Nitto's new Invo tires, sized...
Nitto's new Invo tires, sized 275/40/18, worked better than we expected on the autocross course and on the dragstrip. We're pretty sure the 14-inch front and 13-inch rear brakes with front ducting upgrade helped a lot as well. Though our local autocross course is pretty spread out and sees speeds up to 70 mph, we hammered the stop pedal all day and never experienced any fade whatsoever, and the ABS allowed us to take advantage of the increased stopping power.
Going into the event, the Q335 wore Nitto's Invo high-performance radial tires, good for dry and wet weather traction. Your author's best lap times came in at 1:01, 1:02, and another 1:01 with a passenger riding shotgun. That last run was preceded by a passenger-enhanced 0:59-second lap in which he nicked one cone. Throughout the event, we noticed two or three competition tire-equipped C5 and C6 Corvettes dipping down into the 0:52-second range. For all our effort, we did beat at least one C6 Corvette.
Compared to the Shelby GT-H Mustang we recently tested at the same autocross, the Steeda easily outperformed the rental car thanks to an increase in lateral grip and neutral handling. Stock Mustangs understeer quite a bit to begin with, and while the handling pack on the Shelby reduced body roll and kept the stock 235/55/17 Pirelli tires planted better, the Shelby would still tend to understeer, and the limit of adhesion was easily found. The wider, 275/40/18 high-performance Nitto rubber combined with the Steeda suspension components on the Q335 provided a balanced car with a quicker turn-in response and increased traction throughout the turns, which allowed us to whip in and out of the cones confidently and without the nose plowing through them.
At the end of the day, we let FCRC instructor, Todd Ausley, hop in the Q335 to make some laps with your author aboard. Riding with other drivers is often an insightful experience, as it can show you areas that you may be taking at an incorrect speed or lines that may work better or worse for you. Ausley's first run in the Q335 stopped the clock in 0:59 seconds, and he backed this up with a 0:57 burst.
Q335 Number One received the...
Q335 Number One received the 14-inch front-brake option in addition to the brake ducts seen here. Combined, the duo provided us with a consistent pedal and stopping distances throughout our high-speed autocross runs.
Knowing the Q335 had an even quicker time in it, we were impressed with its performance given the power-to-weight ratio and tire advantages the Corvette guys had. Ausley and your author both agreed that with a track tire, the Q could get down with the best the event had to offer.
The following week, we shifted our attention to the quarter-mile and trekked to Bradenton Motorsports Park (BMP) in Bradenton, Florida, where we would flog the Q335. At the time, our home track in Englishtown, New Jersey, was still closed for the winter, so our Southern testing facility was put into effect.
Florida's February weather saw the Q335 breathing in an easy 75 degrees of air temperature-not the great air we're used to at E-town, but better than trying to snow plow the track surface with the Steeda front splitter. BMP's staff had the racing surface nice and sticky, and our first pass of the day was a 13.24 blast at 105.09 mph, with a 1.98 60-foot time. We had, of course, powershifted each gear, and the track simply wasn't up to holding the 1-2 exchange, so subsequent runs were speed-shifted from First to Second. Pass number two was a 13.25 at 105.65, and our third effort of the day saw 13.22 at 105.16 flash on the clocks.
At the strip, we were rewarded...
At the strip, we were rewarded with consistency, running a 13.24, a 13.25, and finally a 13.22. Our best 60-foot time of the day on the Nitto Invo rubber was 1.98 seconds.
Photo: Patrick Hill
The dragstrip doesn't tell the whole story, though, as we were consistently impressed with the Q335's low-end torque that we often used around town and on our commute. It's spunky, to say the least, and we can tell you there's an LS2 GTO owner who found out firsthand just how quick the Q335 is.
Over the course of our five-week stint with the Q335, we discovered that it is very livable as a daily driver, but if your self-control is lacking, you can find yourself in trouble with Johnny Law, as the Q335 is a whole lot of fun to fling around turns and fast forward from stoplights.
The price of admission for this fun ride starts at $40,545, which includes Ford's Mustang GT. Our tester Q335 featured an additional $7,716 in optional equipment. That will put you in Corvette territory money-wise, but the Vette won't have the four seats, sizeable trunk, and unique styling the Q335 Club Racer offers.
The Steeda suspension worked...
The Steeda suspension worked like a charm, staying flat in the turns and providing a neutral balance that made the car a blast to drive.
We really liked the rear-valance...
We really liked the rear-valance blackout treatment, which is optional on the Club Racer. We could've done without the billet badge, though it is a finely crafted, high-quality piece. Part of the power enhancement comes from Steeda's after-axle exhaust system, which offers a great muscular note without droning inside the car.
At the end of the day, the...
At the end of the day, the Steeda Q335 is a whole lot of fun, whether you're opening it up on the straights, taking the twisties, or just burning the hides.