top 10 sport cars for gas mileage
06-05-2006, 09:37 PM
#51
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Originally Posted by CERAMICSEAL
I guess that's my point: A true sportscar isn't one because of numbers. It's like saying Britney Spears is a great Rock musician (She sure packs the 'numbers' into a stadium). Where's the rock? I think all words and language are becoming meaningless in this world.
06-05-2006, 10:00 PM
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Long ago I had heard that Japan didn't allow the sale of two-seater cars in the country, so all the cars they wanted to sell there had to have back seats, no matter how rediculously unusable they were. If that is still true it might account for trying to engineer a more usable layout for the car; to make a comfortable four-seater that really handles well to sell to their own sports-car crowd as well as everyone else.
By the way, insurance for my "8" is less than $500 a year with only a $100 deductible. One of the few benefits of being in an older age-bracket than some of you.
By the way, insurance for my "8" is less than $500 a year with only a $100 deductible. One of the few benefits of being in an older age-bracket than some of you.
06-05-2006, 10:04 PM
#54
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Originally Posted by darklingq
Long ago I had heard that Japan didn't allow the sale of two-seater cars in the country, so all the cars they wanted to sell there had to have back seats, no matter how rediculously unusable they were. If that is still true it might account for trying to engineer a more usable layout for the car; to make a comfortable four-seater that really handles well to sell to their own sports-car crowd as well as everyone else.
By the way, insurance for my "8" is less than $500 a year with only a $100 deductible. One of the few benefits of being in an older age-bracket than some of you.
By the way, insurance for my "8" is less than $500 a year with only a $100 deductible. One of the few benefits of being in an older age-bracket than some of you.
06-05-2006, 10:15 PM
#55
Bummed, but bring on OU!
Originally Posted by yiksing
Since Honda stuff a K20A in an FWD Integra and kicked the 8's *** on the straight and corners.
Kickass fwd coupe maybe, but no sports car.
06-05-2006, 10:37 PM
#56
Since when did insurance companies become the authority on sports cars. If you take a sports car in its most concentrated form and work down, you end of with something entirely different at the bottom of the pile. The cars at the botom are compromised sports cars because they either add space (weight), or fuel effeciency (power reduction) to appeal to the masses. IMO, a sports car maximizes power and agility without giving up anything in between.
06-06-2006, 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by CERAMICSEAL
I guess that's my point: A true sportscar isn't one because of numbers. It's like saying Britney Spears is a great Rock musician (She sure packs the 'numbers' into a stadium). Where's the rock? I think all words and language are becoming meaningless in this world.
Why is a sports car a sports car?
What's the definition of a sports car?
06-06-2006, 10:37 AM
#58
Originally Posted by hedgecore
Good point, but it begs the questions:
Why is a sports car a sports car?
What's the definition of a sports car?
Why is a sports car a sports car?
What's the definition of a sports car?
A sports car is a type of automobile designed for sporting performance.
While opinions differ as to the exact definition, most sports cars have two seats and two doors, and are designed to provide excellent acceleration, top speed, and good looks.
When it comes to actual Sports car racing and the needs for braking, maneuverability, low weight, reliability etc., the philosophies differ. While some brands like Porsche always have built cars that are raced, others like Lamborghini never were intended nor suitable for competitions. Most current so-called sports cars have to be considered luxury cars, with many options and high weight, as few customers are willing to sacrifice comfort or noise deafening.
Great emphasis is often placed on handling—the ability of the driver to remain in control of the car under challenging conditions such as when the car's tires begin to lose their grip on corners.
A car may be sporting without being a sports car. Performance modifications of regular cars, such as muscle cars, hot hatches and the like do not generally fall in the pure sports car territory.
A large, powerful engine is not required; many of the early British sports cars lacked a powerful engine and did not accelerate as quickly as, say, muscle cars, but were known for having exceptional handling characteristics due to their combination of light weight, carefully engineered/balanced chassis and innovative suspension designs. Lotus is often cited as an example of this approach. On tight, twisting roads, such a car has higher effective performance than a heavier, more powerful car with less cornering ability.
In many situations, the term "sports car" is used to refer to any car with more power or performance than is typical for cars in general. Often vehicles in the muscle car, performance sedan/saloon or grand tourer (GT) category are referred to as sports cars even though they tend to lack the light weight and excellent handling characteristics of a true sports car.
While opinions differ as to the exact definition, most sports cars have two seats and two doors, and are designed to provide excellent acceleration, top speed, and good looks.
When it comes to actual Sports car racing and the needs for braking, maneuverability, low weight, reliability etc., the philosophies differ. While some brands like Porsche always have built cars that are raced, others like Lamborghini never were intended nor suitable for competitions. Most current so-called sports cars have to be considered luxury cars, with many options and high weight, as few customers are willing to sacrifice comfort or noise deafening.
Great emphasis is often placed on handling—the ability of the driver to remain in control of the car under challenging conditions such as when the car's tires begin to lose their grip on corners.
A car may be sporting without being a sports car. Performance modifications of regular cars, such as muscle cars, hot hatches and the like do not generally fall in the pure sports car territory.
A large, powerful engine is not required; many of the early British sports cars lacked a powerful engine and did not accelerate as quickly as, say, muscle cars, but were known for having exceptional handling characteristics due to their combination of light weight, carefully engineered/balanced chassis and innovative suspension designs. Lotus is often cited as an example of this approach. On tight, twisting roads, such a car has higher effective performance than a heavier, more powerful car with less cornering ability.
In many situations, the term "sports car" is used to refer to any car with more power or performance than is typical for cars in general. Often vehicles in the muscle car, performance sedan/saloon or grand tourer (GT) category are referred to as sports cars even though they tend to lack the light weight and excellent handling characteristics of a true sports car.
Last edited by mysql101; 06-06-2006 at 10:39 AM.
06-06-2006, 10:45 AM
#60
Most major manufacturers have a sports car that serves as the 'flagship' image car of the company. For example,
* Chevrolet Corvette
* Dodge Viper
* Ford GT
* Honda NSX
* Mazda RX-7, RX-8
* Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
* Nissan Skyline GT-R, Z-car
* Renault Sport Clio V6
* Subaru Impreza WRX STi
* Toyota Supra
* Chevrolet Corvette
* Dodge Viper
* Ford GT
* Honda NSX
* Mazda RX-7, RX-8
* Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
* Nissan Skyline GT-R, Z-car
* Renault Sport Clio V6
* Subaru Impreza WRX STi
* Toyota Supra
06-07-2006, 07:42 AM
#61
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That venn diagram just cracks me up! Pontiac front and center in the performance category, and Bugatti and Lamboughini not listed under performace (err... ever heard of the veyron?). I think whoever made that is a moron (no offence if it was you, mysql101).
Back to the original thread on mileage, I believe the smart cars have been heavily modded foor performance, and still get good mileage (40+). They handle like jello though. I think the winner hands down would be the NA miata... often gets 30+ in the city on regular gasoline, even more on the highway. The later models are more "sporty" (faster, better handling) but the mileage suffers.
Back to the original thread on mileage, I believe the smart cars have been heavily modded foor performance, and still get good mileage (40+). They handle like jello though. I think the winner hands down would be the NA miata... often gets 30+ in the city on regular gasoline, even more on the highway. The later models are more "sporty" (faster, better handling) but the mileage suffers.
06-07-2006, 07:48 AM
#62
Originally Posted by ALP22
That venn diagram just cracks me up! Pontiac front and center in the performance category, and Bugatti and Lamboughini not listed under performace (err... ever heard of the veyron?). I think whoever made that is a moron (no offence if it was you, mysql101).
Though I think they were trying to rate the companies in general terms of focus and direction, not individual cars within the company.
06-07-2006, 10:01 AM
#64
I think most agree there should be a more universal way to classify sports cars more in line with a Linnaean style taxonomy. It would alleviate much confusion and allow the consumer to make more informed choices. All car companies would have to adopt the same system along with insurance companies.
06-07-2006, 12:15 PM
#65
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Originally Posted by ALP22
That venn diagram just cracks me up! Pontiac front and center in the performance category, and Bugatti and Lamboughini not listed under performace (err... ever heard of the veyron?). I think whoever made that is a moron (no offence if it was you, mysql101).
06-07-2006, 05:30 PM
#66
The insurance rates would not match either. I have no idea how the author comprised the list other than his/her own personal opinion. A mathmatical formula should be written for car/ insurance companies to better group cars. I'm sure there is one out there somewhere.
06-08-2006, 07:04 AM
#67
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From their Web site at http://www.iihs.org/
INJURY, COLLISION, & THEFT LOSSES
by make and model, 2002-2004 models
Results for 371 passenger vehicles by body style and size: http://www.iihs.org/brochures/ictl/ictl.html
--> Note that 1) the RX-8 is listed as a sports car, and 2) collision costs for the RX-8 are "substantially worse than average."
Vehicles Equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
About half of the fatal passenger vehicle crashes that occur each year involve a single vehicle. Equipping vehicles with ESC can reduce the risk of involvement in these crashes by more than 50 percent. http://www.iihs.org/ratings/esc/esc.aspx
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the losses — deaths, injuries, and property damage — from crashes on the nation's highways.
The Highway Loss Data Institute's mission is to compute and publish insurance loss results by make and model. Both organizations are wholly supported by auto insurers.
The Highway Loss Data Institute's mission is to compute and publish insurance loss results by make and model. Both organizations are wholly supported by auto insurers.
by make and model, 2002-2004 models
Results for 371 passenger vehicles by body style and size: http://www.iihs.org/brochures/ictl/ictl.html
--> Note that 1) the RX-8 is listed as a sports car, and 2) collision costs for the RX-8 are "substantially worse than average."
Vehicles Equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
About half of the fatal passenger vehicle crashes that occur each year involve a single vehicle. Equipping vehicles with ESC can reduce the risk of involvement in these crashes by more than 50 percent. http://www.iihs.org/ratings/esc/esc.aspx
06-09-2006, 11:44 AM
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I agree completely - doesn't this look like a sports car to you guys? 
Originally Posted by Chrisbert
The MX5 (Miata) seems to me like a true "Sports Car". I tend to think of the term in the old British roadsters.
06-10-2006, 10:44 AM
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RX-8 in the same grouping as Dodges and Saturns?????
Some of the 'everyday', take Dad to work Take the kids to school cars yes... I can see that -
But no way, no how, can you put a Saturn side by side with an 8.... The very thought makes me want to go out and wax my car!
Some of the 'everyday', take Dad to work Take the kids to school cars yes... I can see that -
But no way, no how, can you put a Saturn side by side with an 8.... The very thought makes me want to go out and wax my car!
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