Quote:
Originally Posted by Wandering Scot
Depends on how sophisticated / well set up the traction control is.
If it doesn't make you go faster, why does F1, Moto GP, WSBK, and most other forms of motorsports use it?
If the traction control is sophisticated enough and has a fast enough processor to keep the tires on the edge of just breaking loose while applying as much forward thrust to the car as possible, the car will be faster, consistently.
Couple that with an 8 speed transmission and low internal gearing and 3.9 second 0-60 times are possible.
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It prevents you from going slower. That may sound like semantics, but its a very important difference. It prevents wheel spin, wheel spin makes you go slower. TC doesn't make you go faster. Lets say someone gets their car to do 0-60 in 6.5s with tons of wheel spin. Add traction control and now they're down to lets say 4.5s in the same vehicle. The car didn't actually get any faster. Why? Because the first time, there was a dumbass behind the wheel that just mashed the gas. With a driver that knows what they're doing, they get the time down to 4.4s
without TC.
The system either cuts power, or applies the brakes to prevent wheel spin. It doesn't
add any traction to the car. It tries to make the most out of what the car has. Without it, the car would have just as much grip and just as much power. The only difference is that with TC, the power is more easily controlled. Its like saying that Active Fuel Management or Multi Displacement System doubles your engine size. No, they cut your engine in half. Its a
reducing system for your car, not an
enhancing system. By that, I mean they achieve their aim by reducing what the car would otherwise have, not by adding anything. A traction
enhancing system for your car would be something like a .... glue dispenser. Silly, of course but just hear me out. It would give you more grip and make the car accelerate faster (so long as the glue becomes tacky quick enough).