What do you class as a performance car?

[Steve]

Not wanting to derail the RS crash thread I would start another as it got me thinking and thought it would be a good discussion


Probably get flamed and don't get me wrong I do like the RS a lot coming from the old Excort RS days but it doesn't sit well with me refering to them as a performance car, they are a (very) hot hatch

Not sure where I would draw the line and start putting cars into the "performance" class to be honest? I don't think any FWD car could ever be a "performance" car in my book. Maybe a car that is made to be the best performing vehical as its key value with only slight consession to cost may be a factor?

For example (list not exclusive and just as an idea)

Performance cars would be

M series BMWs
AMG Mercs
Scoobys (STIs etc not the non turbos )
Evos
Porsche 911 (maybe not boxter)
Tuned Jap cars Skyline, RX7s etc
RS4
NSX

everyday "sports cars"
Focus RS / ST
FTO
ASTRA VRX
Mondey ST220
MX5
TYPE Rs
S4

The exotic things like ferraris' Lambos and high end porkers would fall under supercars obviously.

That just me or anyone else thought this or have a good definition of what they feel makes a true performance car? as it is very subjective.

Steve

 

[Steve]

it is a broad term but my only personnel requisit would be RWD or AWD, FWD cannot put the power down at the high levels that iwould class a performance car to have

0-60 times would need to be sub 6 secs but I come from motorbikes so most performance cars seem slow

 

[Steve]

Now that is wrong, my car has no problem laying down 225bhp at the front at the moment, and the mapped one I drove at the dealership had no problem laying down 260~bhp.

Most discussions I have seen from enthusiasts and manufactures agree that 250bhp at the front wheels is really the max

I have been in a seriously well moded 280bhp Civic TypeR and it Torque steered all over the place, fast but it couldn't hack the power.

Not wishing to turn this into a FWD v debate but there is a reason why "performance" (that word again) cars are all AWD or RWD and not FWD, and I am sure 99% of people who drive them would never go back to FWD unless deliberatly going back to a normal car.

Not being funny but have you owned anything other than FWD? (this REALLY is not having a dig just intrested in where you are drawing your opinions )

Steve

 

[Steve]

I don't care what you guys eventually decide performance is just make sure I can legitimately go around saying 'yea, I now have a performance car' when I change cars, becuase it sounds cool.

Thanks

Make sure you get an M5 and you can refer to it however you want and we will all agree

 

[Steve]

I would say that as a whole, RWD is my favourite powertrain of choice, however for ease of driving FWD still has them licked.

Would agree with that, not being able to mindlessly boot it on a wet corner (or dry one for that matter) can be a pain, especially when that FWD 172 is giving you grief

e36 320 poor you my mate had one and I borrowed it for a while, nice e36 handling but dire power for the lardy weight!

out of those listed only the GTO would get my nod for a performance car tag

The others lack power and no oil burner (however good) will ever get the P word, how could I forget that requisite

 

[Steve]

Are you taking the mick, no way can a lowly student run an M5

The M5 is staying in my dreams for a few years, I will have to make do with a pretend M5 until then

can get an e39 for sub 20k now

 

[Steve]

now your just adding catagories to confuse me further

 

[Steve]

whore yourself

a cheecky 10k sourced from a 0% credit card

low interest bankloan

Where there is a will.....



Do it, you know you want to

 

[Steve]

Mabye power to weight ratio is a better measure of performance - weight is the enemy of acceleration/direction changes/braking after all.

I was also starting to think along those lines as well as grunt is not enough on its own

I really don't have a definitive answer in my head I am formulating as I go along using everyones thoughts, so don't think I am having a pop at FWD or anything like that.

 

[Steve]

I still think its way more simple than this.

If a car has performance, its a performance car.

A Leon Cupra R has performance. It is, thus, a performance car.

But is it not relative as all cars have better performance next to a lesser machine. My misses Mini Cooper (new one) is beter performance than her old KA but is hardly a performance car

Maybe we need to change Performance to High Performance

As everything that performs a function is performing something and has a degree of performance.

It needs to be measured against something to have meaning

 

[Steve]

Lol, I hope that's not how you've financed your new M3

When the moo bag at the bank was trying to get me to take out there payment protection (adds 8k to the loan!!!!) and after three attempts at applying for it (they kept messing it up die to admin errors) I said

"Look, I go to the gym 6 times a week I have a fit body, I live in Brighton so I am damn sure I could rent myself to men and more than cover these loan payments!!!"

That shut her up

 

[Steve]

what a bout sub 3s like twin blackbird engined caterhams

Mega ultra high performance?



righ I'm off to bed as my brain is geting annoyed with my fingers addiction to this keyboard

 

[Steve]

Been in a FWD thats seen off a fair few M3s....

bah you know that the lardy godess that is the M3 cannot be beaten by any conventional automobile

Its something to do with he fundimental physics equastion M3>*

anyway I was off to bedskii as I may have another dispointing day of M3 deprevation to endure and I need my energy for that