Last week you may recall the Vision GT blog about the Lexus LF-LC GT where I concluded by talking about the possibility of a Head 2 Head duel against the Toyota FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo. I've had the chance to take both on a spin around a circuit associated with Super GT and Toyota, Fuji Speedway GT, in Gran Turismo 6. The cars were tested in their showroom specifications with no oil change or custom set-ups by an average driver with a Dualshock 3. There are no power or weight figures for the Toyota, but it has an advantage of 10 performance points over the Lexus (637 vs 627), so the FT-1 VGT has the edge on paper. Therefore, I set out in the Toyota first to set a benchmark for me to aim for in the Lexus.
After spending a few laps getting to grips with the Toyota, I was able to set a time of 1.29.255. I switched into the Lexus and I noticed that while it was just as quick in a straight line, it felt more agile in the corners than the FT-1. I wasn't sure if it was because I practised in the Toyota, but I managed to put in a 1.28.108 after three laps. "Hang on, more than a second faster?" I thought. Clearly I had to go back into the FT-1 for another run. There must be a reason why the Toyota has 10 extra performance points, right?
At this point I remembered why the LF-LC GT got the faster time. The FT-1 suffers from more understeer than the LF-LC and getting back on the power out of corners was more difficult. Then there is the hybrid system; the battery capacity on the FT-1 is much smaller than the LF-LC, meaning KERS usage will deplete the charge at a rapid rate and you have to use the brakes a lot harder to recover the charge. I couldn't achieve a faster lap time and it was proving difficult to keep the FT-1 on the tarmac.
Out of these two futuristic Super GT concept cars, the Lexus LF-LC comes on top as it offers a more responsive driving experience and a superior hybrid system to it keep ahead of its stealthy cousin.
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