your sports car philosophy?

[dieselstation]

What is your personal sports car philosophy. Do you like them:

1. Light and agile with small but capable engine? able to carve up a track due to incredible handling and nimble response? aka Lotus Elise, Mazda Miata, Lotus Super Seven

2. Medium sized with medium engine. A proper car that can keep up with the best, yet retains its nimble feel and responsiveness. aka Honda NSX, Mazda RX7, Porsche 911, Ferrari 355

3. Big with a monster engine. a heavyweight with the power to back it up. you define Bigger as being better. aka Viper, Corvette, Skyline, Supra, Murcielago.

4. not really a sports car but close. your sports car is everything to everyone. practical, comfortable, yet sporty enough to be dangerous. aka M3, WRX STi, R32, EVO.

[legendboy]

M3 not really a sports car but close?

[kevie88]

I drove a 2001 Miata for two weeks in California this month and I have to say it's a wonderful little car. Not fast but can reaaly go in the twisties.. I put the hurt on some guy in a new Z4 on Highway 1 south of Monterey bad! After 3 corners I couldn't even see him anymore.

I'm a true believer in "light makes right"! It doesn't need 800HP if it only weighs 2500lbs or less!

[Akagi Redsuns]

I have to go with #2, the compromise. I don't just want handling with not that much power, or lots of power with no handling capabilities.

I want the car to be tossable and to carry speed through the corner, but I also want to be able to stomp on the gas after exiting the corner and get pinned to the seat as the turbo spools up.....ahhh..bliss.

[dieselstation]

Originally posted by legendboy
M3 not really a sports car but close?

well.. some could argue that true sports cars are only 2 seaters. and the M3 is just a VERY sporty coupe. of course there's different shades of sporty and the M3 is leaning WAYY to the sports car side.. but in the end, it's still just a comfortable luxury car with sporty attitude.

[legendboy]

M3 is a true sports car imo

[SwitchBlade]

I think he means your car is not a race car but close. Buit i would have to go for #2. My friend has a Porshe and i have driven an old ass Ferrari and those things stick like glue goin around the corners.

[JustinL]

#2 for me. I like the idea of being light and quick... but I also like the idea of being rocketed by masive power... So 2 is a perfect comprimise. Keep up in the corners and keep up in the straights. I guess that's why I went with the 951

Justin

[rage2]

My definition of an ideal sports car :

1. Light. Somewhere between 2200-2800lb.
2. Short Wheelbase, Wide track, Low rideheight.
3. Stiff ass suspension that can break your back driving in Edmonton. LSD. Obscene amounts of grip. I don't mind the whine of racing slicks .
4. Very powerful engine, like 400+hp, wide powerband (NA or supercharger)
5. "User Friendly" Sequential transmission (SMGII). No clutch.
6. Open top.

If BMW does the MZ4 right... it could be my ideal sports car hehe. It won't be an ideal day to day car though.

[BigMass]

If i had the money this would be my car. A real supercar. I'm not sure just what category it would fall in heh. #3?

[Akagi Redsuns]

Pagoni Zonda? I would say it falls in #3, it's heavy but craploads of power. Pretty luxurious too and Italian!

[Rydog]

I'd go with #2 personally, but there are some #3 category cars, such as the newest Vettes, that certainly hold their own on the skid pad and in the twisties. check Car & Drivers article on the Vette ( few months back if memory serves), it beat every car they tested it against in all but two categories, and the skidpad and slalom course was included in the testing (and no those weren't the two categories it lost in). 0-60 and braking I believe were the two it came in 2nd on both, otherwise it took the cake in the rest.

[BigMass]

Originally posted by Akagi Redsuns
Pagoni Zonda? I would say it falls in #3, it's heavy but craploads of power. Pretty luxurious too and Italian!

acutally the Zonda weighs only 2755.8 lbs. About as much as my Talon. A lot of the weight is in the engine, but the rest of the car is made of Carbon Fiber and Titanium making it pretty light.

[88CRX]

i think the crx would prolly fall into #1

-resonably priced
-light
-great in the twisties
- 130hp + 2000LBS = quick

[t"raver1"smith]

#2 all the way
911 tt 911tt 911tt 911tt 911tt

[RiCE-DaDDy]

hmm you missing one more category:

5. Light and agile with Monster Engine!

[Akagi Redsuns]

Originally posted by BigMass


acutally the Zonda weighs only 2755.8 lbs. About as much as my Talon. A lot of the weight is in the engine, but the rest of the car is made of Carbon Fiber and Titanium making it pretty light.

Well I'll be damned! Ok, then it just looks heavy...

[kevie88]

I guess I should add that my ideal sportscar is......





A 1000cc Superbike

[RiCE-DaDDy]

Originally posted by kevie88
I guess I should add that my ideal sportscar is......





A 1000cc Superbike

that would fit into #5

MOnster enginE

[4wheeldrift]

Two Words (actually a name): Colin Chapman, IE #1