... feel so much closer to a (my) real life hatchback than the XFG?

I'm just coming back from a few CTRA Baby-R races and I have to say: this is the way I'd expect a small hatchback to handle.

Ok, I wouldn't corner that fast with my real car - grip level is quite a bit different, but the basic handling like when and how does it under-/over-steer, the steering precision, ability to "steer with the throttle", all's far closer to what I'm used of a real car.

Is it the tyres? Are the "road normal" just crap?

With the XFG I drive quite a bit differently from RL (don't know why - it just doesn't work), whereas driving the UF-BR feels more real and therefore I drive like in RL.

First I thought it could be the speed/grip relation: with the UF-BR you have loads of grip for the speed you go... and in real life you don't push it that much so you have kind of a grip surplus most of the time. But then I take the XFG for a slower lap, and noooooooo... it just doesn't feel right. Feels like a Golf III CL on 165-tyres packed up to 1500 kg - it just accelerates better.

What is it?

Or is there someone who has a car that feels exactly like the XFG? Maybe I'm spoiled, having an Uber-Hatchback ;-))) naaaaaaaaa...

just that a fast XFG setup does not feel realistic (because it ain't)

with the right setup the XFG can exhibit very similiar behavior.

Quote from JJ72 :

just that a fast XFG setup does not feel realistic (because it ain't)

that's why I refuse to drive them .

If you use locked diffs on either of those two your whole point is rendered useless...

Come to think of it, if you use anything else than an open diff it is too...

erm, in real life a locked diff on a front wheel drive is harder to steer but as long as you dont floor it while steering at sharp angles then you can get more pull out of corners as opposed to spinning the inside wheel that has less weight on it all the time. If a wheel is spinning, then it isnt transferring all its momentum to the road, which is not good. It is for that very reason that some formulas of motorsport, ie national bangers, do not allow locked diffs on tarmac tracks, because it gives an unfair advantage to those who dont have locked diffs. The real life effects of a locked diff on a rwd car can be bad as well. Ever tried to pull away gently while steering sharply? unless you spin the wheels you cant, because the rear wheels are pushing in a straight line because you cant steer the rear wheels, they are always straight. whereas a fwd with a locked diff will corner, bacause you can steer the drive wheels in the direction you wish to go.

Quote from bbman :

If you use locked diffs on either of those two your whole point is rendered useless...

Come to think of it, if you use anything else than an open diff it is too...

Guess what - I haven't only driven a WR set. Even Bob Smith's "Road Going" set with open diff doesn't feel right. Personally, I think the open diff is "too open". We've had this discussion before and I started it, I think. Most people said that the open diff is perfect (which doesn't mean it IS) but other things like non-existent bodyflex make it work not properly.
... and then you play around with the clutchpack LSD and it feels closer to reallife open diff than the LFS open diff. but that's another story I'd sure like to talk about: "realistic features that do not work on their own"

Clutchpack LSD is the way I go even in my race sets. I can't stand FWDs that oversteer on power and understeer on coast. I mean, what is all the realism good for if you have to build an alien car to win? I'd rather end the race in a mid position and it actually felt at least a bit like racing a car.