There's definitely a big difference between a "sports car" and a "performance car" I consider the VT a sports car, and so does Hyundai in many countries except the U.S. (for whatever reason)
What is a Sports Car?
The question of what is and what is not a sports car keeps coming up here. Usually it comes up when I refer to the VT as a sports car but also when I refer to an S5 or M3 as a sports car.
Back in the day a sports car was a small lightweight car that handled well and did not have a lot of power. That included cars like the Triumph Spitfire and the FIAT 124. Then the VW GTI and Honda Civic Si came out and they were the new sports cars. That was followed by the Mazda Miata.
But now sports cars are often considered only to be high performance race cars.
What do you consider to be a sports car today?
Is the VT a sports car?
Back in the day a sports car was a small lightweight car that handled well and did not have a lot of power. That included cars like the Triumph Spitfire and the FIAT 124. Then the VW GTI and Honda Civic Si came out and they were the new sports cars. That was followed by the Mazda Miata.
But now sports cars are often considered only to be high performance race cars.
What do you consider to be a sports car today?
Is the VT a sports car?
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I think the VT defines the current sports car.
I think the term "sports car" is now an anachronism. The term derives from a time where cars were much less common place and were often more task specific. The only current cars that still adhere to the root definition of "sports car" are the MX-5, the Lotuses and many of the super cars. Anything that was not designed with only the utility of sport in mind, not rear leg room or trunk space or any other consideration is not a "sports car".
Our car is "sporty", and I happily call her a "hot hatch", but at her core she is a grocery getter that moves beyond the sum of her parts.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
Our car is "sporty", and I happily call her a "hot hatch", but at her core she is a grocery getter that moves beyond the sum of her parts.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
Perfectly said. For anyone who thinks the VT is a sports car hasn't driven a real sports car. Hop inside a Lotus Exige, Porsche 911 or Cayman, Acura NSX, any Corvette, etc and your mind will change, trust me. True sports cars are focused and lack a certain level of creature comforts. The new ones are more refined but the word "sport" is still at their core.
Like it or not, the VT is a sporty economic hatch back
Like it or not, the VT is a sporty economic hatch back
From Wikipedia:
A sports car (sportscar or sport car) is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for spirited performance and nimble handling.[2] Sports cars may be spartan or luxurious but high maneuverability and minimum weight are requisite
I would consider our VT's as a sporty car also
A sports car (sportscar or sport car) is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for spirited performance and nimble handling.[2] Sports cars may be spartan or luxurious but high maneuverability and minimum weight are requisite
General consensus of a "Sports Car" is a car which seats only 2 personsThe front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout (FF) layout which is the most common in sport compacts and hot hatches, and cars in general, is not generally used for sports cars. This layout is advantageous for small, light, lower power sports cars, as it avoids the extra weight, increased transmission power loss, and packaging problems of a long driveshaft and longitudinal engine of FR vehicles. However, its conservative handling effect, particularly understeer, and the fact that many drivers believe rear wheel drive is a more desirable layout for a sports car count against it. The Fiat Barchetta, Saab Sonett and Berkeley cars are sports cars with this layout.
I would consider our VT's as a sporty car also
Perfectly said. For anyone who thinks the VT is a sports car hasn't driven a real sports car. Hop inside a Lotus Exige, Porsche 911 or Cayman, Acura NSX, any Corvette, etc and your mind will change, trust me. True sports cars are focused and lack a certain level of creature comforts. The new ones are more refined but the word "sport" is still at their core.
Like it or not, the VT is a sporty economic hatch back
I counldn't agree more with you post. I've driven four out five on your list (never even rode in a Vette) and those are sports cars. Our VT is definitely Sporty car but NOT a Sports Car.
If I don't call my girlfriend's Pontiac G6 GXP a sports car (and I don't), then I can't call the Turbo a sports car. It's a spirited car, sporty. I think it's somewhere stuck in between hot and warm hatch. Seeing as there is really nothing like it on the road, it's hard to categorize it.
The Golf GTI and the Honda Civic (?) are not sports cars and never were. I can make a GTI plough into never-ending understeer without trying terribly hard, but if I drive it a certain way I can make it behave. It's a fast but crude front wheel drive hatchback with stiff suspension.
Sports cars are usually two seaters but can have four seats (albeit the rear seats are small), and Lotus, Porsche 911 and so on strike me as sports cars, where the emphasis is on nimble handling which can only be achieved by light weight, good weight distribution and advanced suspension design. Without having driven one, the Toyota B86 and Subaru BRZ have the tradional sports car ingredients of small and light with excellent chassis dynamics. Not so the Veloster turbo which is based on the Accent, but it's aiming for a different place in the world. Budget-priced compared to a Renault Megane RS, Volkswagen Scirocco or Opel OPC: all hot versions of volume production front wheel drive cars with sleek, two-door bodies.
Sports cars are usually two seaters but can have four seats (albeit the rear seats are small), and Lotus, Porsche 911 and so on strike me as sports cars, where the emphasis is on nimble handling which can only be achieved by light weight, good weight distribution and advanced suspension design. Without having driven one, the Toyota B86 and Subaru BRZ have the tradional sports car ingredients of small and light with excellent chassis dynamics. Not so the Veloster turbo which is based on the Accent, but it's aiming for a different place in the world. Budget-priced compared to a Renault Megane RS, Volkswagen Scirocco or Opel OPC: all hot versions of volume production front wheel drive cars with sleek, two-door bodies.
I have driven many different "sports cars" and I would not call the VT one of them. In my opinion a sports car is a 2 door with 2-4 seats and more than at a minimumn 300hp for cars at least 10 years old. Older cars go by the same criterea but with lower Hp.
The VT while is turbo'd I would not consider it a sports car, I believe that it should be called a Sporty sedan/hatch. The M3 is not a sports car either (and yes I have driven them and not too fond of it).
The VT while is turbo'd I would not consider it a sports car, I believe that it should be called a Sporty sedan/hatch. The M3 is not a sports car either (and yes I have driven them and not too fond of it).
i think of sports cars as (IMO) front engine rwd cars that does not have a solid rear beam (lol) that are meant for the track. although i love my VT, i don't consider it a sports car. its great everything else tho.
sports cars example: 240sx, gen coupe, 370z, mitsubishi 3000gt, to name a few.
sports cars example: 240sx, gen coupe, 370z, mitsubishi 3000gt, to name a few.
Curious, in your opinion what's the difference between a sports car and a performance car?i think of sports cars as (IMO) front engine rwd cars that does not have a solid rear beam (lol) that are meant for the track. although i love my VT, i don't consider it a sports car. its great everything else tho.
sports cars example: 240sx, gen coupe, 370z, mitsubishi 3000gt, to name a few.
performance cars would be the likes of gtr, r8, and if you go more up from that, farraris and lambos etc? those cars are MADE for the track and not for daily drives where as the cars i listed above could be very nice daily drivers/occasional track cars
Ferrari's, Lambo's, GT-Rs, Vipers are supercars. Lower production, higher price to play, 500+ hp, and the ability to dust off any of the said "sports cars" with relative ease. Some don't consider the GT-R a supercar but it will wipe the floor with just about anything short of an Aventador (I was driving a track spec Porsche Cayman at 125mph and got passed by a 2013 GT-R like I was in reverse, seriously). I've been in a ton a sports cars and supercars, driven quite a few as well. Not trying to boast, but the category gets separated fairly quickly with experience.
There's sports cars (Corvette, Porsche 911/Cayman, Lotus), supercars (Ferrari 458, R8, GT-R, Gallardo, McLaren), and then there are hypercars (Enzo, Aventador, Bugatti, Pagani, etc).
There's sports cars (Corvette, Porsche 911/Cayman, Lotus), supercars (Ferrari 458, R8, GT-R, Gallardo, McLaren), and then there are hypercars (Enzo, Aventador, Bugatti, Pagani, etc).
And your wife is into cars too?! My girlfriend knows NOTHINGGGG about cars. Consider yourself lucky!
5
Me?And your wife is into cars too?! My girlfriend knows NOTHINGGGG about cars. Consider yourself lucky!
She's learning all about cars and she loves coming to big events with me when I have to shoot them. She's been in some crazy supercars over the past year. 150+ in a Lambo, 140 in a few Porsches with me driving, 135 in a 500hp R33 Skyline. Couple Ferraris, she's been around Sebring International Raceway in a Porsche 997 GT3 WC Cup Car. She loves it! I'm a pretty lucky guy.
And just for fun.....
Driving the VT 6/T
Nice pull with the chic petey! Grats.. But I'm also fortunate to have a very attractive girl who loves cars as well and knows quite a bit.. She had the luxury of sitting next to a modded lambo coming home from work today and she said her car was shaking and she thought something was wrong with her car.. Then she realized when the lambo took off that is was not her car but the lambo rattling the doors off of every car at the intersection lol
Those ferarri 250gto's are clones right?
Those GTO's were the real deal. That's why I drove over 4 hours to Amelia Island for the 2012 Concourse d'Elegance. I had media credentials for the second year in a row. I was the Ferrari 250 GTO reunion last year. There were over 20 GTO's there, from the Series I, Series II and a few 330 GTO's as well shipped in from all over the world for. Each valued at roughly $30 million.Those ferarri 250gto's are clones right?
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