Watch Chris Harris Attempt A Handbrake Turn With An Electronic Parking Brake
This week we learned that just 37 per cent of new car models on sale currently have manual handbrakes. It’s getting particularly difficult to find something sportier with the old-fashioned arrangement, so what does this mean for the handbrake turn?
As luck would have it, Top Gear’s YouTube channel recently released the above video - originally aired during the last season of Extra Gear - which seems to give us the answer. In it, Chris Harris sticks on a VW Golf R’s electronic parking brake at 120mph to see what happens, and shortly after attempts to do a handbrake turn.
Watch to judge for yourself, but it’s fair to say it’s not good news. These systems generally still brake the rear wheels, but the issue is most likely that the actuation isn’t as abrupt, as it’s done by small motors.
Empty gravel car parks just aren’t going to be as fun in the future…
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
maybe it’d work better with a car that isnt awd
I suspect this could be overcome by hacking the control module that tells the motors how gradually to apply the brakes.
Horrifying.
You are not actually suprised that a golf is too safe and boring arent ya?
this is the kind of electronical delvelopment I have a hard tmie understandang. I get it when some functions are controlled electronically because it add a level of performance to said function. But for things like a hand brake, throttle pedal and steering, the mechanical control is more reliable and gives the driver more direct control over the cars which to me is a great advantrage. In simple words? why are car companies fixing things that are not brocken? KEEP IT SIMPLE.
Try IT on another car. For example Nissan Qashqai gets it easy to lock wheels with electronic handbrake when driving. I personally comitted some handbrake turns with it in work ;)