One of the few addresses I have memorized by heart

 

There were different reasons to my question

but one of them was to take opinions on what gives the car that "toss-able" characteristic.

Is it weight only?
is it weight (as in light-weight) combined with 50/50 distribution
is another formula as mentioned (40/60 distribution)
is it suspension geometry?
Does coilovers and sway bars and other stuff give any heavy car that?
is it a combination of some of the above plus other?
etc... etc....

so yes it is a general discussion as well related to the question above

Was it really that bad of a question to generate an automotive discussion? If yes, I do apologize for wasting everyone's time with my stupid question

 

It's obviously the combination of all those.

You didn't waste anyone's time, no worries.

 

Yep, it's a combination.

However, I'd narrow it down to two things:

Low weight and a low center of gravity.

 

It made for some good discussion, no harm no foul

Low weight, good suspension geometry, solid chassis rigidity is the recipe for a toss-able car.

While drive layout & weight distribution plays a part, the Civic SI / Focus ST / Fiesta STs are toss-able cars and they're far from 50/50

 

And the most important part is that you have to lose weight. Go on a diet.

 

For sure it is a combination. But yes the priority is the weight.

You can't toss something that is too heavy regardless how good the other components are.

 

I think a huge portion is not having so much power that it becomes easy to lose control. It's much easier to toss an under powered car around because the engine lacks the power to break the tires free.

 

41 years old and a TSX-s with a 3" Fart Can.


Yep...change his name to tofubox.

 

That's 100% dependent on the driver's skill though. Shouldn't necessarily a factor in how tossable car is.

I think if the driver is actually good enough to properly control the car by modulating the throttle, it's better to have more torque. It gives you another way to turn.

 

Then it's less about the car being tossable than it is about drivers skill. A very good driver can toss any car around a track, it's not because the car is tossable, it's because the driver has excellent car control.

 

Yeah, so having a decent amount of torque is actually good for tossing cars.

 

Sort of. A good driver will be able to get the best out of the car, but it doesnt mean the car is tossable. A tossable car should be easy and willing to do so, and that is something that has a lot of factors that are involved like weight, suspension/suspension geometry, unsprung weight, weight distribution etc..

 

Which is why I said not having too much power is also a factor in a cars tossability as they are less likely to break tire free and cause a loss of control.

Ken Block can toss his 800+hp mustang around but if your not Ken Block, that car probably isn't tossable.

 

I think there is some misunderstanding about the term "tossable"

I think Kimchi is saying the feather like nimbleness feeling and you are talking about the ability to dance around the track.

 

It's a combination of multiple factors like others have said...

One of them can be having a decent amount of torque. That makes the car more tossable with the throttle input.

Yes, that's depending on the driver's skill.

 

Nah, I think we agree on the primary points, I just see all the cars most people consider tossable being on the lower end of power scale. A good driver can make use and still have great control tossing a higher powered car around (the ken block reference) but IMO that's a display of a drivers skill not how tossable the car is.

The short version would be a truly tossable car can be driven very quickly on a winding course by a less experienced driver.

 

Even with that much power, the car with all of its suspension mods probably does make it tossable. Yes the driver (Ken) will be able to get more out of it than the average with that hp (being able to regulate his right foot, but if you tuned it back to stock power and placed it up against a stock car just like it you would see the difference (the term tossable being used in reference) in its ability to be tossed/change directions/overall feel thru turns. Power doesnt have a whole lot to do with it.
Agree, being able to get it to change directions quickly, not have to slow as much for the turn, being able to carry more speed thru the turn are all some of the things that make it tossable. Outright power may make it more difficult but overall doesnt have much to do with its toss-ability

This i agree with, But with one thing to add. If the power is too little and the car just cant get out of its own way accelerating it could still be thought of as tossable just because of its lack of speed yet not truly be