If you could buy a SPORTS CAR, which one?

OutOfBreath · Post by **OutOfBreath** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 8:28 am

cskinner wrote:My 86 yr old Aunt Esther, the last living relative of my father's generation, has a red Thunderbird, some year or other. She really digs it.

Carol

Hmmm, she wouldn't perchance live in Pasadena?...

Caj · Post by **Caj** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 8:59 am

jim stone wrote:What exactly does rear wheel drive get you?
I know it's part of the classic sports
car and that it affects handling,
but I don't know why?

It makes the experience of pulling into a driveway in January enormously thrilling.

Caj

pthouron · Post by **pthouron** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 11:11 am

jim stone wrote:What exactly does rear wheel drive get you?
I know it's part of the classic sports
car and that it affects handling,
but I don't know why?

A different driving experience. Most sports cars are rear wheel drive. It leads to interesting adjustments, such as having to accelerate out of a curve rather that decelerate (with a front wheel). As pointed out before though, rear wheel drive isn't worth squat on snow..

jim stone wrote:Also can't sports cars corner faster
than motor bikes?

Doubt that.

pthouron · Post by **pthouron** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 11:15 am

Always was partial to the Renault Alpine myself. My uncle drove one in rallies and used to take me along on trial runs.

<img src=http://img24.photobucket.com/albums/v72 ... 0-1300.jpg>

CHIFF FIPPLE · Post by **CHIFF FIPPLE** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 12:04 pm

Caj wrote:
jim stone wrote:What exactly does rear wheel drive get you?
I know it's part of the classic sports
car and that it affects handling,
but I don't know why?
It makes the experience of pulling into a driveway in January enormously thrilling.

Caj

Well the Alpha will give the Laverda 750 formula sp, a run for its money,as long as you don't run into traffic

But the triple 8 is quicker at the top end,and walks away from most other bikes in the twisty stuff.
Front wheel drive is realy great in a Sports car it goe's where you point it

any way it is a nice Girl'ie car.
Ifin I had all the cash I have spent on Bikes and cars,I could buy ---------a

PapoAnaya · Post by **PapoAnaya** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 2:36 pm

Hello:

I own a S2000 and it is a remarkable car in terms of handling and speed. Cargo space is limited and it has non existent amenities. Honda reliability and maintenance are also a plus compared to other cars.

I like Porsche's, but they are sh*t of money more than the S. Miatas are in my opinion glorified go-karts. If I had a money I would not spend it on a Ferrari. I rather buy a viper, but it is mostly a matter of personal taste than anything else. The enzo is a beautiful piece of engineering, but no sense of spending money in something that it is going to depreciate on the long run and I do not want to wait 25 years to see a car like that slowly appreciate.

Two cars I also like are the Morgan and the Lotus Elise. The Elise is supposed to come over the pond in the near term.

That's my two cents on sports cars

Luis

'90 Eclipse
'93 Stealth
'02 S2000

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 2:46 pm

pthouron wrote:It leads to interesting adjustments, such as having to accelerate out of a curve rather that decelerate (with a front wheel).

I frequently accelerate out of curves using front wheel drive. Very fun. The feel and thus the adjustments are different, though, as you say. Maybe I'm just a maniac.

JoeKrepps · Post by **JoeKrepps** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 3:46 pm

One of my job-related duties is to photograph cars for http://www.carsbydealers.net
This past week, I had a 'near-religous' experience where I visited an area VW/Audi/Porsche dealer and they had a 2004 40th Anniv. Porsche 911 sitting outside. I've admired the 911 series for a long, long time. In fact, they also had a 1988 911 Carrera sitting nearby. I stood in awe!

I couldn't take a photo because I knew it wouldn't do it any justice. I didn't even touch it and I'm 43 + waiting for the divorce to go through. Go figure!
...it must have been the $92k window sticker that kept me away.

Barring Porsches, Miatas are really nice drivers and they're surprisingly cheap to fix. I still lust for a Triumph TR6 but, in 2004, I don't want to be chasing parts like I did for my '69 AMC Javelin SST.

Good luck & happy dreaming,
Joe
P.S. "Why rear wheel drive?" Test drive a Miata sometime. The difference is incredible! Not much fun in rain & snow but incredible fun otherwise. I suppose they make Miatas and other sports cars with automatic, but why bother????

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 2:08 am

jim stone wrote:What exactly does rear wheel drive get you?
I know it's part of the classic sports
car and that it affects handling,
but I don't know why?

The power is best transmitted at the back because of the weight transfer when you accelerate. Also, if you broadslide correctly, rear wheel will push you in the curve, not out.
Now, just remember ALL modern rallye cars have four-wheel drives. AMC had it right so long ago... but also Lancia and then Audi with its Quattros, and of course Subaru. A limited power but constantly fed to the road works better than any "muscle car" which keeps spinning its wheels and wastes its power charring its tyres...

jim stone wrote:Also can't sports cars corner faster
than motor bikes?

On a circuit, for sure! And even on a road, if you measure just the speed at the apex of a long curve.
Now a sports motorcycle is much closer to the racing stuff than a "sports" car is compared to a track racer or even rallyecar.

In practice, on a true life open road, two-laner, or a mountain road, the motorcycle will easily outbrake you, will pick a cleaner trajectory in the bend (it just has more room for it...) and of course will outaccelerate you at the exit.

Next thing is that motorhome or truck ploughing its way uphill. This is already bad alone, bu they're a few cars normally following, because they lack the skill or power to pass. By the time your car can safely pass it this whole circus, the bikes are gOOOO0000ooooone.....

Downhill same mountains, same thing: a sports car brakes will usually fade before you're halfway down, while the motorcycles' floating discs are still like fresh...

Monster · Post by **Monster** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 5:41 pm

I suppose it might make me a RED NECK, but still, I'd like a Mustang GT, convertible, with big fat raised lettering on the tires. Feeling the wind in my hair with 260 horses is plenty enough for me!
http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/mustan ... g_GT_Coupe

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 6:32 pm

I would love to have a little sports car but this is what would happen to it around my house.

This is my son's truck he rebuilt. His truck has 44" tires on it.

Cheers,
Kathy

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 6:41 pm

chattiekathy wrote:I would love to have a little sports car but this is what would happen to it around my house.

This is my son's truck he rebuilt. His truck has 44" tires on it.

Cheers,
Kathy

Caption: "If goats could drive ... "

Best wishes,
Jerry

allezlesbleus · Post by **allezlesbleus** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 11:55 pm

Koenigsegg:

allezlesbleus · Post by **allezlesbleus** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 11:59 pm

Mo' betta bandwidth!!!

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 1:53 pm

Lord have mercy on us!

Try this http://whatboyswant.com/showcar/1323 or this http://autozine.kyul.net/html/Koenigsegg.htm