Is there a need for performance cars on the road?

LiE

LiE

LiE

Caporegime
Joined
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I understand the appeal of a performance car, but I feel they are a bit lost on today's roads. I think there's definitely a sweet spot for performance that can be utilized on the road, which makes driving more fun and safe.

Where do you think the sweet spot is? and do you think most performance cars are restricted so much on the road there advantages become redundant.
 
I can only give my view on FWD cars, but I would say that 250bhp is the limit. Whether my car is not set up properly to give me confidence to push it to it's limits I don't know. But I still feel I have never come close to it's full potential.

However, that main benefit to a performance car in my view, is the ability to overtake with ease. I don't think you can put a sweet spot on this, as the quicker you can get past and out of situations the better...
 
IMO Yes.
And a lot of it depends where you live too.

I assume you are asking " What is the best all round performance car for uk roads"
To which i would probably say something like a EVO X.
If you dont care about fuel.
 
rossk26 said:
However, that main benefit to a performance car in my view, is the ability to overtake with ease. I don't think you can put a sweet spot on this, as the quicker you can get past and out of situations the better...
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This bit is oh so true.
Brakes too.
MASSIVE Brakes.

And not being a cheapo tyre idiot.
 
Bikes are the same. My current superbike is @ 10 years old yet the performance it has the potential to offer on the road should I choose to use it is quite simply, staggering.

However, the useable performance of any rapid car/bike on the road needs to be commiserate with the ability of the driver. That's a given.
 
I personally feel that unless you like speeding (getting over legal speed is too easy in these cars) the car performance isn't needed.
I think James May touched on this topic abit when he drove the Panda.
 
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Need? No.

Desire? Yes.

As for being able to use it, depends where you are. I love to take the car out for a drive sometimes, but this corner of the country is crowded. Even late in the evening, I cant seem to go out without getting caught behind some MPV sticking religiously to 29MPH. The rural roads have less traffic, but a lot of them are in such a poor state of repair, you spend more time worrying about potholes than driving for the enjoyment.

Perhaps I should move to Wales :(
 
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Interesting thread. To be honest I am surprised there hasn't been legislation towards restricting cars. It will be a very sorry day if it does ever happen, however I have not read a single thing that suggests it is even being asked for.

The only danger I see in the future is if and when they fit GPS equipment into cars for pay per mile taxation. I think that could quickly be perverted into monitoring average speeds and driving styles. That could certainly change driving as we know it.
 
As the same journeys take longer due to increases in traffic levels, average speeds will come down regardless of what car you drive or your driving style.

My commute started off as 25 minutes ~6 years ago and now takes 45 minutes.
 
Of course there is place.

However I have come to the realisation that having an uber performance car just for me to go to work and back and occasional drives is pointless.
 
NathWraith said:
Of course there is place.

However I have come to the realisation that having an uber performance car just for me to go to work and back and occasional drives is pointless.
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I bet you wouldn't be saying that had you not had those 2 mishaps.

I think there is a limit to how much power should be on the roads. I find the 215bhp in my ATR more than enough. People with lol400bhp is overkill. Where can they actually use that power? Unless it's on a track, or very very long road.

Breaking the limit is easy on performance cars.

Crica 200bhp is enough imo.
 
Vita said:
I bet you wouldn't be saying that had you not had those 2 mishaps.

I think there is a limit to how much power should be on the roads. I find the 215bhp in my ATR more than enough. People with lol400bhp is overkill. Where can they actually use that power? Unless it's on a track, or very very long road.

Breaking the limit is easy on performance cars.

Crica 200bhp is enough imo.
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Accident has nothing to do with it.

I regularly thought when I had my Supra, "this is costing £100 plus a week just to get to work and I just sit in traffic why?" It is all fun and games when you enjoy your car but I get bored very easily and when you are shelling £100 a week out into something you are bored of, it gets tedious.

My Ibiza Cupra and 350Z I would place firmly in the same category.

The CRZ is fine for me, fast enough, handles well and doesn't cost me loads to fuel. Yeah you won't win any traffic light GPs but I think for the most part I've got that out of me lol.

Saying that I'm still taking the bad boy on track this sunday :D
 
NathWraith said:
Accident has nothing to do with it.

I regularly thought when I had my Supra, "this is costing £100 plus a week just to get to work and I just sit in traffic why?" It is all fun and games when you enjoy your car but I get bored very easily and when you are shelling £100 a week out into something you are bored of, it gets tedious.
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I have to admit the same. I actually enjoyed my Yaris Ts more then any of the other 2 cars I've owned. It wasn't the fastest of things on the road but the MPG/Fun factor really gave me the thrills I needed.

NathWraith said:
My Ibiza Cupra and 350Z I would place firmly in the same category.

The CRZ is fine for me, fast enough, handles well and doesn't cost me loads to fuel. Yeah you won't win any traffic light GPs but I think for the most part I've got that out of me lol.

Saying that I'm still taking the bad boy on track this sunday :D
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Wheels+suspension mods on your CRZ = Beast. :cool:


I'm at the moment where my ATR is ill and I need to spend a few £100 to sort it. Nothing major but it's not being driven at the moment. For a A to B car it's not a bad car at all, it gives me the thrill of speed. I am like you in the sense I get bored very quickly and I do need something I can have great fun with. I think it does tick the boxes but with being a 13 year old car I can sense bills will be coming my time soon if I don't look after it and treat it like a pure whore.
 
My mx5 seems to have the right balance of power and handling for the road now. Must be around 200bhp/ton I would have thought.
 
I dont want or need over 200BHP which is the main reason I didnt go for an MPS

Next time around I'll probably go with less power seeing as though these days the options are one extreme to the other
 
Brought an ST last year, thought i would love it, ticked all my requirement boxes. Sold it three weeks ago after spending most of my time stuck in traffic, doing the same boring journey, burning twice as much fuel to travel at the same speed as everyone else, avoiding pot holes and overly large bumps in the road, and parking like a derranged so an so to avoid any kind of carpark ding.

The car was great, the ability to use that greatness was rubbish!

A reasonable amount of power is great but i think that anything more then 250 is a waste especially through a front wheel drive.
 
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