GT7 Time Attack: Duel of the Hot Hatches

The reason for this is simple. I'd love to bring you more automotive stories from Japan. And it's challenging to communicate with some OG drivers and tuners using English alone. There's a lot of activity at Tsukuba Circuit this time of year. The Time Attack crowd is there to challenge the existing records and to prove they're the fastest drivers or builders. The 1.271-mile (2.045 km) long layout features 12 corners, so you're quick if you can complete it in less than 60 seconds.

It takes a combination of factors to reach that level: power, aero, suspension setup, and driving skills, to name a few. Almost a decade ago, former F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi set a new record of just over 44 seconds around the TC2000 layout while driving a Dallara SF14. But seeing tuner cars have a go at it is more exciting for a small track like this. We witnessed the first NA vehicle dip below the 55-second mark a few days ago. But something even more exciting happened at the famous venue in Ibaraki Prefecture.

Feras Qartoumi from Dallas, Texas, set the third-fastest time on the track. He pulled a fast lap of 51.231 in the twin-turbo Corvette C6 Z06. That prompted me to try to match his performance in Gran Turismo 7. I've done more laps on the track in Assetto Corsa than in Polyphony Digital's game. So my fastest recorded lap in GT7 isn't that impressive: 57.170 in a '94 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (R32). But before deep diving into the world of Corvettes and tuning them for Tsukuba, I knew I needed more practice. So, I started from a beginner level without using mods or tweaking setups. I opted to try four different vehicles, and here are the results I came up with.

Suzuki Swift Sport '07

I knew I would have fun in the Suzuki Swift Sport '07 even before getting started. I drove the 2012 model, and it's still one of the most exciting cars I've ever tested. It feels like the modern equivalent of the Toyota AE86: it's not fast in a straight line, but give it some corners, and you'll be impressed.

The '07 model only has 123 horsepower but weighs less than 2,500 lbs (1,134 kg). I recommend it to any beginner driver who wants to do time attack sessions at Tsukuba or any track. You can sense a bit of understeer once you get too excited, but nothing too scary to handle. I was surprised I could hit the final corner before the finish line in fourth gear.

But then again, I was only doing about 87 mph (140 kph). I decided to do three laps in every car before comparing the results. On my last try, I posted my best result in the Swift, stopping the clock at 1:15.788. It's one of the slowest laps I have ever done on this track. But I could shave off another ten seconds after upgrading the tires, brakes, suspension, and engine setup. Still, I was eager to jump into something with more power.

Mini Cooper S '05

The Mini Cooper S is also an FWD vehicle that uses a 1.6-liter engine to move around. While it's slightly heavier than the Swift Sport, it does have a supercharger under the hood. I drove the later turbocharged model, but I would love to have a go at the '05 variation. You can hear the supercharger whine once you accelerate from a stop.

And you can sense that you're dealing with a much faster car. I topped out at around 97 mph (156 kph) on the main straight and had to brake to go through the last corner. The vehicle tends to move around under heavy braking and feels more unstable than the Suzuki. At moments, it even oversteered into some corners, similar to what I've experienced in the Renault Clio RS. But it may all be down to my limited left-foot braking skills.

I admit my weight-transfer game isn't quite there yet. Once again, the third lap was the fastest one at 1:11.849. It always helps to have the ghost activated. That will push you to brake later into a corner and accelerate faster. Of all four cars here, the Mini is the one I would only drive on public roads. It can handle the racetrack but doesn't feel at home there, at least not in stock form.

Renault Sport Mégane R.S. Trophy '11

I knew this was the main competitor for the test from the get-go. I drove the Megane RS II when it first came out, and it left me speechless. The 2.0-liter, turbocharged engine can deliver 261 hp and 266 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque while operating at 1.35 bar of boost. Even in stock form, how the turbocharger in the Megane RS II sounds will forever be embedded in my mind.

Even though this is an FWD vehicle, it features an LSD diff and a track-focused suspension to help it navigate around the corners. The Renault feels like a hot hatch, whereas the previous two models fall in a more lukewarm zone. The Megane RS feels stable under braking and cornering while providing decent acceleration. I hit 105 mph (170 kph) going down the main straight, and it's impressive to see how much grip you've got under most conditions.

You experience occasional understeer, but learning the car's limits will help avoid that situation. I was surprised by the rev limiter several times and had to shift to third gear mid-corner. I recorded a 1:07.685 lap time on my third attempt, but this can become a sub-one-minute car with the right mods. I should take this track to the Nordschleife next.

Ford Focus ST '15

The last car on my list is the Ford Focus ST '15. I have driven multiple variations of the Ford Focus but have yet to experience the ST or an RS. It's slightly down on power and heavier than the Megane RS. And I could feel that immediately. Acceleration is nowhere near as exciting, and the car struggles after every single upshift. The top speed on the main straight was similar, though.

Still, the steering feels more precise, and you can get on the throttle sooner than you would in the Renault. In some situations, the understeer felt much worse, and the engine doesn't sound quite as good either. This could be a biased opinion, given my attraction to the Megane. But I would instead go with the French-built vehicle in the long run. Despite all this, I was surprised by my fastest lap in the Ford.

At 1:07.831, I was just slightly slower overall. My times are far from impressive, but this test didn't mean to break any records. Still, I wanted to get behind the wheel of something faster and opted for the Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A (FD) '02. Without even going for a warmup lap, I stopped the clock at 1:05.516. And you can bet driving RWD was a lot more fun. But I'll be back with a Corvette/Tsukuba test soon. I don't know if I can beat Qartoumi's time, but I'm hoping I can at least get within a second of him.