Motor Trend's $28K Bang for the Buck (spoiler alert!)

[86purity]

I totally agree with the results here. In terms of pure handling dynamics, The 86 twins should be superior to all but the Miata. The battle between the twins just comes down to what you prefer. From what I've read, the twins basically have 3 modes: everything on, sport mode, everything off. It seems to me that Toyota/Scion have made the ballsy choice to allow a wide range between the three modes. If you don't want to swing the ass around, just leave the computer on. Nice to have the choice to go out without your parents though!

[bneale]

Originally Posted by djdnz

At the end of the day, T's or not it still looks like fake carbon fiber :P

I disagree completely. You're just as bad as they are.

It doesn't look anything like carbon fiber at all. Either A) people don't look enough to notice the T shapes. Or B) they simply don't know what real carbon fiber looks like.

I've sat in a Whiteout FR-S and as soon as I saw the dashboard, I realized how silly this assumption is. Take longer then 30 seconds to look at the dashboard and the difference is clear.

There is no visible weave as seen with regular carbon fiber or fake. It's clearly a bunch of T's. The problem is all the dopes who don't bother looking close enough.

EDIT: This is an example of Carbon Fiber. Notice the overlap effect of the weave?




Close but not the same thing as what Toyota is going for! Notice how there isn't really an overlap?




It's all in the details. I don't think Toyota intended to pass this off as anything more then what it is. Textured black plastic. Nothing more!

bneale

[Tbomb 25]

Originally Posted by titusdrake

I dont think the Mustang was properly represented. I want a rematch

This...I would actually lean the v6 Mustangs way with the Performance pack of course.....In no order all in a line Mustang V6,BRZ,FRS,MX-5.....pick 1 is all i can say....and drive the hell out of it!

[Tbomb 25]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Who sets up a bang for the buck challenge and doesnt include the WRX(~$25k)? It would certainly out place many of those cars.

Humm....i only see 3 it can outperform....

[chulooz]

Originally Posted by Tbomb 25

Humm....i only see 3 it can outperform....

Which would you pick? Personally in a bang for the buck mindset it could come out on top.

[Dr.Science]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

Thanks for posting Dadhawk, it is fascinating. That said, I really really wish they drove these cars on the street, where they'll be driven by actual customers/owners 99.9% of the time.

+1

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Which would you pick? Personally in a bang for the buck mindset it could come out on top.

i dont think you can beat the mustang as far as bang for the buck is concerned. wrx could make a strong argument for second

[blu_]

I guess it really depends on how you define bang. I am enjoying driving this car a lot more so far than my STi and I never really liked my friends mustang even if its a potentially great car for track time per $.

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by blu_

I guess it really depends on how you define bang. I am enjoying driving this car a lot more so far than my STi and I never really liked my friends mustang even if its a potentially great car for track time per $.

What year mustsng?

[Tbomb 25]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Which would you pick? Personally in a bang for the buck mindset it could come out on top.

Well i think the biggest downer...is all the cars are not out at the same time well everything is except the FRS/BRZ,and this exotic exclusiveness that Toyobaru is putting on the FRS/BRZ kinda makes it hard to obtain its cool and all but not good for the purchasing consumer. And then the mark ups and waits you will have to deal with will be a huge huge factor perhaps the biggest factor.

I gave in Oct 2011...and bought a Rspec 3.8 and exercised Hyundais 90 day return policy...i liked the car but i didnt love it so i took it back and got ready for the long haul waiting on the FRS/BRZ..the wait got to long and the lack of respect for the N.American market being last in the loop really bothered me....and some of the excessive fanboyism on this forum did to.

So looking at these things....i started looking at the cars weakness's which i wasnt at first.The power is the key thing as matter of fact the only thing to me besides what i mentioned earlier in this post.I feel the n/a boxer was a huge compromise even though i know the intent of it...this motor should have been boosted or been a 6 cylinder.

A ND Miata if it was out right now....would throw a huge curveball in all my plans,the 13 2.0t Rspec is very tempting to me being a boost guy and all takes me back to my Mistubishi Starion days. That leaves the FRS/BRZ and the Mustang...well i must admit i like power so the Mustang is in the lead i just havent figured out if its a base V6 Performance Pack with Recaro's or a base 5.0 Track Pack with Recaro's. The thought of being able to get the V6 with the Performance Pack and the Recaro's for $25k to $26k..is mind boggling i do know that Grabber Blue is calling my name. I love the FRS/BRZ im a former na Miata guy and i own a mint MKIII Supra Turbo so i know the very elements what floats everyones boat about this bad ass ride and it speaks to me on that level very loudly Supra refinement with NA Miata reflexes with a roof...but it just didnt get Supra power but thats ok maybe i will get my wish in a few years.But the 11+ and especially the 13 Mustang has a hold on me like that girl in that Special K commercial...lol Just think the wait for the FRS/BRZ opened the door for this but its ok, im glad it did...

[blu_]

Originally Posted by fatoni

What year mustsng?

2012 GT. Not because it "sucked". Its just way too big for my taste.

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by Tbomb 25

Well i think the biggest downer...is all the cars are not out at the same time well everything is except the FRS/BRZ,and this exotic exclusiveness that Toyobaru is putting on the FRS/BRZ kinda makes it hard to obtain its cool and all but not good for the purchasing consumer. And then the mark ups and waits you will have to deal with will be a huge huge factor perhaps the biggest factor.

I gave in Oct 2011...and bought a Rspec 3.8 and exercised Hyundais 90 day return policy...i liked the car but i didnt love it so i took it back and got ready for the long haul waiting on the FRS/BRZ..the wait got to long and the lack of respect for the N.American market being last in the loop really bothered me....and some of the excessive fanboyism on this forum did to.

So looking at these things....i started looking at the cars weakness's which i wasnt at first.The power is the key thing as matter of fact the only thing to me besides what i mentioned earlier in this post.I feel the n/a boxer was a huge compromise even though i know the intent of it...this motor should have been boosted or been a 6 cylinder.

A ND Miata if it was out right now....would throw a huge curveball in all my plans,the 13 2.0t Rspec is very tempting to me being a boost guy and all takes me back to my Mistubishi Starion days. That leaves the FRS/BRZ and the Mustang...well i must admit i like power so the Mustang is in the lead i just havent figured out if its a base V6 Performance Pack with Recaro's or a base 5.0 Track Pack with Recaro's. The thought of being able to get the V6 with the Performance Pack and the Recaro's for $25k to $26k..is mind boggling i do know that Grabber Blue is calling my name. I love the FRS/BRZ im a former na Miata guy and i own a mint MKIII Supra Turbo so i know the very elements what floats everyones boat about this bad ass ride and it speaks to me on that level very loudly Supra refinement with NA Miata reflexes with a roof...but it just didnt get Supra power but thats ok maybe i will get my wish in a few years.But the 11+ and especially the 13 Mustang has a hold on me like that girl in that Special K commercial...lol Just think the wait for the FRS/BRZ opened the door for this but its ok, im glad it did...

Shame on you as a Mk3 owner!!!

How much power did the 7MGE make? Yeah that's right. This car DOES have Supra power!





Heh...

[Tbomb 25]

Originally Posted by Dimman

Shame on you as a Mk3 owner!!!

How much power did the 7MGE make? Yeah that's right. This car DOES have Supra power!





Heh...

Of course a test drive could cure all that....remember i have Miata blood in me....the driving experiance is still sky high on my list just power has taken a recent jump..problem is i might not get to drive 1 anytime soon...look at how these greedy Socal dealers are being with this $3k leather mark up crap.My 88 mkIII came with 230....hahah....but she has much more...and next year she'll be 25 years old right on time for her classic plates...

[vivix]

Originally Posted by AshWilliams

Motor Trend literally whored themselves out to get themselves a Nissan GT-R press car.

They named the VW Passat the "car of the year" of 2012.

This is another stunning piece of fluff journalism...

Let me paraphase...

"We liked the FR-S, because it's cheap and handles well, but we liked the Subaru with its better interior, which makes it much more expensive, better. It's one of the slowest cars around the track, but for some reason that makes it fast."

"We can't drive these cars at 9/10ths, but our untamed racing driver said the BRZ is more confidence inspiring, so it can be driven faster... but it's still slow."

"We didn't like the Mustang. It has a V6, is American, has a live axle, is heavy, POSTS THE FASTEST TRACK TIMES, ACCELERATES FASTER, TURNS FASTER, STOPS FASTER. It's the best racing car here, despite having a pickup axle. We think the car sucks and doesn't drive well... maybe because we can't drive well... We did everything we could to make it not drive fast, but it kept being the fastest!"

"The Genesis was also stupid fast, but we don't know how to drive fast... so we don't like it either."

"The Volkswagen does everything the best, and this is what you should expect from a car like this, but we don't like it."

"Um, the Miata was good, but it isn't anymore... or something."

This isn't automotive journalism. If they wanted to just say that the FR-S and BRZ are small, light, and fun to drive, and that confers more confidence (subjectively) compared to a V6 Mustang (more due to inexperience, stupidity, or an anti-American bias) then be my guest. But don't include a test track as the core of the test then choose to ignore actual numbers for subjective perceptions.

I love how the Mustang outperformed everything, and even comes in at under 25k with just the performance package, and still comes in 4th. I thought this was a test to find the best performing car under 28k, not the best feeling.