Earlier tonight i went out to eat with my wife and my parents for my birthday. We pull up next to a Red new thunderbird and its a woman driving it. She accelerated rather quick but since i was in the car with my parents and my wife i decided not to push it. We got caught at another light and since my dad is a car buff (2000 m5) we told me to push it so see what my car can do so i was like cool. So i punched it as the light turned green and i left that thunderbird way behind me. My AEM CAI was growlin nicely. Are they supposed to be fast becasue they absolutely arent. Note i had 4 people in the car and the airconditioning going. She was solo in the thunderbird. Then we were driving on the highway and i see that thunderbird again and i push it at about 70 and keep pulling on it until 110 where i shut down. I love my car and believe its the best ive ever owned.

 

I can't quite remember the 0-60 on the T-Bird... but I do remember it wasn't very impressive... I think it's a heavy car... Something about convertibles... makes them slow... kinda like the Lexus SC430.

Someone told me this a long time ago... I don't know if it's true... I heard for safety reasons... convertibles are weighted down a little so they have a less chance of flipping over in an accident. In some cases... a convertible may weigh more than it's hardtop counter part.

 

...I just randomly picked a car, and looked it up.... the M3 coupe weighs 3415lbs, and the M3 convertible weighs 3781lbs. That's 366lbs more! (Information based on www.kbb.com -Kelly Blue Book)

Don't forget, cars with V8s may have more torque, but the engine itself... weighs more than our V6, making the overall curb weight more.

 

Yeah, but remember, he had a car with 4 people in it, compared to the thunderbird which sounded like it only had 1 person............

Are you sure the woman in the T-bird was even racing you? I mean, I always push my car a little at a light, but that does not mean I'm maxing it out and racing.

Isn't the new T-Bird 280HP and 286lbs of torque? It also weighs about 3775lbs. When you compare a T-Bird with only one woman to a TL-S with 2 men and 2 women, the Tl-s probably weighs more (with all passenger weights included), has a lot less torque, and less HP.

I don't doubt the abilities of the TL-S, but I do doubt the woman in the T-Bird was actually racing.............The numbers just don't show "race".

 

I agree... However... in an actual race, sans the three extra carbon units, my vote goes to the TL-S.
:p

 

It looked like she had an aftermarket 4 point roll bar, so i figure that she was modded somehow but i just get pulling on that beast. And yes im sure she was racing becasue when we shot off from the green light her tires squealed.

 

Like I said, I don't doubt the abilities of the TL-S. Based on numbers alone, it just didn't seem right....BUT that does not mean it can't happen!! If she was racing, then good kill!!

 

I don't care what everyone else says...nice Kill and your dad is COOL!!!!

 

Don't know about weighing the car down for rollovers, but I believe convertibles are heavier for another reason...typically getting rid of the hardtop reduces the rigidity of the chassis. So to compensate, extra components are added to the chassis to stiffen it up...and these typically make the convertibles a lot heavier than the hardtops, even then, the rigidity most of the time still aren't as good as the hardtops...
That's why I prefer hardtops to convertibles...lighter car, better rigidity=faster, better handling car
of course, you don't get nearly as many looks as the convertible

 

Your dad is cool, no doubt about that, however, my tires squeel if I look at them funny... piece of crap stock rubber.

If I take hard off a light, my tires squeel to 3000 rpm, then again at 5K and from 6K to redline it chirps like three times before hitting second gear , which emits a small burnout at the shift...

but this ain't the topic at hand. Nice kill.

 

The quarter mile time for the new T-bird's is low 15's - slightly slower than the TL-S. CAI helped I'm sure, but with your added weight, not sure you would have won if the T-bird driver knew how to launch.

_________________
2002 Acura TL Type-S
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Aegean Blue, Blk Leather
K&N Filter
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1993 5.0L Mustang Coupe
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Dugan Racing X-Drilled Rotors
Kenny Brown Subframes
Eibach Pro Springs
Steeda Camber Plates
Baumann Shift Kit
3:73 Motorsport Gears
ADS Computer Chip
Motorsport Pulleys
1.5" Mach I Ram Air Hood
Flowmaster 2.5" Exhaust

 

Is there a big difference between 1/4 mile and 0-60 times of the New thunderbird hardtop and the new Thunderbird convertable??