What do you look for when buying a sports car?

[Franisco]

Pretty sure he's just a troll

[WingsofWar]

lots of ***gorty in this thread,

FWD cars can be sports cars by social standards, not described otherwise by enthusiasts. As the term sports cars is an umbrella term that can encompass many types of sporty vehicles.

In your world of sport compact cars, an ideal sports car should have Neutral steering. RWD cars on the spectrum tend to come closer to this idealism than FWD or AWD. However just because your either one of the drivetrains doesnt mean you belong in a specific spectrum of Understeer/Neutralsteer/oversteer.

In terms of performance, its best to judge the worth of the cars sportyness based on balance and power to weight ratio.

In terms of aesthetics, its anyones ball game based on the designer and company direction.

For example lets take a look at the new Mazda Shinari, some might say this is a sports car, but wait..is it? The clear answer is no, this is a Luxury Sedan with elagant styling cues from its designer. Its P:W ratio is not bad, however its balance is substantially offset by the sheer size and location of larger masses within its structure.



Lets take a look at a coupe version of the shinari. By shortening the wheel track and bringing the car closer together, we eliminate much of the balance issues from the larger 4 door. To favor a more centralized weight distribution. This should bump up the P:W even if the engines power output is the same.



Sport compacts, sports cars, super cars, hyper cars all have their own direction towards performance and place in the universe. Yet they are all sports cars in some fashion (not exuding FWD cars). Lets not muddy up the definitions based on feelings or driving experience.

[70NYD]

interesting, but from what i am reading is that any car can be a sports car if it strikes certain design and performance cues, yet a 4 door saloon cannot have a true 50/50 distribution and therefore is not a sports car? so muscle cars cant be sports cars??
or did i misunderstand
cus..

(m5)

(holden V commodore supercar series)

(V series HSV GTS)

i can keep going but whats the point

[WingsofWar]

Originally Posted by 70NYD

interesting, but from what i am reading is that any car can be a sports car if it strikes certain design and performance cues, yet a 4 door saloon cannot have a true 50/50 distribution and therefore is not a sports car? so muscle cars cant be sports cars??
or did i misunderstand
cus..

(m5)

(holden V commodore supercar series)

(V series HSV GTS)

i can keep going but whats the point

I agree, im kinda at fault for not covering my ass with some more thoughts to share. but without spending time to make an elaborate post, i think 4 door saloons/sedans still have the ability to become sports cars. It really depends on the car and its designed purpose. Like a few BMWs and Mercs, they have sports versions of already existing 4 doors sedans that are not classified as sports sedans.

but ya your right.

[70NYD]

Originally Posted by WingsofWar

I agree, im kinda at fault for not covering my ass with some more thoughts to share. but without spending time to make an elaborate post, i think 4 door saloons/sedans still have the ability to become sports cars. It really depends on the car and its designed purpose. Like a few BMWs and Mercs, they have sports versions of already existing 4 doors sedans that are not classified as sports sedans.

but ya your right.

yeah the design purpose was what i was getting at.
the HSV GTS for example is a ridiculusly overpowered, strengthened and lightened version of a normal commodore lol
where on earth did u get that sig pic from??? and when is that rx7 coming out?

[WingsofWar]

Originally Posted by 70NYD

where on earth did u get that sig pic from??? and when is that rx7 coming out?

It was a photoshop i did of a render by an artist by the name IC.

Heres another one I did


You wont be hearing anything about the new RX-platform till late 2011.

[70NYD]

i heard and read some stuff, but the pics i saw were NOWHERE as good as those ones
nice work man
im guessing you did the chop of the coupe shinari as well??
i wish mazda actually had some nice looking vehicles, their cars stoped being good looking in 02..
same goes for toyota and nissan

[WingsofWar]

Originally Posted by 70NYD

i heard and read some stuff, but the pics i saw were NOWHERE as good as those ones
nice work man
im guessing you did the chop of the coupe shinari as well??
i wish mazda actually had some nice looking vehicles, their cars stoped being good looking in 02..
same goes for toyota and nissan

yeah i feel the same way, the japanese car market right now is at a standstill. But i dont believe it will be like that for too much longer. I believe in the next 5-7 years Toyota, nissan, mazda, and even mitsubishi and Subaru, will try to fight for the throne again like they did in the late 90s.

I did do the chop of the Shinari Coupe, I have some other chops under me as well.

[Calais]

Originally Posted by WingsofWar

It was a photoshop i did of a render by an artist by the name IC.

Heres another one I did


You wont be hearing anything about the new RX-platform till late 2011.

man that is awsome

hmmm so its this or the ft.... hmmmmm got some decision making to do if this is actually coming out and what it will look like.

that blue is a beautiful colour! thats the colour i want for my ft

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by Calais

man that is awsome

hmmm so its this or the ft.... hmmmmm got some decision making to do if this is actually coming out and what it will look like.

that blue is a beautiful colour! thats the colour i want for my ft

When the lights line up the grille it doesn't look like a silly smiling face. Sooooo much better!

[Calais]

Originally Posted by Dimman

When the lights line up the grille it doesn't look like a silly smiling face. Sooooo much better!

yes but all mazdas have that little grin these days it wouldnt bother me one bit if i owned it, it'll just match the grin on my face lol

[WingsofWar]

Originally Posted by Calais

yes but all mazdas have that little grin these days it wouldnt bother me one bit if i owned it, it'll just match the grin on my face lol

well you really wont be getting the grin anymore in future mazda models, now that Nagare Design (current mazda styling) is offically out and Kodo Design has stepped forward also bringing back mazda's fabled 5 point grill from the 70s.



Mazda6 will be the first car to receive Kodo styling ques similar to the ones found in Mazdas new Shinari. Followed by the 3, and 2 by 2013.

[BoostJunkie]

Originally Posted by WingsofWar

It was a photoshop i did of a render by an artist by the name IC.

Heres another one I did


You wont be hearing anything about the new RX-platform till late 2011.

that's a nice one, but what about widening the back wheels under the car, just my .02 cents, but it looks awsome

[Calais]

Originally Posted by WingsofWar

well you really wont be getting the grin anymore in future mazda models, now that Nagare Design (current mazda styling) is offically out and Kodo Design has stepped forward also bringing back mazda's fabled 5 point grill from the 70s.



Mazda6 will be the first car to receive Kodo styling ques similar to the ones found in Mazdas new Shinari. Followed by the 3, and 2 by 2013.

ahh well not gonna miss it much lol.

so we wont be hearing from it till late 2011 that bodes good then i can get the ft early 2012 then save up and get the new rx7 in 2015 2nd generation maybe??