[ssrock64]

It seems like Toyota's long-awaited Supra return is going to go the opposite way of Acura's long-awaited NSX return, in that it won't be utterly boring. Good on them for sticking to the brave lines of their concepts from the last few years.

 

[billybob_jcv]

Toyota needs a win after the RC-F disappointment.

 

[Hutnicks]

Toyota needs a win after the RC-F disappointment.

Or the last attempt at the MR2

 

[customcoco]

Toyota needs a win after the RC-F disappointment.

If only it could come in the form of a new LFA...

 

[Shaffer]

Here's my take of fast cars: One day I was behind a Miata on a 2-lane winding country road. I had ~400hp; he had, what, maybe 130. Yet, who was having more fun? I'm not sure it was me.

In a practical sense, if I corner at 7/10, hit it right before the apex and rev-out the motor, my licence is at the risk of being toast. As opposed to the aforementioned MR2 that was very light, quite agile, had just enough power to get out of its own way, and one could rev it to shreds without a similar risk. This isn't to say that I'd trade, but I think that it does raise a valid question.

 

[Hutnicks]

Here's my take of fast cars: One day I was behind a Miata on a 2-lane winding country road. I had ~400hp; he had, what, maybe 130. Yet, who was having more fun? I'm not sure it was me.

In a practical sense, if I corner at 7/10, hit it right before the apex and rev-out the motor, my licence is at the risk of being toast. As opposed to the aforementioned MR2 that was very light, quite agile, had just enough power to get out of its own way, and one could rev it to shreds without a similar risk. This isn't to say that I'd trade, but I think that it does raise a valid question.

Time and place come into play here. The first and second gen MR2 were out before it became en vogue to drop a Group B car onto the street. They offered  then (and still do IMHO) a phenomenal value in a package that was fast enough, offered go kart handling, legendary reliability and was easily moddable if you absolutely positively needed the dreaded moar powah.
 
I set up a deal between two friends for a sale. The seller wound up kicking himself, the buyer wound up buying another one because his wife appropriated "his" car.

 

[customcoco]

Here's my take of fast cars: One day I was behind a Miata on a 2-lane winding country road. I had ~400hp; he had, what, maybe 130. Yet, who was having more fun? I'm not sure it was me.

In a practical sense, if I corner at 7/10, hit it right before the apex and rev-out the motor, my licence is at the risk of being toast. As opposed to the aforementioned MR2 that was very light, quite agile, had just enough power to get out of its own way, and one could rev it to shreds without a similar risk. This isn't to say that I'd trade, but I think that it does raise a valid question.

There is something eminently satisfying about driving a slow car fast.
 
Going flat out on a country road without risking much at all is wonderful.
 
It also challenges the mind much more than in a faster car, because you tend to concentrate more on your fluidity.
 
I used to race a bit in go-karts a while back, and I always remember having had more fun in the slower machines.
 
Sure, a 40hp 2-stroke competition machine has its moment of brilliance, but everything happens so fast.
 
Get off the pit lane, flat out to the hairpin, lock the wheels to warm up the tires, hit the apex while slowly getting back on throttle... Before you know it, your tires are shot and you need to get back to the pits.
 
With the other ones, you could take your time to Savour every single moment. They were also much less physically demanding, so you go on for longer.
 
That's why I love 7's so much. There's no need for much after all. A 7, a nice sunny day and a trip to the beach in Normandy.
 
Chris Harris summed it up nicely in his 2CV video : 
 
 

 

[ssrock64]

People who've been on the thread awhile may remember that I used to work at a shop restoring Shelby Mustangs back when I lived in Wisconsin, and working there made me realize that I'm more of a slow, small roadster guy than a muscle car guy when it comes to driving. It just wasn't any fun to pilot an old Mustang around the back roads, not compared to an MG or a Miata. While there's plenty to be said about a GT350 as a competition machine in its time (and plenty to be said about modern muscle cars in a straight line), it's still much easier to achieve the sensation and the fun of speed in a slower, lighter car.

 

[customcoco]

it's still much easier to achieve the sensation and the fun of speed in a slower, lighter car.

Absolutely.
 
It's also much easier to make a fast car out of a light one.
 
I've had the chance to drive a Caterham R500 on a track once.
 
The track was empty apart from me and the typical obnoxious Ferrari owner. He had a bright yellow F430 Scuderia, a loud one.
 
Needless to say, he was lapped in 10 minutes by (me) a teenager who spent the entire morning trembling in anticipation of driving a fast car that wasn't his own.
 
You should have seen his face when he came back to his 25 years young trophy wife...

 

[billybob_jcv]

Somehow, I suspect that going home in the Fezza with the trophy wife eased his pain...

 

[billybob_jcv]

This has absolutely nothing to do with either cars or headphones, but... What???


[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q69AZTJtLIU[/VIDEO]


Apparently - in this Polish sport, several teams of armored men get in an arena and go at each other with full-contact tourney (dull) steel weapons. This is fun??

 

[Shaffer]

You should have seen his face when he came back to his 25 years young trophy wife...

[blushing] No comment [/blushing]

 

[Shaffer]

Time and place come into play here. The first and second gen MR2 were out before it became en vogue to drop a Group B car onto the street. [...]

That's essential what I run on the street during the warmer months, a modern equivalent of a Group-B car, or Group-N as the case may be. Very conservatively tuned, setup for corners. It's an adrenalin pump that urges one to go faster and faster. Doing 35MPH takes quite a bit of concentration. One look away from the road, and we're in the next lane. I do love it, I won't lie, but there's a serious chance of a Miata appearing in the garage.

[Come to think of it, I need to change all fluids including the diffs. Good times.]

Edit: After re-reading the post, I just realized that in 30+ years I've never owned a car with traction control, an automatic trans - sans our minivan - or a machine capable of achieving anything even close to 30MPG. The Miata should at least change the latter.

 

[gikigill]

It's not just the Ferrari which has aftermarket parts I suppose.

 

[Shaffer]

It's not just the Ferrari which has aftermarket parts I suppose.

LOL!!

The truth is, every woman half my age that I'd met had no idea what I drove, but was able to point it out immediately, as it was parked. Not sure if that's good or bad.