Post by Trevor WilsonPost by DarylPost by Trevor Wilsonhttps://www.drive.com.au/news/xiaomi-su7-ultra-prototype-destroys-
nurburgring-lap-record/?
utm_campaign=syndication&utm_source=smh.com.au&utm_content=article_2&utm_medium=partner
I do note that they chose not to use a Chinese driver.
I think I know why.
I wish I knew why anyone anyone thinks that the lap time for some
prototype race car around an obsolete German racetrack actually means
anything to anyone?
Its certainly not a reasonable benchmark for anything relating to real cars.
I wonder if that Chinese EV could do more than one flying lap in
between charges, if not its pretty useless.
**Is it that much different to a (say) Bugatti Veyron? The Veyron would
run for 12 minutes at top speed, before a refuel is required.
I think that that sort of car is just an engineering exercise and many
ways it fails as a useful car.
As recently as yesterday I watched a video about a YouTuber (Hoovies
Garage) in the US who bought a "cheap" Veyron, he said that a normal
annual service cost US$30k, the tyres cost around US$53k to replace all
4 and they don't last long, most people replace them with aftermarket
wheels and tyres because OE is insanely priced.
Post by Trevor WilsonIt's a very impressive effort for a manufacturer that is known for
making 'phones. To beat the best effort from Tesla (with many years'
experience in building cars) is impressive. To disregard this
achievement is stupid.
According to the article the car in question was compared to
"unmodified" versions of the Tesla, Porsche etc so its a rather silly
comparison, might as well compare it to a current F1 car.
For it to be a proper comparison a road legal version would need to be
tested.
Have you seen the "McMurtry" EV that holds the Goodwood hillclimb record?
It has massive power plus it uses a huge fan to "suck" the car onto the
road surface so it has huge grip, great engineering exercise but
comparing that to a normal road legal car is ridiculous.
Have you ever watched at the F1 GP a "race" between a fast road car, a
V8 Supercar and an F1 car?
The F1 car gives the fast road car a 2/3rd of lap head start and the V8
Supercar half a lap and still beats both of them.
Post by Trevor Wilson[Aside] Back in 1988 I visited Japan. I rode the Shinkansen from Tokyo
to Nagoya. It was a fabulous experience. What struck me was how, back in
1964, pretty much everyone in the West regarded Japan as a nation of
cheap toy builders and only capable of copying products made in the
West. Yet, here was an incredible, high technology product that was
world shattering in it's capabilities. All done for the Tokyo Olympics
in 1964.
Chinese manufacturing is no different.
My son is in Shenzhen China at the moment, I haven't spoken to him
directly but his girlfriend has said that he is very impressed with what
he is seeing.
He was very concerned about Chinese Govt spying on his privacy so he
left his normal phone at home and took an old phone with a different
number and just some basic contacts.
It will be interesting to hear what he thinks next time I speak to him.
--
Daryl