10 Attachment(s)
2.4S and 2.7 RS in context of Acceleration league table UK tested cars in 1973
Folks with an interest in sporting cars of early 70s might be interested in an acceleration league table I found in a British weekly Motor from 1973:
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Author of piece Gordon Bruce was the magazine's technical editor and conducted the regular thorough weekly road test from which this table would have been complied. They used their own equipment and as much as possible consistent comparable format.
The 2.4S as a standard car among the modified BMW and Fords upheld marque honours very well in the 2-3000cc class.
The authors challenge readers to bring forward contenders. That magazine hadn't at the time of writing formally road tested the 73 RS; it was on sale from beginning of October 72 and the first examples hit the road by first month of two of 1973 in the UK . The Carrera RS 2.7 was Porsche most powerful and torquier faster top of the range car in the 2-3000cc category than the 2.4S at the time of the acceleration league table article:
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However racer / journalist Paul Frere who was a regular contributor to that same magazine had already written published an article in that magazine about the RS in the Spring of 73; measuring the acceleration figures for the RS as shown in an exerpt from thst article
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Apparently this test was the source for the numbers included in his subsequent well known book; which shows for RS
For comparison below are the figures from the same magazine for the 2.4 S they tested; it was the source of the figures used in the league table:
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Not clear why the RS wasn't used in the test Presumably the Carrera RS having not been through the formal road test of that particular magazine by author Godon Bruce it was excluded from the acceleration league table. It is not as though modified or limited editions homologation cars were excluded given the presence of Alpine BMW etc.
The figures used above are all however published in the same magazine title. Few would doubt Frere. In the spring of 73 column Frere made these comments about the RS relative performance to the Daytona in the same magazine based on his test -- these pre date the league table article but the cars data wasn't used:
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Based on Frere 's comments and comparing the data-points published in the same magazine to the the league table it appears that the RS would have given all including the winner of the bigger 3-4500cc class, the Daytona, something to think about-- at least until the top end. Probably above the practical range top end most road owners would have regularly used in the UK since a speed limit of 70mph on motorway and 60 mph on regular carriageway had been introduced mid 60s.
The RS when viewed in the league table of acceleration of 73 was a quick car when held against all until up into the likes of huge engined specialised GT40 and AC Cobra.
Although hardly cheap back then at list price £6621 the 73 Carrera RS in the exact spec as tested by Frere was a lot less than list price of the fastest car Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona at £10490. It wasn't much more common. In fact rarer in RHD. Over the production years, according to Ferrari club historians, the total no of Daytonas is 1,406; of which 156 UK right-hand-drive coupés. Not massively dissimilar number to 72/3 RS totals across its three series, albeit Ferrari was sold across more production years.
Author, Gordon Bruce, until selling it a few years ago was the just second long term private owner of an first series RHD RS which iirc had originally been owned by a large British oil company based in the UK before him. A well known car and owner. He obviously voted with his own money having as technical editor and roadtest head been given privileged access to all sorts of cars in that era. More to it than just accelerating obviously, but interesting comparison in summer of 73.
Being British magazine the smaller cc classes have a rather quirky British flavour but other classes seem European/ progressively more international.
In September of 1975 the new Turbo 911 was equally thoroughly tested by another British weekly magazine. Despite it being several years since the summer league table (above) the turbo figures (below) didn't move the game on significantly on acceleration -- in fact slower in the league table at datapoints of 60 and 100mph of the RS as figured by the well respected Paul Frere.
Attachment 449161 Speedo was a tad optimistic.
By then, at £12606 Turbo with inflation etc was around double the 72/3 list price of the RS M471 Sport. The review British road test article of the turbo drew extensive comparison throughout between the new blown 260 bhp 3 litre car and the first 500 series RHD 2.7 MFI RS in the M472 Touring spec they'd tested over two years earlier:
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Acceleration comparison early first series RS touring vin 006x vs turbo 3.0 from 20mph was published (allowing for 5 vs 4 gears).
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Turbo 3.0 only began to get into stride around 70 ie at UK legal limit; not a huge difference around +4ish mph in top speed for those intent on going flat chat on unrestricted German autobahn.
Steve
PS Original oil spec footnote: Even as late as Sept 1975 the magazine testers commented again that the importer supplied new turbo testcar was using same "straight" Shell Rotella SAE 30 that the importers '73 RS press test car had used in similar test back in 73 -- not a multi grade!
