Rent4Ring is a rental company based in the heart of Nürburg, next to what is widely known as the world's most famous racing circuit! I first visited the company in the late summer of 2016 and haven't left. The previous R4R Swift Sport was such a riot that I became quickly addicted and have also been a fan of the R4R BMW 125i - both of which can be found in the Rent4Ring review section of this website.
I also work at the garage and take part in all duties from email requests, walk in enquires, customer service, safety briefings and until recently circuit guidance until I found out this actually isn't allowed by the Nürburgring! Nevertheless there is always something fun to be done here, and we all muck in when it comes to the cleaning of the facility. We are a small team but the workload hasn't killed us yet!
I also work at the garage and take part in all duties from email requests, walk in enquires, customer service, safety briefings and until recently circuit guidance until I found out this actually isn't allowed by the Nürburgring! Nevertheless there is always something fun to be done here, and we all muck in when it comes to the cleaning of the facility. We are a small team but the workload hasn't killed us yet!
At first glance it looks pretty standard from the ride height but don't let this fool you. The car is equipped with Öhlins coilovers and the actual setup including the height is part of its necessity to function. 15" alloy wheels - Yokohama AD08R tyres, Endless brake pads - and the Rent4Ring wheel alignment that is akin to race team spec.
This isn't without its negatives. This has taken a long time to get right, and has been the cusp of many internal arguments to say the least. Marc Müller (Geschäftsführer) is borderline crazy but this train of thought is the reason why the R4R fleet remains a success. Work until it is DONE is the method, and I have agree strongly because I hold the same values when it comes to working myself.
Needless to say you can see it is a R4R car from the vehicle wrapping! The new colours are bold and flashy, with a return to the original R4R logo from years past. Forget the car for a minute though, and take in the vast landscape of the area which we live in. The Eifel truly is a beautiful place.
This isn't without its negatives. This has taken a long time to get right, and has been the cusp of many internal arguments to say the least. Marc Müller (Geschäftsführer) is borderline crazy but this train of thought is the reason why the R4R fleet remains a success. Work until it is DONE is the method, and I have agree strongly because I hold the same values when it comes to working myself.
Needless to say you can see it is a R4R car from the vehicle wrapping! The new colours are bold and flashy, with a return to the original R4R logo from years past. Forget the car for a minute though, and take in the vast landscape of the area which we live in. The Eifel truly is a beautiful place.
Aside from the door cards and a few plastic bits these cars are completely stripped. Including the Wiechers roll cage and a full tank they weigh approximately 970 kg which is a great combination for track driving.
Two Recaro bucket seats and Schroth harnesses complete the physical modifications in this car.
Two Recaro bucket seats and Schroth harnesses complete the physical modifications in this car.
''WHY U LYING DOH? ITS GOTTA EGG-SAUCED PYPE M8???''
Ah yes! I forgot! The R4R Turbo Swift also comes with a Miltek exhaust which I assume is for a different exhaust note. I don't remember what they sound like standard but you can definitely hear these during cold start and when cruising locally. I did notice the burble disappeared after a hot lap on track. I've never been one to buy an exhaust system for my own cars but I know it is something that driving enthusiasts like to hear when using full throttle.
Ah yes! I forgot! The R4R Turbo Swift also comes with a Miltek exhaust which I assume is for a different exhaust note. I don't remember what they sound like standard but you can definitely hear these during cold start and when cruising locally. I did notice the burble disappeared after a hot lap on track. I've never been one to buy an exhaust system for my own cars but I know it is something that driving enthusiasts like to hear when using full throttle.
Back to the Eifel.. if you visit the area and don't notice the spectacular views around the place you probably are very cold and heartless, with zero connection to your planet and the nature around it. If that is the case you should be offended and no longer be reading this review (coughs while saying a word similar to banker).
I took one of these out on track recently and had so much fun that I've begged my manager to let me use the car for the remainder of Season 2020! I don't particularly enjoy driving with a manual gearbox but these things are insane. I never thought I'd say this but they might be more fun than the R4R BMW 125i race car.. I hope I don't regret saying that!
I took one of these out on track recently and had so much fun that I've begged my manager to let me use the car for the remainder of Season 2020! I don't particularly enjoy driving with a manual gearbox but these things are insane. I never thought I'd say this but they might be more fun than the R4R BMW 125i race car.. I hope I don't regret saying that!
We only run 98+ high octane in the rental cars here, with a friendly reminder for customers on the fuel cap. As mentioned the cars are totally stripped apart from the plastic door trims. These parts aren't too heavy and it saves relocating the door handle, mirror and window buttons which can cause confusion for normal car drivers.
205/50 15 is the exact size used in the previous R4R Swift Sport and this makes it much easier when replacing tyres because we stick with one size through the range. The Endless brake pads are a fantastic buy for any car although I have noticed some fade with extended lap use. I have yet to test this in the Turbo Swift, but will give it a go at the next Trackday.
Righty then.. review time ;-)
The Chassis
Surprisingly better than all previous track testing. I have actually called this car 'a piece of shit' but with the work of the mechanic and the R4R setup it is really really tight! Point and shoot is the reference used in older cars and this fits the bill. It is very easy to drive, and feels like it is your own car before hitting the first set of corners.
Suzuki is renowned for creating great chassis but in honesty this needed some work to make it special. I have suggested a friend try the Eibach Pro Kit as a comparison - this will be tested and shared on YouTube once he has had the software tuning by myself.
The Body
Personally I don't find the car aesthetically pleasing but each to their own. The rear looks better with the vehicle decals and larger exhaust pipes, other than that I do find it hard taking nice pictures of the car - hopefully my iPhone has done it justice!
I am a firm believer in a sports hatchback having 3 doors, but modern designs are suited for families as opposed to people who detest having passengers in the rear.
The Throttle
This is more my field of interest and for the R4R Turbo Swift I have been slowly modifying these ECU's so that they function better on track. A lot of modern cars come with a flat torque curve and it just doesn't work where linearity is required. I removed just over 30NM between 1000-3000 RPM and have increased the torque output by 50NM at higher the RPM range.
The transformation is phenomenal, and I found I had to use 6th gear in sections where I usually drive 5th maximum. I really had fun during the test laps and will definitely be driving these cars more often. I am still speechless to how it functions in comparison to stock form. The throttle is sharp and there is zero lag before it boosts!
The Exhaust
There is a Miltek exhaust fitted to all of the cars and it gives a stronger tone than standard. I did notice the sound changed once the exhaust was hot, and it lost the original sound that I usually hear outside Rent4Ring when they are first started. That doesn't affect performance at all, and while the exhaust note is loud on start up and cruising it isn't offensive at full pelt. Based on the fact it doesn't drone when cruising or when driving fast I have to give it a thumbs up.
205/50 15 is the exact size used in the previous R4R Swift Sport and this makes it much easier when replacing tyres because we stick with one size through the range. The Endless brake pads are a fantastic buy for any car although I have noticed some fade with extended lap use. I have yet to test this in the Turbo Swift, but will give it a go at the next Trackday.
Righty then.. review time ;-)
The Chassis
Surprisingly better than all previous track testing. I have actually called this car 'a piece of shit' but with the work of the mechanic and the R4R setup it is really really tight! Point and shoot is the reference used in older cars and this fits the bill. It is very easy to drive, and feels like it is your own car before hitting the first set of corners.
Suzuki is renowned for creating great chassis but in honesty this needed some work to make it special. I have suggested a friend try the Eibach Pro Kit as a comparison - this will be tested and shared on YouTube once he has had the software tuning by myself.
The Body
Personally I don't find the car aesthetically pleasing but each to their own. The rear looks better with the vehicle decals and larger exhaust pipes, other than that I do find it hard taking nice pictures of the car - hopefully my iPhone has done it justice!
I am a firm believer in a sports hatchback having 3 doors, but modern designs are suited for families as opposed to people who detest having passengers in the rear.
The Throttle
This is more my field of interest and for the R4R Turbo Swift I have been slowly modifying these ECU's so that they function better on track. A lot of modern cars come with a flat torque curve and it just doesn't work where linearity is required. I removed just over 30NM between 1000-3000 RPM and have increased the torque output by 50NM at higher the RPM range.
The transformation is phenomenal, and I found I had to use 6th gear in sections where I usually drive 5th maximum. I really had fun during the test laps and will definitely be driving these cars more often. I am still speechless to how it functions in comparison to stock form. The throttle is sharp and there is zero lag before it boosts!
The Exhaust
There is a Miltek exhaust fitted to all of the cars and it gives a stronger tone than standard. I did notice the sound changed once the exhaust was hot, and it lost the original sound that I usually hear outside Rent4Ring when they are first started. That doesn't affect performance at all, and while the exhaust note is loud on start up and cruising it isn't offensive at full pelt. Based on the fact it doesn't drone when cruising or when driving fast I have to give it a thumbs up.
I have to say I am seriously impressed with the R4R Turbo Swift, and after the amount of headache and palaver these cars are really, really good fun! The older R4R Swift Sport is still a great beginners car, but eventually we will only have these for everyone to drive as a basic car. I will always recommend the older Swift to beginners - R4R Turbo Swift is great for cruising laps, but it is also an absolute animal when driven right!
Nicholas Lawrence
web - www.on-cars.com
email - nick@on-cars.com
web - www.on-cars.com
email - nick@on-cars.com