What was a Super car ?
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pauljmcnulty
Active member
Real supercars?
Maclaren F1, Diablo, F50, those stupid American Vector things with 1000bhp and a habit of self-destructing, was the EB110 around then?
Maclaren F1, Diablo, F50, those stupid American Vector things with 1000bhp and a habit of self-destructing, was the EB110 around then?
sportster2l
New member
For me it has to be the LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH, it still looks good today
morris944s2john
New member
Lamborghini Miura was the first supercar.
Alex Postan
New member
Rusty Tossa?
Turbo was classed as a junior supercar in period road tests, was often pitted against 308/328 and the esprit turbo - usually came out well but there is a review which points out you can have an esprit turbo and a golf GTI for the price of a 1990 turbo.
IMHO Supercars have always been more about looks / top speed / looks than handling finesse, and real world performance.
IMHO Supercars have always been more about looks / top speed / looks than handling finesse, and real world performance.
RC18B 911 turbo
New member
I've been reading reviews from back then that said 944 S2/turbo and 968/ Clubsport/Sport 911 Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Bugatti EB110, Mclaren F1, Lotus, Aston Martin etc were all supercars not really sure what they went by to set the standards a as supercar.
Alan Woods
New member
Neil Haughey
New member
Well 1990 I was doing my GCSE's ISTR, around that time but can't remember which year exactly went to the Motor show and everyone was crowding around the Jaguar XJ220. Alfa had the weird looking SZ, Ferrari had the F40 etc. Apart from those cars I remember being chucked of the Rover stand because I found at least 4 squeks rattles and trim problems on a 420 or whatever the piece of junk was called. Says everything about British industry really.
Oh yes and Porsche had the 959 but ISTR they had all the cars on angled plynths behind a barrier which meant you couldn't even look in the cars, so as a kid I wasn't interested in Porsche.
Oh yes and Porsche had the 959 but ISTR they had all the cars on angled plynths behind a barrier which meant you couldn't even look in the cars, so as a kid I wasn't interested in Porsche.
Peter Empson
PCGB Member
I remember that, it was the first motor show I went to, I have some pictures of it somewhere. The main thing I recall was not being able to get anywhere near the XJ220 due to the crowds. The angled Pork display was an odd one too!
morris944s2john
New member
The 944 series is not supercar material, because the cars are far too practical, easy to live with as a day to day car and economical to be supercars.
A true supercar would never return 32mpg on a run
]
A true supercar would never return 32mpg on a run![
]
sawood12
New member
I think the thing that defined supercars was how expensive and extravagant they were. The classic and opitomy of a supercar in my view is the Countach. Visually unbelievable and just as well because by all accounts it was rubbish. Looking back now I think my favourite supercar of that era was the XJ220. Still looks like a beautiful car and would still see off the vast majority of modern day supercars in a straight line. Love the gauges on the door.
Even modern day supercars though far superior in all departments still don't quite have it in my book. They all still have an air that they have been held back - as JC said in one of his TG episodes where he compared supercars of today to supercars of the '80's. You knew that with the Countach/F40/EB110 they went mad and worked with no boundries and no compromises, unlike modern Supercars.
I would never have put a 944 or even a 911 turbo in Supercar territory. I don't think Porsche have ever really done a Supercar. They are far to sensible and logical for that. Even the 959 and Carrera GT are not true supercars in my mind.
Even modern day supercars though far superior in all departments still don't quite have it in my book. They all still have an air that they have been held back - as JC said in one of his TG episodes where he compared supercars of today to supercars of the '80's. You knew that with the Countach/F40/EB110 they went mad and worked with no boundries and no compromises, unlike modern Supercars.
I would never have put a 944 or even a 911 turbo in Supercar territory. I don't think Porsche have ever really done a Supercar. They are far to sensible and logical for that. Even the 959 and Carrera GT are not true supercars in my mind.
Neil Haughey
New member
Agree about the 959, ever looked inside one? It is pretty much standard 911 fare. If you paid that much more then a 911 I think you would want something a bit more special besides the technologically advanced engineering. Carrera GT though is as much a supercar as any of the current crop.
My favourite modern super-sports car is the Bristol Fighter. It doesn't fit any of the cliches though of a super car but I love it because of the attitude of Bristol and the engineering approach of the car. Have a look into this vehicle, if I had my own company making super cars I think the fighter is 90+% of the way towards at least one product I would like to produce, it has none of the moronic gimics you see these days and a properly designed chassis and body.
My favourite modern super-sports car is the Bristol Fighter. It doesn't fit any of the cliches though of a super car but I love it because of the attitude of Bristol and the engineering approach of the car. Have a look into this vehicle, if I had my own company making super cars I think the fighter is 90+% of the way towards at least one product I would like to produce, it has none of the moronic gimics you see these days and a properly designed chassis and body.
pauljmcnulty
Active member
Good choice. I like to think that the 944 owners are a little bit more intelligent, educated and have a small amount of almost perverse "different from the crowd" attitude.
Still never seen one, though.....[&:]
morris944s2john
New member
"Even the 959 and Carrera GT are not true supercars in my mind. "
I agree!
If Porsche had done a road going 917, with 1000 BHP, now that WOULD have been a supercar![][8D][][]
I agree!
If Porsche had done a road going 917, with 1000 BHP, now that WOULD have been a supercar![
][8D][][]
Hilux
New member
A Dauer road going 962 would always be my view of a supercar.
Count Rossi (Martini used to sponsor Porsche as you know) had a 962 made road worthy. That and the many many times I saw them on track meant I have loved them ever since.
Thats why if I could I`d build another true supercar (looks a little like the 962).....an Utima GTR
Count Rossi (Martini used to sponsor Porsche as you know) had a 962 made road worthy. That and the many many times I saw them on track meant I have loved them ever since.
Thats why if I could I`d build another true supercar (looks a little like the 962).....an Utima GTR
morris944s2john
New member
But wasn't the 917 more powerful and faster than the 962. ISTR from the books I have, Porsche brought out the 917 to beat the Ford GT40's (which they did), and the 917 was eventually banned from Le Mans because it was too fast so they changed the rules to ban it.
Neil Haughey
New member
Ummmm Ultima GTR, quite possibly the ultimate track day weapon. I like your thinking, more super performance then supercar, in the sense that a supercar is all about noise, looks, mad interior etc. etc. rather then actual ability.
Just to show off again I would like to add the Venturi 400 LM etc. cars i.e. the road going versions of the Venturi race cars which in reality where not that different to a race car anyways.
Just to show off again I would like to add the Venturi 400 LM etc. cars i.e. the road going versions of the Venturi race cars which in reality where not that different to a race car anyways.
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