What qualities makes the 914 suspension, so archaic... Options

[olav]

I've been noticing a lot of people mentioning that the suspension system in a 914 is no match for modern suspension system. Some even mention that a Neon's suspension is better.

What are the problems with the 914's suspension that make it so uncompetitive with the newer cars?

Is it that the 914's suspension in some peoples cars is so old ie old bushings, shocks, torsion bars that are worn, etc that newer cars just have newer parts which makes them better or is the actual design of the suspension been superceded?

Just curious.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif)

[lapuwali]

QUOTE (olav @ Oct 24 2005, 10:27 AM)

I'm asking because some people claim that a stock Neon, for example, would out handle a 914 with trick stuff in a A/X event. So that go me wondering why?

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is horseshit. A stock Neon would in no way outhandle a tricked-out 914, unless the 914 was tricked out in completely the wrong way and had completely shot tires on it. I owned a stock '99 Miata until a couple of years ago, and it would only JUST handle with a 914 that wasn't particularly tricked out. That 914s can still hold up under AX conditions against "modern" cars tends to bear this out.

Anyone who claims otherwise needs to provide credible evidence to back it up.

That said, AX is basically about the driver, tires, and weight (more or less in that order). Suspension really only enters into the equation on a bumpy course, and a lot of the difference from one setup to the other is down to driver preference, not absolute performance. The driver is so important, I've actually witnessed a Yugo doing better times that a Corvette on the same course, simply because the Yugo driver could exploit his car to the limit, where the Corvette driver was an effete wanker.