Toyota/Subaru/Scion Lightweight Sports Car: Toyota GT86, Subaru BRZ, Scion FRS!
11-14-11, 03:00 PM
#1477
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
this car is probably quite a bit smaller than the supra, and many small sports cars have upright dashes, like the miata, or even the lf-a.
11-14-11, 04:24 PM
#1478
11-15-11, 02:34 AM
#1481
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I know exactly what he's saying. . . and agree. . . to an extent.
I think he is referring how the center console slopes (or curves) upwards towards the center dash panel, rather than having a flatter console and the resulting "upright" dash.
To an extent, this was necessary in older cars and RWD cars to accomodate the driveshaft (and never prevalent in trucks due to the body being mounted on the frame. But customers demanded more interior room; thus clever packaging allows for a minimal drivetrain tunnel. And especially in FWD cars, they can be eliminated 100%.
I enjoy the enclosed, cockpit type feeling of a full tunnel, but it's just not practical on a small car. A low tunnel/console means that your knees and lower thighs can extend a bit OVER the center console, and it results in a SIGNIFICANT improvement in comfort. However, (in a small car), if the area is too sloped or too high, your legs are forced into a very tiny hole, with almost no room to move around or stretch. It's extremely uncomfortable, and not practical for a daily driver.
Now in a larger car, this isn't an issue. . . but cars like the FT and Miata are TINY.
I think he is referring how the center console slopes (or curves) upwards towards the center dash panel, rather than having a flatter console and the resulting "upright" dash.
To an extent, this was necessary in older cars and RWD cars to accomodate the driveshaft (and never prevalent in trucks due to the body being mounted on the frame. But customers demanded more interior room; thus clever packaging allows for a minimal drivetrain tunnel. And especially in FWD cars, they can be eliminated 100%.
I enjoy the enclosed, cockpit type feeling of a full tunnel, but it's just not practical on a small car. A low tunnel/console means that your knees and lower thighs can extend a bit OVER the center console, and it results in a SIGNIFICANT improvement in comfort. However, (in a small car), if the area is too sloped or too high, your legs are forced into a very tiny hole, with almost no room to move around or stretch. It's extremely uncomfortable, and not practical for a daily driver.
Now in a larger car, this isn't an issue. . . but cars like the FT and Miata are TINY.
11-15-11, 04:10 AM
#1482
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11-15-11, 06:10 AM
#1484
Not a big deal...I'm just used to Toyota interiors where the console flows more fluidly into the dash and the dash itself is more angled or waterfall in design. The FT has a pretty flat console area and an equally flat, upright dash: a design I typically associate more with trucks and SUVs than sports cars or sedans.
dj.ctwatt's explanation makes perfect sense to me, so problem solved
dj.ctwatt's explanation makes perfect sense to me, so problem solved
11-15-11, 06:23 PM
#1485
Pole Position
Just read the InsideLine first drive: http://www.insideline.com/scion/fr-s...rst-drive.html. Consider me very underwhelmed and disappointed. 2800lbs?! And only 197hp? 53/47 weight distribution? What happened to lightweight? What happened to 200+ hp? What happened to balance? I realize that things got lost in translation as it goes from proto to production, but all Toyco seemingly did was made a RWD Celica. I understand power isn't everything, and that the first impressions were good, but this was supposed to be the spiritual successor to the lightweight AE86. Maybe my hope was too high with all the hype, but 2800lbs is a complete porker for this class and cripples the car significantly in hp/weight standpoint. I guess I'll be keeping my MR-S longer than i expected. 