First Voodoo drive

[biminiLX]

Popped my Voodoo cherry today in my friends new GT350R.
I can definitely say that while the sound lived up to the hype, knocking off a few powershifts at 8000rpm was absolutely the best part.
I only got a few minutes in the car, but I see how special these drivetrains are. The clutch and shifter felt great, and I loved the heads up shift light display. Just going by ear my first pull had me shifting around 7500, but it was very new experience using a manual trans at over 8000rpm.
Gave a few gear heads at cars and coffee a memorable first impression of a 350R including my friend with a Boss 302.
If anyone is on the fence, go for it, this is a special car that's bigger than the sum of its parts.
For owners on here, what did you notice most from your first drive?
-J

 

[jvandy50]

first drive i noticed I didn't fit the seats very well lol...and i kept shifting around 6500, nearly 2k to go! and now i wish i also had recaros in my jeep.

i look for excuses to "run errands"...a special car indeed

 

[ZYBORG]

I drove a base GT350 and that thing was amazing. Made me feel like a little kid in a roller coaster. It might not have the most power but it is plenty peppy. The driving experience in that thing was fantastic.

I cant imagine how much more badass driving/owning an R must be.

OP, I am interested in hearing how you would compare the driving experience between your Trinity 500 and the 350R that you drove.

 

[Tob]

For owners on here, what did you notice most from your first drive?
-J

How weak the shifter was, overly light the clutch pedal was, and how much less torque the car had versus a GT500.

Other than that, love it.

 

[oldbmwfan]

Lower torque than the GT500 absolutely, that stuck out a lot (but I'd never owned a GT500, just hooned around in a friend's). But the GT350 was immediately evident as a much better car - the responsiveness, chassis balance, comfort, and tractability. My first GT350 drive was in a press car that was en route from Laguna Seca back to Michigan, and I got to take it on the closed roads around Autobahn CC on a slow day (i.e., empty private roads). Did a launch control start, pushed it through some corners, and was thoroughly impressed. Started making noise to get myself onto the list for an R that week.

First drive in my R was just all nerves, as I picked it up at my local dealer in Chicago (and it was my first new car ever). Is that a pothole? Am I going to break a $4k carbon fiber wheel? Is the splitter gonna scrape? These dumbasses in the Civic are going to hit me!

The REAL first drive was when I pulled it onto Mid-Ohio for the first time. These things really shouldn't exist off the track; they are just different animals when you get on a circuit.

 

[Tob]

Thanks for not saying "in route."

 

[oldmachguy]

Speaking of "en route" . . .

oldbmwfan: My blue car is finally on a rail car in KT, on its way to my dealer. Can't wait!

 

[biminiLX]

How weak the shifter was, overly light the clutch pedal was, and how much less torque the car had versus a GT500.

Other than that, love it.

Honestly I hear ya on how light the clutch pedal was, but I wonder how much of that was due to trying to help with connecting on 8200rpm shift points!
The shifter wasn't like an MGW, but it was nothing like the POS in my dad's '13 Boss LS. I can't stand the MT82 gates but this Tremec felt natural right away.
It confirmed this is the engine we will put in my wife's Backdraft Racing Cobra----easy torque for her under 4000rpm, and all fun for me over 4000
She said she didn't want too much power and will never go over 4k in any car, so she will love the power curve and easy shifting.
I was also very impressed how little wheels spin there was in 1st gear, those rear tires on 11.5" rims are legit.
-J

 

[biminiLX]

I drove a base GT350 and that thing was amazing. Made me feel like a little kid in a roller coaster. It might not have the most power but it is plenty peppy. The driving experience in that thing was fantastic.

I cant imagine how much more badass driving/owning an R must be.

OP, I am interested in hearing how you would compare the driving experience between your Trinity 500 and the 350R that you drove.

Felt like a luxury car haha.
Honestly it was opposite ends of spectrum, from immediate/try and kill you torque to never stop pulling top end.
I punched it from a 10mph roll out of the show and then rolled hard from a light and nailed 1/2 and 2/3 shifts and never had any wheelspin, just a chirp and go. Was nice not to have to modulate wheelspin in low gears but hard to top the brutal torque from a built 5.8.
-J

 

[GT Premi]

First thing I noticed when I drove my R is how rough it rides and how the rear end kind of skips when making 90* turns from a stop. After an hour or so, I noticed how uncomfortable the seat bottom is. So much so that it has prompted me to try to get back down to my "fighting" weight. I guess that's a good thing. Although, I don't know if I want to be that "small" again.

What kind of "power shifts" were you doing when you drove it? I've found that my R won't allow quick shifts. When I wind out the revs and try to do a bullet shift to the next gear, the clutch pedal sticks to the floor for a couple seconds. When I snatch my left leg up, my foot comes off the pedal, and I have to wait for the pedal to come back up. It takes some of the fun out of winding it out when I have to granny-shift between the gears.

Other than that, I don't really have any substantial complaints.

 

[ZYBORG]

That sucks about the pedal sticking Premi...

 

[Chase_]

I drove my father in laws track pack 350 and it felt really tame in comparison to my bolt on/tuned GT500. Lets keep in mind I was only able to open it up in a straight line. The exhaust note was gorgeous and the interior was much more appealing though. The new steering wheels and active exhaust switch are two of my favorite changes. He has recently installed long tubes, a catless midpipe, and a tune so I'm seriously looking forward to driving/hearing it next time I see him. I know the GT350s were not built to have the fastest 60ft. or be roll race monsters. At the end of the day, it's a night and day difference between our cars IMO

 

[jvandy50]

its like Dirk Nowitzki vs Marshawn Lynch

 

[CO Mack]

I didn't go wind it that tight on my first drive because it was brand new, but I was shocked at how alive the chassis and engine are for a Pony car and how surprisingly strong the brakes are. Also, how good it sounded and how comfortable the car is.

 

[AustinSN]

I can't even tell you how jealous this thread makes me lol.

 

[Cobra(ed) Up]

I can't even tell you how jealous this thread makes me lol.

Don't be jelly.
While everyone else seems to be in love, I only enjoy it. It simply needs more power. After 4 previous SVT products this one leaves me the most unfilled. I find myself often either thinking about trading it for a car with similar handling (and more power (ZL1 or Z06)) or how to get another 100hp into it.

 

[silver srt 8]

If you are unhappy with it, trade or sell it. Someone I am sure would like to have it. GLWS

 

[AustinSN]

Don't be jelly.
While everyone else seems to be in love, I only enjoy it. It simply needs more power. After 4 previous SVT products this one leaves me the most unfilled. I find myself often either thinking about trading it for a car with similar handling (and more power (ZL1 or Z06)) or how to get another 100hp into it.

Yeah I would get rid of it now while they are still basically trading for what they cost new.

When the GT500 rolls out, that might put a dent in value.

 

[GT Premi]

Yeah I would get rid of it now while they are still basically trading for what they cost new.

When the GT500 rolls out, that might put a dent in value.

I think the R value will be fine for some time to come. The '00 R held its value for a loooong time. (Granted, there were only 300 of them, but still...) The only GT350s that will probably take a big hit are the '15/'16 base and Tech Pack cars.

 

[AustinSN]

I think the R value will be fine for some time to come. The '00 R held its value for a loooong time. (Granted, there were only 300 of them, but still...) The only GT350s that will probably take a big hit are the '15/'16 base and Tech Pack cars.

Yeah I don't see the R value dropping much.