Originally posted by P-51:
I find it pretty amazing that today I can own an "economy car" that bests a Mustang Shelby GT350 in every performance category, handling, braking, acceleration even, while getting 28MPG, driving in air conditioned comfort, listening to my 200 Watt stereo, with a Washing Machine loaded in the back.
That's pretty amazing.
But on the flip side, I'm NOT impressed by MOST of the current "performance cars" being offered.
Most of them are overweight. Period.
Everybody drools over the Mustang Cobra, because it has 390hp. What's it weigh? 3700lbs? 3800? I'd only need 270hp in my Focus to match it. So what's the big deal about the Cobra?
So cars like Cobras, STIs, Z06's... just don't do anything. They're too expensive, and just don't offer as much performance as they'd have you believe.
That's probably what I find so appealing about the idea of building a Locost. It completely bucks the trend. It's cheap, and light, and simple, yet will completely destroy ANYTHING in production.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Alright Rob, brother, now I'm really convinced you need a vacation....come out here we'll autocross, open track, and surf.......who else but you in ONE POST can point out that the good ol' days weren't as good as car fogies remember PLUS say the good days NOW aren't good enough.
Random thoughts-
First of all, I currently cannot name one of my car friends or aquaintances that drools over a Mustang Cobra. but you know that.
Yes, yes, yes, you and I know the cars are overweight.....but safety factors *both real and perceived* are there....and the market does indeed drive the rest of the weight up with features we hate. hate. hate. hate.
But cars capabilities don't lie. I don't even need to bring up GRMs Honda oddysey Mini-van spanking an E-type jag, and Porsche 356 on track.
Additionally, your complaint about car expense is....just.....not fair I guess. We have a "13 second" car available for 20k for god's sake! Outright performance per real dollar is obviously at an all-time low overall and we only need to look at one of the examples listed for the automotive cost/performance renaissance we are in ......the Z06 is currently available for $51k.....surely big money.....but ABSOLUTELY OWNS a ZR1 Corvette that MSRPd around 70k
years ago .......
too expensive and not having the performance "they'd have me believe"????
who's they? wow......I don't know man........again,as an example I've had the pleasure of some hot laps driving a Z06 and can tell you that no one is telling some story about it and its motorsports results speak for themselves..........here is a car that I'm ASTOUNDED is only 50k.....and did I mention is got the same OR better mileage than my Focus on the trip home!!!!!!!
I also thought it interesting that Justin Bell was "blown away" by the Evo total performance. Here's a guy that use Z06's at his school and it certainly not on a Mitsubishi payroll to spew superlatives at us.
So I'm just saying give the OEMs some credit....the cars OVERALL capabilities AND refinement and PURE speed is amazing...and I love the analogy of the Sooby and Evo as the new ponycars- their real,
near new supercar performance speaks for itself now, and embarasses yesterday's examples for relatively low cost
........of course our frame, with a seat, gumballs, and horsepower attached will be fast......we know, love, and will build that.