ALFAGTV6.COM

1 of those "Look what I found on the internet......." sort of things, but I thought was very interesting. I can't vouch for the numbers in any way, shape or form, but they are interesting none the less. Taken from: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh ... ?t=1786165

Alfa 159 - 31,400 Nm/deg
Aston Martin DB9 Coupe - 27,000 Nm/deg
Aston Martin DB9 Convertible - 15,500 Nm/deg
Aston Martin Rapide - 28,000 Nm/deg
Aston Martin Vanquish - 28,500 Nm/deg
Audi A2 - 11,900 Nm/deg
Audi A8 - 25,000 Nm/deg
Audi R8 - (2014 MY) - 40,000 Nm/deg
Audi TT Coupe - 19,000 Nm/deg
Bentley Azure - 18,000 Nm/deg
Bugatti EB110 - 19,000 Nm/deg
Bugatti Veyron - 60,000 Nm/deg
Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport - 22,000 Nm/deg
BMW E30 M3 - 23,000 Nm/deg
BMW E36 Touring - 10,900 Nm/deg
BMW E36 Z3 - 5,600 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Sedan (w/o folding seats) - 18,000 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Sedan (w/folding seats) - 13,000 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Wagon (w/folding seats) - 14,000 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Coupe (w/folding seats) - 12,500 Nm/deg
BMW E46 Convertible - 10,500 Nm/deg
BMW E53 X5 (2004) - 23,100 Nm/deg
BMW E90 - 22,500 Nm/deg
BMW Z4 Coupe - 32,000 Nm/deg
BMW Z4 Roadster - 14,500 Nm/deg
BMW E39 5 - 24,000 Nm/deg
BMW E60 5 - 24,000 Nm/deg
BMW F10 5 - 37,500 Nm/deg
BMW F07 5GT - 31,000 Nm/deg
BMW E70 X5 - 28,000 Nm/deg
Chrysler Crossfire - 20,140 Nm/deg
Chrysler Durango - 6,800 Nm/deg
Chevrolet Cobalt - 28 Hz (conversion anyone??)
Chevrolet Corvette C5 - 9,100 Nm/deg
Chevrolet Cruze - 17,600 Nm/deg
Dodge Viper Coupe - 7,600 Nm/deg
Ferrari 360 Spider - 8,500 Nm/deg
Ferrari F50 - 34,600 Nm/deg
Ferrari 360 - 1,474 kgm/degree (bending: 1,032 kg/mm) (what does this mean?)
Ferrari 355 - 1,024 kgm/degree (bending: 727 kg/mm)
Fisker Karma - 33,000 Nm/deg
Ford Focus 3d - 19,600 Nm/deg
Ford Focus 5d - 17,900 Nm/deg
Ford GT - 27,100 Nm/deg
Ford GT40 MkI - 17,000 Nm/deg
Ford Mustang 2003 - 16,000 Nm/deg
Ford Mustang 2005 - 21,000 Nm/deg
Ford Mustang Convertible (2003) - 4,800 Nm/deg
Ford Mustang Convertible (2005) - 9,500 Nm/deg
Jaguar X-Type Sedan - 22,000 Nm/deg
Jaguar X-Type Estate - 16,319 Nm/deg
Jaguar XK - 16,000 Nm/deg
Koenigsegg Agera - 58,000 Nm/deg
Koenigsegg Agera R - 65,000 Nm/deg
Koenigsegg CC-8 - 28,100 Nm/deg
Lamborghini Aventador - 35,000 Nm/deg
Lamborghini Countach - 2,600 Nm/deg
Lambo Gallardo - 23,000 Nm/deg
Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale - 35,000 Nm/deg
Lamborghini Murcielago - 20,000 Nm/deg
Land rover Freelander 2 - 28,000 Nm/deg
Lexus LF-A - 39,130 Nm/deg
Lotus Elan - 7,900 Nm/deg
Lotus Elan GRP body - 8,900 Nm/deg
Lotus Elise - 10,000 Nm/deg
Lotus Elise 111s - 11,000 Nm/deg
Lotus Esprit SE Turbo - 5,850 Nm/deg
Lotus Elise S2 Exige (2004) - 10,500 Nm/deg
Maserati QP - 18,000 Nm/deg
Mazda Rx-7 - 15,000 Nm/deg
Mazda Rx-8 - 30,000 Nm/deg
McLaren F1 - 13,500 Nm/deg
Mercedes Benz SL - With top down - 17,000 Nm/deg, with top up 21,000 Nm/deg
Mercedes Benz W212 E - 29,920 Nm/deg
Mini (2003) - 24,500 Nm/deg
Opel Astra - 12,000 Nm/deg
Pagani Zonda C12 - 25,000 Nm/deg
Pagani Zonda C12 S - 26,300 Nm/deg
Pagani Zonda F - 27,000 Nm/deg
Pagani Zonda Roadster - 18,000 Nm/deg
Porsche 959 - 12,900 Nm/deg
Porsche 911 Turbo (2000) - 13,500 Nm/deg
Porsche 911 Turbo 996 - 27,000 Nm/deg
Porsche 911 Turbo 996 Convertible - 11,600 Nm/deg
Porsche 911 (997) - 33,000 Nm/deg
Porsche Carrera GT - 26,000Nm/deg
Renault Sport Spider - 10,000 Nm/deg
Rolls-Royce Phantom - 40,500 Nm/deg
Saab 9-3 Sportcombi - 21,000 Nm/deg
Volkswagen Fox - 17,941 Nm/deg
Volkswagen Passat (2006) - 32,400 Nm/deg
Volkswagen Phaeton - 37,000 Nm/deg
Volkswagen Golf V GTI - 25,000 Nm/deg
Volvo S60 - 20,000 Nm/deg
Volvo S80 - 18,600 Nm/deg

There are some good comments on the (BMW) forum about comparing torsional rigidity to vehicle weight. Probably a bit simplistic, but valid.

Here is the list sorted most-to-least stiff. Those not in Nm/deg were removed.

• Koenigsegg Agera R 65,000 Nm/deg
  Bugatti Veyron 60,000 Nm/deg
  Koenigsegg Agera 58,000 Nm/deg
  Rolls-Royce Phantom 40,500 Nm/deg
  Audi R8 (2014 MY) 40,000 Nm/deg
  Lexus LF-A 39,130 Nm/deg
  BMW F10 5 37,500 Nm/deg
  Volkswagen Phaeton 37,000 Nm/deg
  Lamborghini Aventador 35,000 Nm/deg
  Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale 35,000 Nm/deg
  Ferrari F50 34,600 Nm/deg
  Fisker Karma 33,000 Nm/deg
  Porsche 911 (997) 33,000 Nm/deg
  Volkswagen Passat (2006) 32,400 Nm/deg
  BMW Z4 Coupe 32,000 Nm/deg
  Alfa 159 31,400 Nm/deg
  BMW F07 5GT 31,000 Nm/deg
  Mazda Rx-8 30,000 Nm/deg
  Mercedes Benz W212 E 29,920 Nm/deg
  Aston Martin Vanquish 28,500 Nm/deg
  Koenigsegg CC 8 28,100 Nm/deg
  Aston Martin Rapide 28,000 Nm/deg
  BMW E70 X5 28,000 Nm/deg
  Land rover Freelander 2 28,000 Nm/deg
  Ford GT 27,100 Nm/deg
  Aston Martin DB9 Coupe 27,000 Nm/deg
  Pagani Zonda F 27,000 Nm/deg
  Porsche 911 Turbo 996 27,000 Nm/deg
  Pagani Zonda C12 S 26,300 Nm/deg
  Porsche Carrera GT 26,000 Nm/deg
  Audi A8 25,000 Nm/deg
  Pagani Zonda C12 25,000 Nm/deg
  Volkswagen Golf V GTI 25,000 Nm/deg
  Mini (2003) 24,500 Nm/deg
  BMW E39 5 24,000 Nm/deg
  BMW E60 5 24,000 Nm/deg
  BMW E53 X5 (2004) 23,100 Nm/deg
  BMW E30 M3 23,000 Nm/deg
  Lambo Gallardo 23,000 Nm/deg
  BMW E90 22,500 Nm/deg
  Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport 22,000 Nm/deg
  Jaguar X Type Sedan 22,000 Nm/deg
  Ford Mustang 2005 21,000 Nm/deg
  Mercedes Benz SL with top uo 21,000 Nm/deg
  Saab 9-3 Sportcombi 21,000 Nm/deg
  Chrysler Crossfire 20,140 Nm/deg
  Lamborghini Murcielago 20,000 Nm/deg
  Volvo S60 20,000 Nm/deg
  Ford Focus 3d 19,600 Nm/deg
  Audi TT Coupe 19,000 Nm/deg
  Bugatti EB110 19,000 Nm/deg
  Volvo S80 18,600 Nm/deg
  Bentley Azure 18,000 Nm/deg
  BMW E46 Sedan (w/o folding seats) 18,000 Nm/deg
  Maserati QP 18,000 Nm/deg
  Pagani Zonda Roadster 18,000 Nm/deg
  Volkswagen Fox 17,941 Nm/deg
  Ford Focus 5d 17,900 Nm/deg
  Chevrolet Cruze 17,600 Nm/deg
  Ford GT40 MkI 17,000 Nm/deg
  Mercedes Benz SL with top down 17,000 Nm/deg
  Jaguar X Type Estate 16,319 Nm/deg
  Ford Mustang 2003 16,000 Nm/deg
  Jaguar XK 16,000 Nm/deg
  Aston Martin DB9 Convertible 15,500 Nm/deg
  Mazda Rx-7 15,000 Nm/deg
  BMW Z4 Roadster 14,500 Nm/deg
  BMW E46 Wagon (w/folding seats) 14,000 Nm/deg
  McLaren F1 13,500 Nm/deg
  Porsche 911 Turbo (2000) 13,500 Nm/deg
  BMW E46 Sedan (w/folding seats) 13,000 Nm/deg
  Porsche 959 12,900 Nm/deg
  BMW E46 Coupe (w/folding seats) 12,500 Nm/deg
  Opel Astra 12,000 Nm/deg
  Audi A2 11,900 Nm/deg
  Porsche 911 Turbo 996 Convertible 11,600 Nm/deg
  Lotus Elise 111s 11,000 Nm/deg
  BMW E36 Touring 10,900 Nm/deg
  BMW E46 Convertible 10,500 Nm/deg
  Lotus Elise S2 Exige (2004) 10,500 Nm/deg
  Lotus Elise 10,000 Nm/deg
  Renault Sport Spider 10,000 Nm/deg
  Ford Mustang Convertible (2005) 9,500 Nm/deg
  Chevrolet Corvette C5 9,100 Nm/deg
  Lotus Elan GRP body 8,900 Nm/deg
  Ferrari 360 Spider 8,500 Nm/deg
  Lotus Elan 7,900 Nm/deg
  Dodge Viper Coupe 7,600 Nm/deg
  Chrysler Durango 6,800 Nm/deg
  Lotus Esprit SE Turbo 5,850 Nm/deg
  BMW E36 Z3 5,600 Nm/deg
  Ford Mustang Convertible (2003) 4,800 Nm/deg
  Lamborghini Countach 2,600 Nm/deg

Nice work Maldi .

Interesting to see the Countach with such low torsional rigidity. They don't exactly have a great reputation for their handling characteristics, I'm guessing that the floppy chassis is big part of that.

It would be nice to have the numbers for the GTV6 and 75s.

There doesn't seem to be much of a correlation with weight or with handling.

Either the list is inaccurate or chassis rigidity is not as fundamental as generally believed.

MALDI wrote:There doesn't seem to be much of a correlation with weight or with handling.

Either the list is inaccurate or chassis rigidity is not as fundamental as generally believed.

Well I think weight is not a good one to look at, it is very important were the weight is positioned.

Maurizio wrote:

MALDI wrote:There doesn't seem to be much of a correlation with weight or with handling.

Either the list is inaccurate or chassis rigidity is not as fundamental as generally believed.

Well I think weight is not a good one to look at, it is very important were the weight is positioned.

Agreed! The weight needs to be as centrally located and as low as possible. Just quoting weight distribution number doesn't say enough about the car.

And I remain confident in the importance of chassis rigidity.
You can change handling behavior by changing springs, dampers, geometry and wheel alignment. But if all of that is attached to a car that flex more than is acceptable, then the results of those changes can be less consistent than you probably want and may cause the engineer/driver/tuner to draw false conclusion about what is happening.