Quote:
Originally Posted by tin-man
Is lifting just a Cobra phenomenon or is applicable to any lightweight car. reason I ask is I never experienced such while driving a Lotus Elise in Malaysia around the Sepang Speedway and that car was light, 1500KG. Granted it only had 172hp but was turbo charged and went like a bat out of hell. It did have a rear engine tho'. tin-man
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Trailing throttle oversteer can happen in any powered, wheel driven vehicle that sends power (or even the majority of power) through the rear wheels. Depending on the vehicle and a myriad of other factors from weight to balance to suspension tuning, gearing, drivetrain configuration and tire selection, it will take more or less to provoke a tail-out orientation; but push the limits of your particular combination and it will happen.
The net effect is similar to pulling up your hand brake at speed while turning, or grabbing the rear brakes on your bicycle while your handlebar is turned.
The phenomenon is not necessarily your enemy if you master your car's dynamics and use it deliberately and judiciously.
Edit - re the Lotus: 1500KG is way heavier than most Cobras - surely it was lighter than that?
Also, rear or rear/mid engined cars generally tend to have more weight aft of the centerline and they will really swing their tails out when the rear tires lose grip in a corner. Some are better balanced than others, but cars like the old Porsche 930 Turbos were extreme in that regard and they will swing their arse end around like a pendulum.