What's your Grassroots GT car?

81gtv6 wrote: Not FWD and only Grassroots if you consider what it cost new but I have always wanted one of these. ( teenager in the 80's)

That is one of the most timeless, handsome-awesome designs ever, IMHO

91-95 Acura Legend Coupe. 93-95 got a 6 speed manual and a top speed of 163 mph...

mazdaspeed3. 3 too many doors and not "cheap" but it is a helluva lotta car for the money and knocks down the miles like a champ, although it probably likes the twisties more than a "proper" GT should ( i.e. it could ride a bit better)

friedgreencorrado wrote: curtis73, that's a sedan, dude. You could put three kids in the back and their luggage in the trunk. It's a *great* sedan, but not a GT. Think SEC instead of SEL. I have to admit..I really don't know much about Mercs. Do diesel SECs exist? That would be cool!

No SECs stateside anyway. Older coupes and convertibles could be had with them.

I always sorta chuckled at the GT designation... so many of them are touted as being great for the grand tour, but how many suitcases can you fit in a 'vette? How often do you have to get out and stretch your legs in an Opel? How hot do your feet get in a Ferrari?

I know its not romantic for me to say it, but for the grand tour I'd much rather have an E38 :) I personally don't mind sensory input in a performance car, but my E30 cabrio was such an overload. I took it cross country twice and the noise of the road, the whining Getrag 260, the vibes and bumps, and the small cockpit just tired you out after a while. I can drive forever in my wife's mercedes.

I already have one: ...though I am slowly wringing the "GT" out of it.

My other choices of GT cars include:

E24 6-series E31 8-series Ferrari 575M Maranello Audi Coupe GT Toyota Supra Mk.IV Maserati GranTurismo R32 Skyline GT-R

How about a 2 door Crown Vic with some suspension upgrades:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/550797/original/dgsig1.jpg

Volvo 242gt? Accord Coupe? Saab 9000 or 9-3 2 door hatch?

RexSeven wrote: E24 6-series fantasy cars deleted

Ding ding ding! They're selling for grassroots prices, they're sexy (heck, they're gorgeous), they've got long legs - excellent call.

You can get a running SEC for like $1500 now. Actually, one of my neighbors has a really breat up 380sec that would probably start with a little work i bet could be gotten for under $500.

I think it has to be European, though Japan made som good ones too.

I like th offerings by BMW and Porsche. The 928 sticks out formost in my mind. This does not exclude any others though, the GT class is probably my favorite when it comes to cars. Front engine, coupe body, rear wheel drive YUM!

If I had the money I would get this grassroots GT...

http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/1384647309.html

I'm surprised no one has said Lexus sc300/400 yet...: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/1343260044.html

dxman92 wrote: I'm surprised no one has said Lexus sc300/400 yet...: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/1343260044.html

It was mentioned on page 2. Seems like a good choice, but I can not get behind the overweight tic-tac styling and I drive a NA Miata.

Keith wrote:

RexSeven wrote: E24 6-series fantasy cars deleted

Ding ding ding! They're selling for grassroots prices, they're sexy (heck, they're gorgeous), they've got long legs - excellent call.

I can't believe I missed "The Shark". And I was a BMW guy back then!

I'm doing a Homer Simpson style "DOH" here...

EvanB wrote: If I had the money I would get this grassroots GT... http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/1384647309.html

You are an evil man for posting this, I am close and could come up with the cash but I already have two "project' cars. Thanks

Jay wrote: Mitsubishi Starion Porsche 944 Mk.II/III Supra Mitsubishi 3000GT ...or are those too sporty for GTs?

no. a GT must be sporty. it should be like a sports car, but a little more practical; a little less on the edge. it should have a back seat, even if it's basically unusable. it should have 2 doors. a buick riviera, a caprice wagon, a lincoln...none are GTs and more than a 7-series BMW or S-class Benz are. the Riv and Lincolns are 2-door sedans. they don't have any sort of sporting pretentions.

GTs: -Supra

-M3

-GTO

-RX-8 (perfect example of the difference: the RX-7 was a sports car; the 8 is a GT)

-MB CL-class

-BMW 850

-Audi A5/S5

-Caddy CTS coupe

-BMW 6-series

I'd have to say the Audi Coupe GT isnt very good for leg room and would be out for a tourer for me at least. (a guy at work has one and its kinda cramped)

This is where to look: 1984 BMW 633 CSI, manual

Or: (CL ad) HOTROD FORD 1979 Fairmont Futura FAST 302 5speed - $3600 (Windsor)

FAST and FUN HOTROD FORD 1979

302 crate , Holley 4bbl , T5 trans, posi 8.8 rear, Black interior, Black rims, Dark Purple exterior

BIG Headers, BADASS dual exhaust

Not Rusty , not the best paint

PS,PB 5 lug conversion

81gtv6 wrote:

EvanB wrote: If I had the money I would get this grassroots GT... http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/1384647309.html

You are an evil man for posting this, I am close and could come up with the cash but I already have two "project' cars. Thanks

But you know you want it.

This falls into the FWD/4-cyl uglyness, but my '98 Eclipse is pretty good for a GT.

Even my non turbo has enough power to pass, corners great, cruises at 80 comfortably, and can corner pretty well. Gas mileage is ok for these speeds on long trips too. And the trunk has room to spare when packing for 2.

But, honestly, you gotta pick your GT's by country. Do you want to imagine cruising the Autobahn, The Autostrada, the M's or the interstate?

BobOfTheFuture wrote: This falls into the FWD/4-cyl uglyness, but my '98 Eclipse is pretty good for a GT. Even my non turbo has enough power to pass, corners great, cruises at 80 comfortably, and can corner pretty well. Gas mileage is ok for these speeds on long trips too. And the trunk has room to spare when packing for 2. But, honestly, you gotta pick your GT's by country.

IMO, not really. That's why I started the thread.

BobOfTheFuture wrote: Do you want to imagine cruising the Autobahn, The Autostrada, the M's or the interstate?

Well, in my OP..I hope I said that a GT is just a "fat" sportscar, meant to get one man, one woman and two overnight bags from (insert your fave European city here) to Monaco as fast as possible for a little sex & gambling.

Japan: From Osaka to Tokyo as fast as possible for an afternoon in a "Love Hotel" & some shopping over in Akibahara.

Southern US: From Birmingham, Memphis, Atlanta, etc. to the cheap hotels & casinos in Mobile.

Northern US: From Vermont & Connecticut to Atlantic City, NJ.

Midwest US: From Indianapolis, Cincinatti, St. Louis, etc. to Branson, MO. And I'll admit that a lot of my fellow Southerners would like to make that trip as well.

If Bubba & Darlene, with a trash bag full of clean underwear in an ancient 2.2ltr turbo Daytona, bustin' ass for Mobile with all their might is a GT (and I claim it is), then your Eclipse most emphatically makes the grade.

A grand touring car is like pornography: it may be hard to define, but I know it when I see it. I insist on two doors and an engine in front driving the tires in back. A rear seat is a bonus but not a must. The car must be too heavy to be considered a true sports car. The more cylinders the better but 6 is the bare minimum. The rear suspension must be independent and it must be European in spirit but not construction. There has to be a certain hard-to-define level of luxury and technological sophistication, at least relatives to other cars of its era. Pony cars need not apply, as they are by definition in a class by themselves. The (decidedly non-grassroots) template for the GT is something like an Aston Martin, Ferrari Daytona or a Porsche 928.

Yes, it's a GT:
-Porsche 928 -Ferrari 575 -Panoz Esperante

No, it's not a GT: -Porsche 911 -Ferrari 355 -Corvette

And for another grassroots example I don't think anyone has mentioned the Jaguar XJS coupe yet. The V12, naturally.

Yay my stag is a GT

How about this: a GT is a legitimate alternative to a small plane? That was my initial reaction to driving an XJS.

Keith wrote: How about this: a GT is a legitimate alternative to a small plane? That was my initial reaction to driving an XJS.

Keith wins the thread, I think.