG tested the S54 version, which lapped their track faster than an Evo VIII and about a second behind an Exige. Clarkson absolutely loved it, praising it for its communication, especially the steering. "...very delicate, very fingertippy, very poised and precise kind of car. Brakes are brilliant, the steering is fabulous..." Huge low-profile tires and what appears to be no give in the suspension, but "somehow, it glides over the bumps" in his words. "It's even got wind-down windows, but Wiesmann says there's less to go wrong, and you have to admit... they do have a point."
http://www.wiesmann-auto-sport.de/eroastart.html
One of the things I loved about it was (yes!) they got rid of that horrid, absolutely rubbish exhaust rasp. Click on the "Engine" link. I can't believe that's an S54, listen to that. Sounded fantastic in the episode. Both Hammond and Clarkson picked it over the TVR Tuscan, which was faster and significantly cheaper but also had a heavy, unrefined wrestling-a-fat-pig sort of feel.
Wasn't someone on roadfly a while ago trying to build a lightweight E46 M3 by ordering a stripper and then tearing down the interior? He should have considered one of these. ;)
*But these kind of niche cars don't come cheap, as you might have expected