R I C H

BTW, given this stance and as you're not using the silhouette of the car as any sort of definition of a sports car, how do you differentiate between say a WRX, BMW 330, Honda S200, Nissan 350z and a Lotus Elise? They're all very different in terms of purpose and practicality, yet all have very similar power to weight ratios. Surely they're not all sports cars, or does anything that's 'sporty' count, and what defines 'sporty'?

I'm curious as to how you reach a conclusion about what is/n't a sports car, or is some of the decision subjective and based on things like a spoiler or low profile tires?

vaughant

As Adrian said,it's our interpretation of a modern sports car,regardless of what the manufacturers may say,after all,did Volkswagen originally Market the golf gti as a "hot hatch"?I believe the press gave it that monicker,which vw certainly capitalized on later in life.

After all,if it's not about sports performance on some of the modern cars I've mentioned (especially evo's,subaru imprezas etc) then why bother to make lightweight versions of them?for economy perhaps?or was it to go faster?i think you can do the "math" on that one.

Fair play,by the dictionary definition they are not sports cars and I do apologise,I'll make sure I lose 5 mins sleep tonight


A good one I missed which is certainly a modern sports car would be the Honda s 2000,big enough motor,2 seater,rwd,cabriolet pretty much ticks all the box.then there's the mgf,but if you drive one of those you must have shares in k seal and the rac as you'll be phoning them quite often!!!

Tvr's a good one alas no longer with us.

Right,must write of to jaguar to tell them that the e type is no longer a sports car,better write to Aston martin about the db5 as well!!!!

R I C H

Not sure what point you're trying to make, they just marketed it as a hatchback, so no relevance to a sports car.

Additional performance, reducing weight etc doesn't transform a car into a new category - it just makes it handle better/go faster etc. A fast car isn't necessarily a sports car, otherwise you need to include vehicles like a BMW 7 series, or and AMG M-class.

DB5 = GT
E-Type drophead = sports car. Fixed head = GT

You'll get the hang of it soon

Adrian Harison

Not really into spoiler or low profile tires

Things that define it for me are precise handling, good acacceleration and braking , dont care for max mph ,and i think that it can come in all sorts of shapes

Adrian

Atlantic Xpat

Precise handling and good acacceleration (sic) are likely to be traits that you'll struggle to find in North American vehicles. Excepting of course the various sports saloons and hatchbacks we've been debating this past day.

el_richo

These are very nice sports cars

Miss Clinique

robert_masters

Hi

Noticed this post has jumped from slagging the BMW X5 which in our interpretation is a vehicle that only serves a practical purpose, which comes with comfort, build quality, handling and style not yet achieved by not one American manufacturer. To top it off, safety being the biggest key, the vehicle offers a family massive protection when stepping up to American size vehicles in Canada. I would not like to think what my family may look like after an impact which a Dodge V8, or any of the SUV sized vehicles that dominate Canada's roads today. And f...all to do with looks, being a poseur or renting out the wife!!! if there are people happy enough to put there family in anything smaller then more fool them!!!!!

BUT if we're talking sports cars then maybe an Aston Martin DBS, Bugatti Veron,Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari Testarossa are all cars which come to mind and very much have their own classic status as sports cars.

Subaru Imprezza, Mitsubishi Evo's, Honda Civic are all standard production vehicles put forward for racing in the RALLY SPORT Catergory.

Rob x

robert_masters

Which you seemed to have sustained already, but without the compensation!

Rob

robert_masters

GREAT MATE!!

Angela

R I C H

More fool those that choose an SUV over a car and expect the SUV to stop/slow down in anywhere near the same distance in order to avoid a collision, or have the steering dynamics to be able to swerve in avoidance. indeed.

dbd33

What is the practical purpose of the BMW X5? Is it something other than the ability to carry four people and several bags of shopping back from the mall? If not, I suggest that the Ford Focus Wagon matches it on all above criteria except handling. The Ford handles better but it's not really fair to compare since it's lower to the ground.

Oh, and I, at least, was not slagging the vehicle itself, but the people who drive them.

robert_masters

Hi

In UK/European countries engines have advanced so much both in diesel and petrol categories that we don't have to have a bloody great fuel tank, which means in an accident we're not waiting for a bomb to go off.

If you were to make a comparison between European V8's and American V8's in off the production line conditions, you would generally see a 50% increase in performance/economical areas. Most V8 vehicles here in blighty do not exceed 4.2Ltr in size, this is purely to do with fuel costs..... seems manufacturers in America cant get over that bigger is better mentality!!

For about the last five years or so there has been a marked increase in diesel pumps on the forecourt in Canada. The locals are not ignorant to the fact change is coming to us all. Not sure how long it's gonna be!! But more people are now getting wise and adopting the 'More Bang' for ya Buck attitude!!!

Rob

robert_masters

If you fancy putting your family in a Dagenham Dustbin you're welcome, I kinda want my family a little safer than that!!!!

dbd33

So the case for the BMW X5 is that it's safer than the competition?