We Find Out Which New Car Can Do The Longest Burnout.
Beating on brand-new cars that the car companies are stupid enough to loan us is one of the great perks of working at Sport Compact Car. So this month, we decided to take that privilege and really abuse it. We ordered up 16 brand-new sport compact cars for the sole purpose of our very own burnout contest. We told the car companies we needed the cars for a "big test," and they went for it, although four of the cars we requested didn't make it: the Mazda RX-8 and Miata, and the Nissan Sentra SE-R and Altima.
When the smoke cleared, we headed to the big parking lot at California Speedway with 12 cars from 10 different manufacturers and a very long tape measure. The competition wouldn't be judged like most burnout contests, which reward style, smoke volume and the ability to hold the throttle down for five minutes. This was a contest of length. We wanted to find out which new car could lay down the longest patch.
The rules were set. Each car would get two runs. I would do all the driving to keep variables to a minimum, and there would be no bullshit, like riding the brake in the rear-drive cars. In the front-drive cars, which made up the bulk of the group, I did use the emergency brake to hold the car in place until the tires were sufficiently spinning. And in the rear-drivers, I held the car in place with my left foot on the brake pedal. No water or other lubricants were used. After each run, the tire marks were measured in feet. The longest run of the two was recorded.
Conditions made it tough. First of all, California Speedway is 1,200 feet above sea level, and the asphalt in its parking lot turned out to be pretty sticky. Plus, temperatures remained at 105-plus degrees for the entire day. Even at 6:30 p.m., the asphalt was a scorching 108 degrees.
Read on. The results, listed below from worst to first, may surprise you.
Mercedes-Benz C320-34 ft.
When we ordered this car with the torquey V6 and automatic transmission (the only auto in the bunch), we thought it would be a ringer. It turned out to be a chump. Things started off great, but then the tranny insisted on upshifting to second gear and the smoke show came to a screeching halt 34 feet from where it all started. This car-with a manual-may have won the whole thing.
Toyota Celica GT-S-44 ft.
Here's a car that's held back by the party poopers in the warranty department. To keep stresses on the Celica's drivetrain down, you cannot rev this car higher than 5000 rpm in first gear with the clutch disengaged. In other words, by the time the good cams come on, the tires have already found traction. What a waste.
Honda Civic Si-71 ft.
The Civic Si is nothing if not consistent. Its lackluster power delivery and crappy touring tires combined for a well-below average of 71 feet. Twice. This thing needs more engine.
Dodge SRT-4-83 ft.
This one bummed us out. We thought the all-powerful Dodge might have a chance at winning this thing, but those extra-large Michelins just proved too sticky. We even tried a run in second gear because the car's engine management allows for more boost in second than first, but that proved worse. With smaller, harder tires, this car could've smoked them to Albuquerque.