If you could buy a SPORTS CAR, which one?

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 6:06 am

TVR Chimera - nearest I ever got to one was a full TVR body set on a Mazda 626...ho hum. Trials of being a parent...

Trisha

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 6:17 am

I may be missing something, but I could never see the excitement of spending mega bucks on a car. When all is said and done, they're 4 wheels and an engine. In NY state, the speed limit is 55 except for a few interstates, and even if I were to choose to walk on the wild side and drive 65 (not that I would do such a thing), ANY car out there will handle that.
For me, a car should have some distinctive style, be comfortable, able to schlepp a lot of stuff and have some of the modern bells and whistles like a decent stereo, sunroof, ABS, etc. My relatively inexpensive PT Cruiser (electric blue) fits the bill quite nicely even without the turbo.

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 6:48 am

It's not a sports car, but I'd like to have a Citroen Deux Chevaux (apologies if my French spelling is not correct). I love the mystique of plastic windows and a canvas top, and that feeling of being about to topple over during turns is priceless.
Mike

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 6:51 am

When I think of sportscars I don't think
of terrific power. The classic British sportscars
weren't ferociously powerful, but they handled
wonderfully. Also I'm not necessarily thinking
of lots of money; so the Miata, which is the
British Lotus made by Japanese, so that
it starts, isn't expensive,
and the beatufilly designed Mazda RX-8, which is a sportscar
with a rotary engine which enables it to
actually have room for four doors,
is about 25 grand.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 7:07 am

burnsbyrne wrote:It's not a sports car, but I'd like to have a Citroen Deux Chevaux (apologies if my French spelling is not correct). I love the mystique of plastic windows and a canvas top, and that feeling of being about to topple over during turns is priceless.
Mike

Youre spellingue ise perfècte--
considering it's a hassle to find the Citroën on your keyboard

Now, "plastic windows"? Don't go for cheap imitations: a "Deuche" (pronounce Dushhhh, not "douche") has glass screens, that's why they all were flat, to keep costs down.
Also, toppling a 2CV takes a hairpin corner AND a sidewalk; otherwise, it will slide (from the rear wheels first) before it topples, but this takes to go real fast, even with its meager 1.25" tyres and on an off-camber road...

A common joke here is to say that if you gt one equipped with safety belst, you may insure it as a backpack (rucksack)...

PS: alternative to a fancy sports car, when you can't afford an Aston Martin, or Cobra, and chicken outta motorbike: a TRUE rallye Austin-Cooper with the real thing Cosworth head: a sidecar on four wheels. This or a Lotus Seven...

Where's RBM when we're talking of British roadsters?

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 8:41 am

Having owned both of these models (not ones pictures though) my favorites:

BMW Isetta, 1957

Honda 600, 1972

jim_mc · Post by **jim_mc** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 9:48 am

I've driven quite a bit in the Honda S2000 (my sister's). It's a remarkable car. More expensive than the Miata, but much, much, much better handling and more powerful. It's also comfortable to sit in. Don't buy a Miata. That's a "sports" car for spoiled college girls and accountants going through mid-life crises.

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:30 am

It's not a sports car which in Windsor is only an air bag for a SUV but I would like a military version of the Hummer with all the fix'ins

Just so that I can have the sport of surviving this area drivers!

Or maybe a Bradley fighting vehicle.

MarkB

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:33 am

Is this the sports car equivalent of desert island discs? You mean I can only have one?

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:38 am

Not at all! As many as you like....
Just tell me why, please.

Brian Lee · Post by **Brian Lee** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 11:05 am

Hows about a V-12, 500HP, 300+ mph, 0-60 in 2.5 seconds beast?

http://www.dodge.com/tomahawk/flash.html

CHIFF FIPPLE · Post by **CHIFF FIPPLE** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 11:27 am

"When I see an Alfa Romeo go by I raise my hat". (Henry Ford).

This one will do very nicely thank you

OutOfBreath · Post by **OutOfBreath** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 11:52 am

Ford Excursion

antstastegood · Post by **antstastegood** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 11:54 am

Jim, if you're looking at the Miata, I once heard this story about a guy that parked his Miata in a rough part of town. When he came back, it was overflowing with accordions, bodhrans, recorders, and soprano saxophones.

(Point being, get a Honda S2000)

Tres · Post by **Tres** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 12:00 pm

The Infiniti G35 is a monster!

Tres