OK, I want to know what cars we can call 'sports cars'.

My wondering started when I suggested the E36 BMW M3 (the one thats now replaced) was not a sports car, just a saloon with a big engine (and nicely tweaked suspension etc). Only partly because its based on a humble saloon, but mainly because its a cruiser really, especially relative to, say, a Porsche Boxster, Lotus Elise, Toyota MR2 etc.

Sure, it handles and may even have won awards for its handling.. but only as 'A saloon which handles like a sports car' not as 'A sports car'

I suggested a Porsche 968, however, /is/ an out-and-out sports car.


What do you think?


P.S. I'm gonna ignore the fact that many European magazines thought the E36 M3 was not that great handling, and it was generally a dissapointment compared to the original M3.

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

The Fiero? For a while I thought it was some kind of Outdoorsman kind of vehicle...
...but I think that was mostly because I saw one drive down I-696 with a bonfire directly behind the driver.

When you say "sportscar", can I assume you mean regular production vehicles vs. specialty builds like the CLK GTR?

Have a fast day!

-Larry

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

The MGB is fairly sporty, if you can keep it running . An MGC would be a little more sporty.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

the E36 M3 is a little toned down, but the E30 M3 is an absolute sports car by it's very definition. It's raw and agressive, what a sports car should be. I also think that the M coupe is a sports car, but an ugly one at that. The styling is very off in my opinion, but if you've ever been to an autocross, they tear up the track. I think that Porsche's entire line up is sports cars (with the exception of the cayenne), the best being the 959 (I've seen one in person only once). The only Mercedes that fit the sports car category are the C32, and some SL's (not the 107's).

We used to call them, along with Fiat X1/9's . . . hibachis!

As for the definition of "sport cars" my brothers and I used to agree that anything with a fixed roof, more than two doors, and a trunk that held more than an attache case was really just a sedan. The other rule we had is that you had to have a love/hate releationship with it. That would explain the addiction we had to those incredibly fustrating English roadsters.

I have an MGB and I guess I would consider it a sports car. It really has no useful purpose other than sporty "fun" driving.

I also have that BMW. Is that a sports car? I don't know, it's all relative I guess. It depends on how many different catagories there are. Economy car, luxury sedan, mid-size sedan, sports sedan, sports coupe, touring convertible, roadster, sport-compact, sports car. If you employ all of those different catagories (and there are probably more), then there are only a few that I guess would be called "sports cars." The BMW would fit somewhere else. Semantics.

Alex

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1983 300D (parked for four years)
2012 VW Sportwagen TDI Manual
2001 Miata SE
1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside

I'd say all Aston Martins are true sports cars (Lagondas included).

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired

i think there is a crucial distinction between a sports saloon and a sports car. The E36 M3 undoubtedly falls into the former category. A sports car is a car whose primary objective, function, purpose (however you like) is sporting. In a sports car merely getting from A to B is subjugated to pure driving pleasure (on the public road) and competition ability (on the track).

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

There are as many definitions as there are people. Mine is:

Light: 3000lbs is NOT a sports car. Porsche's models are GT cars, not sports cars.

Manny tranny: Auto-boxes are nice for all kinds of performance cars, but not MY definition of a "sports" car.

Convertible: All coupes are GT cars. Sports cars have the ability to wreck your hair.

Happy engine: Many good sports cars don't have tons of power, but their engines are pleased to be in the bay. If you have an unhappy engine, the fun is gone, and your car is just a boat-anchor, not a sports car. Fiero falls into this category, and it has a roof too.

Spirit: You'll have to figure this one out on your own. Cars talk to me. Sports cars tell me stories about the fun we could have on sunny days.

My personal faves? The TR6 and Miata.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

so... a ferrari enzo (automatic paddle shifting), lamborghini murcielago (3638 lbs) or a McLaren F1 (coupe) are not sports cars?

and KIT from night rider is a sports car??

That's right. They are high performance automobiles, grand touring racing cars etc, but not sports cars using MY definition.

KITT had two T's.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

The Lotus Elise, that's a sports car! The 1973 Porsche Carrera RS weighing in at under 2000lbs is definitely a sports car but the rest are detunded GT cars. Well maybe not the 934/35. Even then I don't think they weighed more than 2400 lbs Turbo plumbing and all.

There are hardly any modern day cars which I would lump into the category of sports car. No true sports car has an eight speaker stereo, automatic climate control.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

What about the 996 GT2? the 959? 550? GT3? And don't forget the tuners... the ruf R-turbo, ruf CTR 2, etc.

ok guys... I'm wrong... the RUF CTR2 is not a sports car... it's really an old person's car. Not fast at all. top speed is up at 217, but it's great to go to the store and back