Think you drive a 'Sports Car'???

[J4MES]

I do...

A true sports car is a performance car whose primary function is to provide driving pleasure, and to allow the driver to immerse himself in that experience and communicate with the road as directly as possible. Its purpose is pure and singleminded.

The idea of a sports car has always been the same and it will never change. The designs will change as times change. But the concept will always remain.

A true sports car is light, direct and does without the things that more pedestrian vehicles possess. It is often derived from a race car in some fashion. The car may be a direct variation of a race car. It may feature technology and design from a race car. Or the people who designed and developed it have a competition background. It has heritage.

The car rewards drivers who are skilled and able. All drivers are not created equal. Those who can best feel and understand the subtle messages of the machine are rewarded with the greatest satisfaction. A sports car is meant to be driven well quickly.

What Do Sports Cars Look Like? They turn your head, they get you interested. You know just from looking at them that they offer performance and excitement. They are not ordinary cars. Even when parked, a sports car gives the impression that it is in forward motion.

What A Sports Car Is Not: Heavy cars are not sports cars. Saloons, estates, 4x4s, and the like are not sports cars. No matter how much power they make, how well they corner, how quickly they can accelerate or stop, or how much they've been modified, they are not sports cars. They may be performance cars. They may have very impressive performance. But they can never be sports cars.

Thoroughbreds are horses. But not all horses are thoroughbreds.

[Lowe]

Nope, I drive a shopping trolley with a turbo.

Now this might upset a few people here.. but I'll open my trap.

Sorry, but in my eyes an MX5 isn't a sports car either. It might be RWD, it might handle well and have no roof. But it's not going to set the world alight with its performance. It just doesn't have the "wow" factor. They're underpowered and inheriently "safe". You've got to do something really, really daft and provoke them in the wet to get out of shape.

What it does have is "pull ability" with women. Had an arguement the other day with a group of girls. Would they get in a Clio which can make the world blur and make them struggle to breath, or get in a new soft top MX5. Obviously they chose the MX5, since they love to pose in it.

So for me, that's what they are. No offense like, since it's not meant, but they're a poser car, not a sports car.

[Tumble]

You could in fact argue that my 4x4 is a sports car.. I use it in competitions after all. Admittedly it doesn't go much over 15mph when competing, but it's still doing a "sport" in the strictest sense of the term - rules and points and stuff. Mine'sa sportscar OFF the road... and a complete slug-bus on it

[[GSV]Myocardial]

Hehe Ultima Can-Am fit into that category then

I so wish I had the money to start that little project car

[pinky]

so u mean somthin like a radical sr3 ? or westfeild ? chatram ?

tbh i don't find them impressive

i find cars like skyline r34 m-spec more impressive , becuase it is a very , very very high standard of corner breaking . using aroud 300 horses to get to 0-60 in under 5 secs

but also its not even that ruff a ride(the m-spec ) and seats 4 nicley , has a large boot etc ... relible etc

it can do everything

[Lowe]

Skyline, Subaru, Evo = performance car
Radical, Ultima, TVR, Ferarri = sportscar

[Nox]

Originally posted by J4MES
What A Sports Car Is Not: Heavy cars are not sports cars. Saloons, estates, 4x4s, and the like are not sports cars. No matter how much power they make, how well they corner, how quickly they can accelerate or stop, or how much they've been modified, they are not sports cars. They may be performance cars. They may have very impressive performance. But they can never be sports cars.

so where does that put an Audi quattro? I certainly look at them as sports cars, it is also the most pleasurable/fun car I have ever driven, but I have to say my old series 2 lightweight came close but for completely opposite reason sports cars I would define as a car derived from a sport?

Nox

[schrickvr6]

The idea of a sports car has always been the same and it will never change

weren't original sportscars gigantic bentley's that weighed about 4 tonnes and had spitfire engines?

It has heritage

what heritage does the mx5 have?i've never seen one race.because it rear wheel drive and light?does that make a toyota corolla a sportscar?

What A Sports Car Is Not: Heavy cars are not sports cars. Saloons, estates

this would include the likes of - audi ur quattro,impreza,lancer evo,rs500 cosworth,escort cosworth,bmw m3 etc etc - all derived or competed in motorSPORTS succesfully and they are cars so why aren't they sportscars.the concept of a modern day track car is super lightweight yes but using the mx5 as an example is way off imho as you would find out if you got on a track with any of these so called non-sportscars

[[GSV]Myocardial]

Nah I've got to say any saloon car would not be classed as a sports car by me. A performance car definately for something like the evo or skyline I'd actually classify them as a rally car but still not a race bread track car.

But I spose it's all in the interpretation as there are alot of touring cars around, I'd normally therefore stick a performance model of those cars into the touring car category.

My definition of a "sports" car definately only has 2 seats imo

[Rave]

Well, if an MX-5 is a sports car, then an MR2 surely is. Not only does it drive the correct wheels, it also has the engine in the correct place.

Rich :¬)

[Nox]

Originally posted by [GSV]Myocardial
My definition of a "sports" car definately only has 2 seats imo

so a McLaren F1 isn't a sports car? Don't they have 3 seats? or what about the formula one cars, definately only one seat there And I certainly don't consider any car that makes me think of hairdressers to be sports cars, sorry MX5 and white golf cabriolet owners...

Nox

[[GSV]Myocardial]

heh pick the couple of odd exceptions sure there are other mind

gotta agree with the F1

And although theoretically possible (and I believe possibly been done) you can't take many formula one cars anywhere bar the track, would be fun for a quick trip down the shops if a little noisey and expensive

But I wouldn't say that the Mx5 was a sports car as such, (as it's name used to suggest, poss still does) it's more a roadster

[Nox]

good grief yep and no one said track cars couldn't be sports cars infact the more I think about that last statement...

I think my definaition of sports car would have to be: 'did it do the hill climb at goodwood festival of speed this year?' with a few exceptions TYPE of car.

Nox

[XTR]

Originally posted by schrickvr6
weren't original sportscars gigantic bentley's that weighed about 4 tonnes and had spitfire engines?

It aint a bentley but that car is worth telephone numbers!!! Same type they used to race

[[GSV]Myocardial]

Thats the problem with the term "sports" car tho, I'm sure we've all got very slightly different opinoins on the use of that little word

I certainly know my insurance company do, my motor traders has an exclusion for social domestic and pleasure of no turbos and no sports cars, aswell as a 2.0l engine size liimt, now u try and get them to state what a sports car is, I'm on my 8th amendment to my policy atm, still running on the initial as they won't clarify any further than sports car

And what makes me larf even more is that on the first copy theres no limits bar engine size of 2.0l

[schrickvr6]

And what makes me larf even more is that on the first copy theres no limits bar engine size of 2.0l

you'll be fine with a twin fireblade engined caterham then?