Yes I messed up the title...smh
I was just thinking about car definitions the other day. Figure it could be a fun discussion.
So in my opinion;
Sports car= handling and braking are priority, outright power not a primary concern. Just more about the way it drives and feels.
Muscle car= straight line speed, also often loud, sometimes brash
Economy car= MPG and minimal running costs
Luxury car= quiet as possible, Isolated and comfortable
GT car= mix of all above in various percentages with a bias toward long distance driving pleasure
And also in my opinion any car can start from one of those and be modified to another segment, some do it better then others (also depends on the quality of work).
Whats your opinion?
My perception of a sports car is that it can be used in sports (motorsports, obviously!). Sure, that is a vague definition but then I think of "sporty" cars as cars that have good handling/feeling characteristics, as well as being more analog then your average car.
It must have proper knock off wire wheels.A convertible preferably left at home in the garage. Cut away doors so you can reach down and touch the pavement from the drivers seat.
A hand crank for starting. Preferably British heritage, with a few rare exceptions.
I like to keep a pretty loose definition of the label which seems to irritate most enthusiasts. If the car was engineered to be more engaging to drive than the average car, then I'll think of it as a sports car in a general sense. I don't like getting hung up on form factor as that tends to eliminate cars that are definitely sports cars even if they don't appear to be due to having too many seats or too many doors or wrong drivetrain or whatever.
Secondary to the "sports car" label I'll consider other sub-labels like roadster, muscle car, sport compact, sport sedan, etc.
I know that enthusiast of all kinds tend to get wrapped up in the semantics of their specific hobby, but I like to lean towards inclusivity as opposed to exclusivity. So if someone tells me that their old Neon ACR is a sports car I'll just consider that a statement of how they use their car and not get all wrapped up in pointing out that it's FWD or four door or whatever. I just can't be bothered to care about that because I'm happy to meet someone that likes to drive the wheels off of their old DOHC Neon.
I think of it like Justice Potter Stewart's definition of pornography. Hard to define, but I know it when I see it.
MrFancypants said:
So if someone tells me that their old Neon ACR is a sports car I'll just consider that a statement of how they use their car and not get all wrapped up in pointing out that it's FWD or four door or whatever. I just can't be bothered to care about that.
I do not think driveline orientation should be an issue. Yes there is favorable layouts...but I refuse to say a fwd car cannot be a sports car, or even muscle car for example.
A neon acr is a perfect example of a blend of economy-sports car. Id call a SRT4 Neon a borderline muscle car
MrFancypants said:
I like to keep a pretty loose definition of the label which seems to irritate most enthusiasts. If the car was engineered to be more engaging to drive than the average car, then I'll think of it as a sports car in a general sense. I don't like getting hung up on form factor as that tends to eliminate cars that are definitely sports cars even if they don't appear to be due to having too many seats or too many doors or wrong drivetrain or whatever.
Secondary to the "sports car" label I'll consider other sub-labels like roadster, muscle car, sport compact, sport sedan, etc.
I know that enthusiast of all kinds tend to get wrapped up in the semantics of their specific hobby, but I like to lean towards inclusivity as opposed to exclusivity. So if someone tells me that their old Neon ACR is a sports car I'll just consider that a statement of how they use their car and not get all wrapped up in pointing out that it's FWD or four door or whatever. I just can't be bothered to care about that because I'm happy to meet someone that likes to drive the wheels off of their old DOHC Neon.
In the early days of SCCA there was a clear divide between the more the merrier club and the "right crowd and no crowding" club.
It still exists. I like to pretend I'm snooty but secretly belong to the more the merrier. Shhh don't tell anyone.
Sports car = competes in motorsports of some sort, preferably road course racing.
I'm going to go with the traditional definition. 2 seater, RWD, small, can be raced if you like.
Inclusivity in the enthusiast hobby is great but I don't see why blurring definitions is necessary. Flip it around the other way, there's no need to label a Miata a "muscle car" if you want to go hang out and drag race with a bunch of classic GTO owners.
So someone good at searches link all of the other times this has been debated? May save some typing for some.
In reply to alfadriver :
ive never noticed it discussed before (and it doesnt mean it hasnt), however I am not glued to the forums (ya know, work, family, life gets priority). Why did you not provide us with some links?
In reply to malibuguy :
No reason. But it's been discussed every few years, sorry that you missed it.
But my search words don't work well, too- just did a quick search- and I don't know how to just search by title. There are a lot of threads with the word "sports" and "car" in them together, somewhere.
So debate back on.
BTW, one of they key problems with your definition is how easily it has been to cross over. Few would consider a Mustang a sports car, but it's also one of the faster track cars out there. That general problem of definitions and the cross over is where the whole debate has fallen apart before.
I thought this was a discussion forum. Isn't easier to just move on than to run a search and copy a bunch of links to prove a point that doesn't need to be proven?
There's nothing wrong with wanting to engage other people on popular subject that you personally may be tired of talking about.
In reply to MrFancypants :
I didn't intend to kill the discussion.... thought that was both replying and adding to it.
Please add your opinion on the Sports Cars topic now.
To dig mine in deeper; sure, enthusiasts can call their Mustang or Fwd car a sports car. If it makes them happy, I won't tell them they're wrong. ...but they are.
AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) said:
If it makes them happy, I won't tell them they're wrong. ...but they are.
You sound like a blast to hang out with at a Cars & Coffee.
MrFancypants said:
AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) said:
If it makes them happy, I won't tell them they're wrong. ...but they are.
You sound like a blast to hang out with at a Cars & Coffee.
Sorry you are having a bad day.
Cactus
HalfDork
2/20/22 11:55 p.m.
I forget where I read this, some unknowable number of years ago "A sports car has a roof that comes down".
Not entirely sure I agree with that, since my favorite sports cars have no roof at at all.
Miata is always the answer?
mke
Dork
2/21/22 9:04 a.m.
I think there is "sports car"....2 seats, small, low, usually but not necessarily convertible, probably rwd, fun to drive if not always fast. I think as someone else said, its hard to define but I know it when I see it.
Then is all sorts of "sporty cars" from small low but more than 2 seats or 2 seat fwd and corvettes and mustangs and most all BMWs, a very long list. Most of the fun to drive cars fall into this category rather than sports car IMHO.
alfadriver said:
So someone good at searches link all of the other times this has been debated? May save some typing for some.
It's possibly a sports car, but is it a hatchback?
A roadster must be a convertible. And generally roadsters would qualify as a sports car. But a sports car doesn't have to be a roadster (or a convertible).
In reply to Wally (Forum Supporter) :
It's possibly a sports car, but is it a minivan?
A sports car is a car that prioritizes driver involvement, often at the expense of practicality.
According to Frenchy's definition, my 1967 Land Rover is more of a sports car than my Miatas :) It's got the removable top, the hand crank, the British heritage and doors that you can take the upper section off - although it's a long reach to the pavement.
mke
Dork
2/21/22 11:15 a.m.
AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) said:
It's possibly a sports car, but is it a minivan?
Right, it's a minivan or station wagon, you choose 
edit, i remember some years ago my wife deciding she simply HAD to have a VW tiguan and we bought one. When the title came I noticed it said bodytype: station wagon, which I never let her forget...should we car my car or the station wagon?
