-----Original Message-----
From: PAULES56@aol.com <PAULES56@aol.com>
>Honda's ATTS (Active Torque Transfer System) is supposed to direct power to
>the OUTSIDE front wheel in turns. This is supposed to help the car turn.
>Sounds good to me but no salesperson could explain how it works. This
sounds
>different than an LSD.
It is different than an LSD -- basically, the system speeds up rotation of
the outside front wheel in a turn, since that's the loaded tire. You can
still overpower the system and spin the inside, if you try, and ATTS does
nothing for a split traction condition (which an LSD would help).
>Can anybody explain how it works or at least that it does work? Is it
worth
>paying the few extra grand to get the SH to get this feature? (You also get
a
>spoiler, special wheels, smaller front swaybar, faster steering box,
leather
>shift knob and an extra hundred pounds.)
For autocrossing, it's not worth it -- every 5th-generation Prelude driver
I've spoken with tells me ATTS operation is transparent in street use (that
is, you normally don't push that hard) and reacts too slowly on course.
Road racing might be a different story -- I know there are a couple of 5th
gen cars out there, but don't know how they're doing.
As far as the other goodies, the only real desirable ones are the swaybar
(which you could replace yourself for less than the option package) and the
steering (which isn't really that much faster). IMO, not worth the hundred
pounds or the extra $.
>General utility comments about the Prelude compared to an Integra GS-R or
>Civic (EX or Si) would also be appreciated.
The Integra and the Civic are lighter cars with smaller engines -- and they
feel like it. I haven't driven the new Civic Si, but my wife has a Civic EX
sedan with the SOHC VTEC engine, and you have to really lean on it to get
the most out of it. Great fun, but not terribly useful in a low-speed
corner. My single drive in a GSR gave me the same impression, although
there's a little more torque on tap. The Prelude has buckets of torque down
low (by comparison -- it's not a V-8....), and (IMO again) feels more like a
sports car. I like driving my wife's Civic -- but I like the Prelude more.
I also think the Prelude is more competitive in G Stock than the others are
in their respective classes (GS for the GS-R and ES for the Civic). Could
be a killer CSP car if the new proposal goes through, and Vince Bly has
already proven it in Street Touring -- so there are alot of competition
options.
As far as day-to-day utility, the Prelude's back seats are much less useful
than the other two, but my kids have ridden around in those seats since they
were infants, my tires fit nicely -- and the back of a 5th gen car is bigger
than my '92. Anything which doesn't fit in the trunk can stick out the
sunroof (or it's something you didn't need anyhow). Like any Honda, it
thrives on nothing more than basic maintenance. I've lived with mine for
nearly eight years and don't have an urge to replace it soon.
Jamie
'92 Prelude Si
Speed Demon Racing
http://www.mindspring.com/~jsculerati/sdr
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