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Originally Posted by puppypilgrim
Sherlock,
What does the B7S feel like to drive in normal mode? What does it feel like when you push it? What does it feel like compared to the B10 Bi-Turbo?
Thanks,
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It's a challenge to provide a complete answer on these two beasts, but I will try .
Note that I have a B7, not a B7S. And it's an early model, with the Pierburg mechanical injection and E12 chassis . This makes a big difference, especially with the latest B7 turbo (serie III), which has an improved chassis, 3430 cc engine from the 635, Bosh injection, katalysor and ABS . This beast is even stronger (more torque), and in a sense closer to the B10 biturbo than my B7.
So here it is.
Idle: largely dependent ot outside temperature. There is an automatic choke (remember , this car was created back in 1979) which increases the idle rotation when cold. By 0°C, the rpm at start up will easily reach 1600, which makes the car very noisy, and difficult to drive (red light start ups are very hard to succeed without stopping the engine).
When hot (> 25°C), the idle can go down until 800 rpm, which makes the car a bit shaky, as the engine suffers to maintain such low rpm. Ideal outside temperatue is 15°C, allowing an rpm of 950.
Driving in town: painful. The suspensions are stiff, and the chassis does not feel to work very well "together". This leaves a feeling of sometimes "loosing a wheel" when driving on cobblestones, tram lines or irregular roads (not unusual in Brussels downtown). (I compare with the other extreme: my daily ML with Airmatic suspension, where I don't feel absolutely nothing - like a flying carpet).
In town, the engine never reach the levels where the turbo starts charging, so the car clearly lacks torque, and moving smoothly in the traffic is something you have to forget. Again, my ML -diesel- , with its enormous torque and instant response, is much more prompt to change lane or overtake.
Steering: the assistance is far from oversized. In parking maneuvres, it's rather exhausting, given the weight on the front train, and the car's dimension (4,75 m). I must say the visibility is excellent though, due to the very large and high windows .
Leaving town for small roads.
OK, leaving the town, and driving in the nice 2 lane roads of the Brussels south suburbs (lots of golfs, lakes, castles, nice villas,...). At the first possibility, leaving the foot in the gaz pedal, to see what the B7 really offers. So here it goes, a straight line, 400 m , kick down ...and ... .... ..... nothing happen during, at least, 3 seconds. Except a "whhizzz" coming from the engine, and the turbo needle climbing up to 1 bar overboost. There you feel something is happening BUT, too late, the straight line is over, you need to brake for the next turn.
And this is really one of the key characteristics of the old B7: the turbo lag is so long, you'd better anticipate any acceleration by 3 seconds.
So unless you have a very long & empty straight line in those small roads, it's again very frustrating. An overtake can become a dangerous maneuvre. The best way to enjoy your B7 on such roads is to open the sunroof and gently cruise at 40 mph. The noise is rather deep, not too loud, the confort is very good on good roads, and the car starts feeling more agile than in town. The car catches almost everyone's attention, I can't count the thumbs up since I have it.
On the autobahn
After the small roads, time to take the 4 lanes motorway, and let the engine express itself.
As you may imagine, the real B7's territory, the place for which it was made for. Launching the car in 1st gear will not give you a full picture, as the turbo does not engage in 1st gear . I don't know if it's only mine or all early B7, but it's like this, the power comes in second gear. There, as the 3000 rpm are passed, and with the foot down the gaz pedal, my god, it's a hurricane. And yes, the boost is stronger than on the B10. Only, it last not as long as the B10. It's useless to leave the B7 climbing after 5500 rpm, as there is no much to gain. (again, maybe mine, after 26 years...). But between 3000 and 4500, it it absolutely stunning, whatever the gear.
And there comes the secret of this B7: on the motorway, cruising at 120 km/h, the engine rpm is 3000, and the turbo is already "alert" (0,2 -0,3 bars of boost). So, no more lag. If you need to overtake, just gently touch the gaz pedal, and the car goes like a rocket. Staying in 5 gear, it only takes 5 to 6 seconds to go from 120 to 160 km/h, and it continues to push like a boeing well beyond 200 km/h (but you won't stay long at that speed, because noise, steering and suspensions effects make you feel driving at 350 km/h). In the B10, the boost is of course present, but more linear, in a more controlled way. The great asset of the B10 is that the power keeps up and up until 6500 rpm, which is not the case at all on the B7.
Braking at these speeds, without ABS, and relatively small discs, is another experience. Any modern car today has lot more assistance, and much more grip on the brakes than this B7. You you need to be extra careful, remember that brakes are sensible to the pressure you put on the pedal (something we forget these days), but if needed, the car will stop strongly. Mine is equipped with pagid pads, very efficient.
In conclusion, I would say that the B7 is truly a car to be driven in certain circumstances only, in particular on "autobahnen". There, it can provide sensations experienced in no one other car, including the B10.
The B10 is for me a much, much more modern car, which can be used daily despite its exceptional level of performance . To me the B10 is quiet close to a B5 in terms of efficiency and driving sensations (the B5 is even more "remote" from the road than the B10: less noise, less speed sensation).
That's it, from a lucky owner of both, and a B3 biturbo on order
Linear Mode
