I just got throught reading the "Budget Supercars" article for the 14th or 17th time, and I'm just curious as to what qualifications were used to seperate out a "supercar" from a not-so-super car?
I just got throught reading the "Budget Supercars" article for the 14th or 17th time, and I'm just curious as to what qualifications were used to seperate out a "supercar" from a not-so-super car?
JeepinMatt wrote:
later in that cars life it will meet a very tragic end...
...only to come back as 4 similar, yet totally different cars.
Then even later, it will split into two ricers, one red and one blue, only to revert a year later to it's former self.
Back to the topic at hand, the only things I could see were some semblance of handling, a top speed over 150, 0-60 under 6 seconds, and findable for under $30k.
Hey, my GTO is a supercar! Top speed: check! Electronically limited to 155. 0-60: check! Reviews quote 4.6-5.2. Under 30k: check! Mine was under 30k brand new 3 years ago.
It would certainly kick the booties of most of the cars in the most recent budget supercar article and be more comfy and modern, too!
And it has been super in a way no other car has. The GTO and I celebrated our 3-year anniversary on the 7th. I have never kept a car for that long before.
Lugnut wrote: Hey, my GTO is a supercar! Top speed: check! Electronically limited to 155. 0-60: check! Reviews quote 4.6-5.2. Under 30k: check! Mine was under 30k brand new 3 years ago. It would certainly kick the booties of most of the cars in the most recent budget supercar article and be more comfy and modern, too! And it has been super in a way no other car has. The GTO and I celebrated our 3-year anniversary on the 7th. I have never kept a car for that long before.
This is kinda the thought process I'm following as well. The Cobra tops out north of 150 in stock trim, 0-60 is in the 5 and a half second range, and paying way too much for it it was no where near the price of a new Accord. Of course, I realize it would need some supsension to keep up with most of the cars in that article in the twisties, but even taking the cost of full aftermarket suspension into account, total cost is still less than a Mk IV Supra Turbo at today's prices.
Of couse, I wouldn't consider the Cobra to be a "Supercar", which is why I'm trying to find where that line is.
It's unlikely there was an official "line", more likely a brainstorming meeting over a box of donuts at GRM World Headquarters - and these were the cars that came to mind.
An old Viper can be had for under 30k. So can a C5 Vette or a C4 ZR-1. Lotus Esprit. Acura NSX.
Why someone would do that to a Dodge Demon...
JeepinMatt wrote: An old Viper can be had for under 30k. So can a C5 Vette or a C4 ZR-1. Lotus Esprit. Acura NSX.
3 of those were mentioned specifically in the article, but it also included the 300ZX twinturbo. I think that's the one that I'm stuck on. Was the malaise era really so bad that a 300 crank hp 3500lb Nissan was in the supercar realm?
NSX, absolutely. Heck, even the FD works. But 300ZX? Seriously? I guess I've just never seen the appeal.
I should say that buying the Esprit qualifies it as a budget supercar. Maintaining it does not.
With that criterea the srt4 is a budget super car.
ReverendDexter wrote:JeepinMatt wrote: An old Viper can be had for under 30k. So can a C5 Vette or a C4 ZR-1. Lotus Esprit. Acura NSX.3 of those were mentioned specifically in the article, but it also included the 300ZX twinturbo. I think that's the one that I'm stuck on. Was the malaise era really so bad that a 300 crank hp 3500lb Nissan was in the supercar realm? NSX, absolutely. Heck, even the FD works. But 300ZX? Seriously? I guess I've just never seen the appeal.
drive one. they are more then the sum of their parts.
ReverendDexter wrote:JeepinMatt wrote: An old Viper can be had for under 30k. So can a C5 Vette or a C4 ZR-1. Lotus Esprit. Acura NSX.3 of those were mentioned specifically in the article, but it also included the 300ZX twinturbo. I think that's the one that I'm stuck on. Was the malaise era really so bad that a 300 crank hp 3500lb Nissan was in the supercar realm? NSX, absolutely. Heck, even the FD works. But 300ZX? Seriously? I guess I've just never seen the appeal.
The FD has 255 crank hp, the NSX has sub 300, I vaguely remember the Esprit being around that range as well. Im guessing the gut lack of entusiasm for the Z has less to do with performance than with the massive amount of lower powered models you saw on the road.
From a performance angle-I remember in my first 12years of automotive lust the lowly Camaro caught and passed the performance of the almighty Countach.
The 300ZX was an odd choice for me too. I know that the numbers work, but when I look at it I see a secretary car.
The NSX is the supercar deal of the century IMO.
I'm reading the article now.
On the Esprit side (bottom?) bar, a few minor corrections: There were about 10,000 made, not 3,000. The first year of the Stevens Esprit is 1988, not 1990. http://www.espritfactfile.com/ and http://www.lotusespritworld.com/ have more info than you'll probably want to know.
I think of a supercar as something more than just lbs per hp, 0-60 times and all. Construction comes to mind, like the Viper's frame. Or exotic materials etc...
JeepinMatt wrote: I think of a supercar as something more than just lbs per hp, 0-60 times and all. Construction comes to mind, like the Viper's frame. Or exotic materials etc...
I agree.
An affordable supercar was once on the cutting edge technologically. A supercar also has some amount of exclusivity to owning one; the reason being I would classify a Viper to be more of a supercar than a Corvette. People drive Corvette's around here in the salt, not something I would do in a "supercar".
I think supercars have to be special. That's something the Nissan wasn't, because of the high number of lesser models roaming around. The same can be said about the Impreza/WRX/STi and I still agree with it.
The Corvette is special, because it's only available as a Corvette. Even the base C6 right now nets you 430HP, low-12's in the 1/4, and great handling. It just gets better from there. The C4 was DEFINITELY special when it came out, and the same can be said of the C5. In fact I dare say to late C3's are the only really not special Corvette's, but they're starting to be old enough to not matter because they're classics.
I agree with the prior post about the new GTO being a supercar, I agree! 400HP (the SAME as the Corvette that year!) in a 2-door coupe from Ozzie land with IRS and a sweet 6-speed manual. That car is special, I smile every time I get to drive one.
Overall I thought it was a great article.
Yeah, I was smiling when I walked around one of those GTO's on a curve in tripple digits in my 18 year old English sportscar. Actually, I was laughing my back side off as soon as I slowed down.
Dr. Hess wrote: in my 18 year old English sportscar.
I think you meant to say "supercar".
Dr. Hess wrote: Yeah, I was smiling when I walked around one of those GTO's on a curve in tripple digits in my 18 year old English sportscar. Actually, I was laughing my back side off as soon as I slowed down.
where was that?
Bentonville, AR. The GTO was supercharged, too.
Audi S4/S6 1992-1995 C4 chassis Started life as a 227 hp quattro 4 door sedan that was loaded luxury wise right out of the factory. base MSRP was around 45-50k depending on model etc. maybe not in the sense of out of the box supercar but they can be had for cheap like well under 10k and with about 5k worth of mods they can lay 400 down @ the crank and won't that suprise a unsuspecting 300zx tt or a c4 vette when the audi wagon shows you its fatt a$$ as it pulls away from you! not everyones cup of tea but that means more of them for me!
Keith wrote: It's unlikely there was an official "line", more likely a brainstorming meeting over a box of donuts at GRM World Headquarters - and these were the cars that came to mind.
Burritos, actually.
And this is by no means a definitive list. There's tons of stuff that didn't make the list that deserved to. Personally, I argued long and hard for the Supra over the 300ZX, but the 300 wins the depreciation war with those two. Supra values are through the roof. I recall saying to David "The 300ZX is maybe 90% as good as the Supra at best." To which he replied "But it's only 60% of the price."
jg
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