Opinion: What is a sports car to you?

Brothers of brub and brap, this is your safe space.

What is your ideal benchmark for a sports car?

Any performance version of an ordinary FWD car (ie. GTI, Focus ST, Veloster N)
0
No votes
Rally Oriented Cars (ie. WRX, Focus RS)
0
No votes
Lightweight handling toys that aren't as fast (ie. Mini, Miata, Fiata, Alfa 4c)
2
17%
Pony/Muscle Cars (ie. Mustang, Challenger, Camaro)
0
No votes
Sub 300hp lightweight RWD with good dynamics (ie. 350z, e30/e36 M3, rx7/8, s13's and so on)
1
8%
RWD 2 seater with 300+ hp (ie. Corvette)
5
42%
The Big boi's (ie. M cars, AMG's, Caddy V's, any of those that isn't crossovers)
0
No votes
Entry Level Supercars/Mid-engined (ie. Huracan, c8 Corvette)
1
8%
Supercars (ie. Aventador)
1
8%
Others (explain)
2
17%
 
Total votes: 12
User avatar
HerrBerlin
Meat Patty 2nd Class
Meat Patty 2nd Class
Posts: 460
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 2:12 am
Drives: occasionally
Location: pnw

D Griff wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 10:36 am Poll should have multiple options available...

I pretty much agree with what is being said other than the fact that it has to be two seater. Toyota 86 and Porsche 911, for example, are sports cars in my book. I would agree with the assessment that it is a car that puts driving pleasure first, doesn't need to be fast. It also needs to be designed from the ground up for driving fun. Nothing that is a souped up hatch/sedan/coupe/SUV is a sports car.
This is how I would define it as well. Something that is built specifically for that purpose.
User avatar
Irish
Senior Chief Patty Officer
Senior Chief Patty Officer
Posts: 3648
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 12:37 am
Drives: '12 GIT (190K!)- 2011 Outie A5
Location: Carlisle PA

wap wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 10:41 pm
[user not found] wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 4:00 pm Two seater with engaging driving dynamics. That’s about it.

Doesn’t need to be fast, doesn’t need to be powerful, but it needs to be something that puts driving first.
This get closest IMO. Small, light, 2 door/seater, engineered for heightened driving dynamics before comfort. Low c of g, good reflexes, good sounds. Power isn't absolutely necessary, but but certainly doesn't disqualify. So a :meata: is just as much a sports car as a :poorvette:

Perhaps it's better to ask what ISN'T a sports car?

While are all cool and interesting cars in their own right, the following are not sports cars, IMO.

Muscle cars
Pony cars
Hot hatches
GT cars
Performance sedans
Sport coupes
Performance SUVs
Etc
Not surprisingly. I agree with :wap:

Except I would consider my 300ZX 2+2 a sports car.....just not a great one
User avatar
wap
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Posts: 45157
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 11:52 pm
Drives: Blue Meanie
Location: Pepperland

Irish wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 1:40 pm
wap wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 10:41 pm

This get closest IMO. Small, light, 2 door/seater, engineered for heightened driving dynamics before comfort. Low c of g, good reflexes, good sounds. Power isn't absolutely necessary, but but certainly doesn't disqualify. So a :meata: is just as much a sports car as a :poorvette:

Perhaps it's better to ask what ISN'T a sports car?

While are all cool and interesting cars in their own right, the following are not sports cars, IMO.

Muscle cars
Pony cars
Hot hatches
GT cars
Performance sedans
Sport coupes
Performance SUVs
Etc
Not surprisingly. I agree with :wap:

Except I would consider my 300ZX 2+2 a sports car.....just not a great one
That's right on the edge there.
Image
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
User avatar
Melon
Trollistrator
Trollistrator
Posts: 10884
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 10:09 pm
Drives: Blue things, Orange thing
Location: 2' Underwater

Irish wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 1:40 pm Except I would consider my 300ZX 2+2 a sports car.....just not a great one
Hol up.
I didn't know you had a Z32.

I'm so out of the loop.
4zilch wrote: Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:46 am I'm a fucking failure.
User avatar
MexicanYarisTK
Senior Master Sirloin
Senior Master Sirloin
Posts: 9978
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:14 am
Drives: An Okinowa Cruiseship
Location: 6 miles north of Sleepy Joes House & 5 miles from Bosphorus Channel

4zilch wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 6:00 pm Also, 0/7 no reference of a FiST in the powl examples.
That's consdiered as any performance version of any ordinary FWD car, includes the Fiesta ST
Nephew of a :plac: a few first gen immigrant on DFD, resident turk, and ex nazi egg lover now driving a middle class mom mobile.
User avatar
MexicanYarisTK
Senior Master Sirloin
Senior Master Sirloin
Posts: 9978
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:14 am
Drives: An Okinowa Cruiseship
Location: 6 miles north of Sleepy Joes House & 5 miles from Bosphorus Channel

max225 wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 7:27 am Anything fwd is not a sports car
fact!
Nephew of a :plac: a few first gen immigrant on DFD, resident turk, and ex nazi egg lover now driving a middle class mom mobile.
User avatar
MexicanYarisTK
Senior Master Sirloin
Senior Master Sirloin
Posts: 9978
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:14 am
Drives: An Okinowa Cruiseship
Location: 6 miles north of Sleepy Joes House & 5 miles from Bosphorus Channel

4zilch wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 11:57 am Any car is a sports car with the right person behind the wheel.
So that means an Altima is in fact a sports car, as long as the driver sees a GTI and the like in the drivers sight.
Nephew of a :plac: a few first gen immigrant on DFD, resident turk, and ex nazi egg lover now driving a middle class mom mobile.
User avatar
MexicanYarisTK
Senior Master Sirloin
Senior Master Sirloin
Posts: 9978
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:14 am
Drives: An Okinowa Cruiseship
Location: 6 miles north of Sleepy Joes House & 5 miles from Bosphorus Channel

wap wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 12:42 pm
Melon wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 9:36 am Can you modify a car to where it becomes a sports car?

Mercedes W201 Chassis - Modified - Mercedes 190e 2.3 SPORTS SEDAN

Not just homologation cars.

Golf -> GTi HOT HATCH
Boat -> Hellcat Challenger MUSCLE CAR
Silverado -> Corvette This is a sports car with a truck-derived engine

Two seat RWD is probably the purest form of the sports car, but it's a term that's thrown around so much, it's meaning isn't possible to nail down.
My opinions in bold.
:dat: while it's nice to have alternatives that offers the semi characteristics and the thrill of a sports car also compromises for a drivers lifestyle + situation in terms of what they need in a car, it is simply not as close. Hence why cars like Miata Is Always The Answer, etc.
Nephew of a :plac: a few first gen immigrant on DFD, resident turk, and ex nazi egg lover now driving a middle class mom mobile.
User avatar
MexicanYarisTK
Senior Master Sirloin
Senior Master Sirloin
Posts: 9978
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:14 am
Drives: An Okinowa Cruiseship
Location: 6 miles north of Sleepy Joes House & 5 miles from Bosphorus Channel

Irish wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 1:40 pm
wap wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 10:41 pm

This get closest IMO. Small, light, 2 door/seater, engineered for heightened driving dynamics before comfort. Low c of g, good reflexes, good sounds. Power isn't absolutely necessary, but but certainly doesn't disqualify. So a :meata: is just as much a sports car as a :poorvette:

Perhaps it's better to ask what ISN'T a sports car?

While are all cool and interesting cars in their own right, the following are not sports cars, IMO.

Muscle cars
Pony cars
Hot hatches
GT cars
Performance sedans
Sport coupes
Performance SUVs
Etc
Not surprisingly. I agree with :wap:

Except I would consider my 300ZX 2+2 a sports car.....just not a great one
300zx is a sports car in my book :doe:
Nephew of a :plac: a few first gen immigrant on DFD, resident turk, and ex nazi egg lover now driving a middle class mom mobile.
User avatar
4zilch
First Sirloin
First Sirloin
Posts: 6241
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 8:42 am
Drives: Ford Party ST
Location: God’s Country

MexicanYarisTK wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 6:57 am
4zilch wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 6:00 pm Also, 0/7 no reference of a FiST in the powl examples.
That's consdiered as any performance version of any ordinary FWD car, includes the Fiesta ST
Right, just wasn't specifically called out in the options

(it's a better driver's car than a FoST or GTI)
As the only published author in a well-known motorcycle publication in the room...
User avatar
MexicanYarisTK
Senior Master Sirloin
Senior Master Sirloin
Posts: 9978
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:14 am
Drives: An Okinowa Cruiseship
Location: 6 miles north of Sleepy Joes House & 5 miles from Bosphorus Channel

4zilch wrote: Wed May 05, 2021 9:24 am
MexicanYarisTK wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 6:57 am

That's consdiered as any performance version of any ordinary FWD car, includes the Fiesta ST
Right, just wasn't specifically called out in the options

(it's a better driver's car than a FoST or GTI)
I see, Can't list them all and I like the FiSt :doe:
Nephew of a :plac: a few first gen immigrant on DFD, resident turk, and ex nazi egg lover now driving a middle class mom mobile.
Post Reply