What makes a car a super car?

Freefaller · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:22

It has to cost a lot to run and maintain too... there's no point in it being easy on the wallet once you've bought it

Enfield · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:22

The_Dark_Side said:
in the 60's/70's when cars of this type first appeared the definition was clear cut.
0-60 in less than 6 seconds and a top speed of 150MPH and upwards.

nowadays as engineering has advanced there are a gazillion cars that are capable of this and more so the goalposts have moved on.
i believe that now we need to include numbers produced ie exclusivity and the sticker price.

so for sake of argument i'll start the ball rolling and let's see if any of the other members can correct/re-define my figures for "what it takes" to be a supercar:-

0-60=sub 4.5 seconds.
top speed=185+MPH.
price=at least £100-150k
exclusivity=if they make more than a handful a week then your not allowed into our club.

any improvements on the above?

You can get Aston Martins for that price with that spec not to mention the BMW M5 and M6 - I wouldn't call them super cars either.

Nozzer · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:30

lukechad said:
I wonder what people would define the Lotus Elise though.

Hee hee, a lump of fibreglass and aluminium is not a supercar

.

Fusion said:
Counts the Ferrari F40 out then!

I'd call a twin-turbo'd three and a half litre engine 'big'...

The_Dark_Side · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:31

Enfield said:
You can get Aston Martins for that price with that spec not to mention the BMW M5 and M6 - I wouldn't call them super cars either.

the M5/6 costs as much as 150 thousand?

The_Dark_Side · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:32

Nozzer said:
I'd call a twin-turbo'd three and a half litre engine 'big'...

so would i, shame the '40 doesn't have one.

Freefaller · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:35

The_Dark_Side said:
so would i, shame the '40 doesn't have one.

It's 3L, but it's still a "big" engine in my eyes.

The_Dark_Side · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:35

Freefaller said:
It's 3L, but it's still a "big" engine in my eyes.

same here, smaller than 3.5 litre though which was the point i was addressing

ElRazur · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:37

Freefaller said:
It's 3L, but it's still a "big" engine in my eyes.

You know that's my thinking of a super car anything Sporty with 3liter and turbo attached to it. With this kind of set up, you can venture into realm of speed acheived my more expensive car. Hence i see a supra as a super car other than a sports car. Having said that, maybe i am wrong.

Enfield · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:38

The_Dark_Side said:
the M5/6 costs as much as 150 thousand?

Nah, but they match the specs

Nozzer · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:38

The_Dark_Side said:
so would i, shame the '40 doesn't have one.

Where's the "smiley face in a paper bag" simley when you need one?

But yes, 3L is still plenty big enough.

The_Dark_Side · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:38

Enfield said:
You can get Aston Martins for that price with that spec.

which Aston(s) did you have in mind incidentally?

The_Dark_Side · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:40

Nozzer said:
Where's the "smiley face in a paper bag" simley when you need one?

But yes, 3L is still plenty big enough.

well technically using the motorsport co-efficient of 1.7, the F40 has an engine size of 5.1 litres so we were both wrong

geiger · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:40

The 10 second to 100mph is the easiest definition

Fusion · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:41

geiger said:
The 10 second to 100mph is the easiest definition

A few of the more manic Caterhams are probably capable of that though.

Enfield · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:41

The_Dark_Side said:
which Aston(s) did you have in mind incidentally?

The DB9, was on top gear a while back though I might be mistaken about the price but i'm sure it was over 100 grand.

chrisd · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:42

I'd stipulate a pricetag in excess of £150-200,000, 0-60 in sub 4 seconds and a top speed of 200mph.

I wouldn't, for example, class porsches, with the exception of the cgt, as supercars.

The_Dark_Side · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:42

Enfield said:
Nah, but they match the specs

no they don't,try reading my post again.

The_Dark_Side said:
i believe that now we need to include numbers produced ie exclusivity and the sticker price.

The_Dark_Side said:
price=at least £100-150k
exclusivity=if they make more than a handful a week then your not allowed into our club.

The_Dark_Side · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:44

Enfield said:
The DB9, was on top gear a while back though I might be mistaken about the price but i'm sure it was over 100 grand.

0-60 in 4.7, so no it doesn't qualify

geiger · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:45

Fusion said:
A few of the more manic Caterhams are probably capable of that though.

That Caterham with 250bhp and weighs half a ton has got supercar performance anyway, I guess its not really a supercar but I bet it feels like one on the track

Enfield · 26 Mar 2006 at 13:46

Aston Martin’s hand-built 6.0-litre V12 is renowned as one of the finest engines in the world: enormously powerful, smooth and beautiful. It can also lay claim to being the world’s best-sounding high performance car engine. In the Vanquish S, it reaches its zenith. Maximum power is 520 bhp (388 kW) at 7000 rpm, with maximum torque of 425 lb ft (577 Nm) at 5800 rpm.

Such power delivers sterling performance. Indeed, this is the fastest-ever road going Aston Martin. Top speed is more than 200 mph (321 km/h), the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) dash is accomplished in only 4.8 seconds while 0-100 mph (160 km/h) takes just 9.8 seconds. But it is the mid-range acceleration that is truly sensational; 50-70 mph (80-112 km/h) takes only 6.5 seconds in sixth gear. Overtaking is effortless.

OK maybe that one is a super car

Vanquish S V12