best value sports car under 100k? - Page 5

well, I'm not factoring weight into my reasoning just because I have no idea how much any of these cars weigh. but here's another argument: the Mercedes CL600 and the Ferrari Scaglietti. both are powered by monstrous V12 engines and both are hardtop coupes. but when I look at the Mercedes CL600 (and I look at one almost every day, lol, because my dad's employee has a CL550) I think "coupe" and when I look at a Ferrari Scaglietti, I think "sports car" now chances are most of you won't agree with me but hey, that's why I say the term is open to interpretation :] but they're both extremely fast, extremely sexy, hardtop, 2-door, 4-seaters. so with the solid reasoning a lot of you are using, they're either both coupes or they're both sports cars.

The 911's rear seats aren't seats, they are leather-lined attaché carriers. Regarding BMW's handling: um, M3?


So, practicality and being a sports car is mutually inclusive?


So, you are going to compare one of the greatest drivers that ever lived, who has thousands of hours worth of track time, and with years of experience driving for the best sports car company that ever existed with the common, average sports car owner? That's fair.

Jon.

Have you ever sat in the 612's rear seats? They are a bit bigger than a 911's attaché carriers. The rear "˜seats' are deigned to carry luggage or a golf bag.

Also, matter of point, the 612's v12 is far more monstrous than the CL's.

Jon.

My apologies, I thought you were talking about the CLS, as for the CL, it would fall in the GT category, as well as the Scaglietti, BMW 650 and Aston Martins DB9. I love GT's just as much as sportscars, then again, I'm partial to two-doors.

True, and the Ferrari, I image would have a touter better performing suspension system.

2008 Dodge Viper

610 horsepower
570 lb-feet torque
over 1G on the skid pad
200+ mph

Relatively inexpensive to maintain
Fits tall people
Looks good

Not anything I can think of that's faster around a road course or a drag strip for $100,000 (or even $200,000.)

Factory installed mountings for 6 point belts
Factory installed mountings for a diff/transmission cooler

Having driven both, the Z4 handles better than the E46 M3. No, but a sports car must be capable of being a daily driver. I don't see that happening with an Atom. And here you completely missed the point. If you can't extract 10/10ths out of 90 horsepower, what are you going to do with 300 more? --Andre

A maximum of 9.99/10ths of 390 horsepower ?

What did you like more about the Z4, the open rear diff in corners or the feel of the electronic steering? I assume you are talking about street driving and not tracking.

He could drive a 100hp Yugo around a track faster than any of us, but I am not going to buy one. TS summed it up nicely.


+1

Yeah but I was just being a smartass.

I meant the new M3...which will be out this year (at least in Europe, so...)


I can use it as a daily driver as long as it doesn't rain. I never carry anything to work but myself, my cell phone, wallet, car keys, ID badge and libido.


Yes I can. At least I straight line; I live in Florida; we don't have nice curvy roads like in Italy. At the same time, I don't like massive HP cars, my car has only 200 HP (but 207 lb-ft of torque), the trick to going fast is lighter weight, not just massive HP.

Jon.

Agree. Gearing is also pretty important as is tq and the engines power curve.

OT: To say the least, I think it's a little shortsighted to think this way about Honda. They are one of the truly independent pioneers in 20th C transportation. I believe that because Honda does so many things well, like build the worlds most advanced Robot, killer family sedan or fuel efficient econo-boxes, that we forget just how talented and experimental and fun loving the company is.

These guys revolutionized motorcycles AND cars in the 60s and 70s. They are a racing company at heart and they've got the trophies and dirty overalls to prove it. They've won at the highest, most demanding levels of both bikes and cars

And the S2000 is actually not Honda's first "sports car" if you must know. They built two in the 60s, the S600 and S800, with 600cc and 800cc engines, respectively. And they raced them too! If those had Porsche or BMW badges...

So, we know you're a fan of Honda. But the S2000 is not in the same ballpark as the other cars mentioned here, regardless of how much you try to proclaim that Honda is your favoritest and bestest car company in the world.