It is not a question of power, but TORQUE at the wheels, i.e. engine torque x gearing. She is driving at about 5 mph, which is lower than 1000 RPM in 1st gear in the ALL4. According to my calculations, 1000 RPM = 6.3 MPH in 1st.

The S engine develops its peak torque between 1600-5000 RPM, so to get started up this hill the car needs gearing in 1st to at least get the engine RPM up above 1600 RPM. Most Jeeps and Land Rovers, etc. can do this hill easily regardless of engine HP, because they have low enough gears to generate the required torque at the wheels.

 

Apparently, neither are most SUVs. But people buy into the illusion that their vehicle can get them through anything. They also buy into the fallacy that the larger the vehicle, i.e., the more metal around you, the safer you are.

 

Can you elaborate on this? The rules of physics are pretty standard across all cars

 

Cars are designed to crumple to absorb some of the force from being hit. So bigger does not mean safer. Here are 2 I picked at random for a small vs large comparison

Here we have 2007 IHST of the MINI
Mini Cooper

2007-12 models FRONTAL OFFSET TEST

OVERALL EVALUATION:
Structure/safety cage Injury measures Restraints/dummy kinematics Head/neck Chest Leg/foot, left Leg/foot, right Important: Frontal crash test ratings can be compared only among vehicles of similar weight.
Good Acceptable Marginal Poor


Now a big 2004 Ford F-150 Heritage
FRONTAL OFFSET TEST

OVERALL EVALUATION:
Structure/safety cage Injury measures Restraints/dummy kinematics Head/neck Chest Leg/foot, left Leg/foot, right Important: Frontal crash test ratings can be compared only among vehicles of similar weight.
Good Acceptable Marginal Poor

 

So I'm gonna split hairs here...

So bigger doesn't necessarily mean safer, I agree with that. But your comparison seems to be more dependent on how well the car is designed to handle an impact safely, and not the size of the vehicle per se.

If Mini built a car the size of a Ford F-150, but designed it just as well as the Cooper, would the Big Mini be safer? I'd be willing to bet yes (all other things being equal).

 

So what car would you want to be in with a rear end collision at 45mph (you being at a dead stop) 2012 F150 4x4 or the 2012 Mini Cooper? How about being T-boned at 45mph by a Ford Exploded, again the F150 or the Mini? F150 weighs in about 5200 lbs, almost twice the weight of the Mini. I think if a Mini and F150 would swap paint the Mini would be on the loosing end, Newtons Laws would prevail.

 

something to do with the gearing, 4 high/4 low? important for transferring torque?

O.T., i know vicky is getting "older", but is she preggy or getting on the heavy side? haven't watched the show in a long while. always thought of her as being a hottie, british accent, pretty face (my opinion) and nice body.

 

It looks like the rear bumper is touching the road because of the departure angle (doesn't look like she looses traction or like the front is touching). I believe she stops because of the scratching noise.

 

Being safer also has to do with accident avoidance and rollover risk, which is higher for most trucks and SUVs due to higher center of gravity and poor handling. So you have to look at the total risk picture, not just the mass comparison.

http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/teepa/pdf/Are_SUVs_Safer.pdf

 

Actually I have one for you! A couple we know has a smart car and were driving down the road when a new mustang lost control went across the lane and hit them head on at 40 mph. The couple had been banged up but walked away the mustang driver was hauled away on a stretcher with neck injuries, explain that lol. Maid a believer out of me about the kick *** engineering of newer cars and their safety. The smart lived up to its name on that one.

 

I explain it this way:
Laws of physics > anecdotal stories.

 

4gazm That was my point. Just because its big and heavy, does not make it a safer vehicle.

 

Lol I know guys !!! I was just throwing kindling on the fire, I was simply pointing out that the bigger car hit the smaller car and the people in the smaller car were hurt less, showing its not just size you have to put into the equation but also the safety and technology designed into the vehicle. That's all.

 

Shoot look at a few Chinese vehicles, they disitagrate when hitting an object, do a search on you tube for Chinese car crash tests and you'll be in for a treat, I bet if their truck hit your car the truck would be destroyed lol it's rediculus how bad they are. Thou that doesn't help us here in the states

 

I climb a 45 degree incline everyday in my parking garage, no problems, engine doesn't die.... The video must show a manual and she stalls it...

 

Being a race car driver doesn't mean that you know how to drive in the snow. The club I instruct with had Adam Pecorari at our winter driving school and, uh.. he had to ask for some help a few times. He put us all to shame when he got everything organized, but loose surfaces are a far cry from pavement.

I'm heading up to that winter driving school - rally school in Northern NH - in late February. If we actually get snow and I actually have my Countryman there.. I'm looking forward to taking some video of the car on course.

 

ENVY...ENVY...ENVY

 

Cool - Tim O'Neil's is my highest recommendation for learning how to drive on loose surfaces. Learn how to left-foot brake too. And you will have fun...

Rob (rally is middle name) Bohn

 

The test in the video are 100% bias to the Subbies and do not reflect anything real world to say the least. The way they execute the "tests" looks like something from Myth Busters. The driver in the videos is operating the gas is suspect to say the least, I'm just saying.

 

The answer is the traction control is on. Once all four tires lose traction the computer will shut down power to the wheels. The same thing applies to my 09 jeep wrangler. If you pull up to an eight inch ledge and try to go over the jeep will stall out and not move forward. Turn off the traction control and you roll right over. PS my jeep has 37 inch tires.

 

The other day tried to turn into a parkinglot that had a very steep incline with my 6spd All4. Due to having to slow down so much to make the turn in and the very steep angle I was forced to burn the clutch to get the car moving instead of getting a running start. The problem with the All4 is that it takes more power to get it moving, instead of allowing 2 wheels to spin you have 4 that are getting traction. I hated that feeling but it was better than rolling out into the road and getting hit. The car doesnt have enough low end torque like was stated earlier. How many people climb a 45 degree incline anyway. If I needed to go offroading and climb hills like that I would take my FX4.

 

Would getting going be easier if you turned traction control off? Hopefully they put a more durable clutch in to handle the extra time you have to ease out the clutch to get the heavier Mini moving.

 

LOL... rally is my next stop when I've gotten more tired of pavement. I'm an HPDE instructor and sometimes-racer. Love Tim-O. He's prone to jumping in a car and chasing students down for being pansies, ramming them from behind..