GC84

Part two of the above video:

astage

Many thanks for posting this. Sadly that's about as close as I'm ever going to get to one.

Nick Graves

Since exceeding a speed limit seems to carry a more severe sentence than a physical assault these days, I tend to concur.

Maybe that's why exoticar owners merely burp and fart down a high street in a series of lurches in a most undignified manner.

jml

http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-jealousy/

MB

Agreed Nottm / Nick.

It's a real dilemma now. I gain really limited enjoyment in driving on the road, and whilst the AM is a lovely place to be, it's totally wasted on the road these days and that sort of money for a nice place to be is difficult to justify. The extreme end of this are things like the NSX / GT3s / Lambos etc, which to me are ultimately reduced to posing machines. I've always been of the view that most of these cars don't really have a place on track either. They are generally too heavy and expensive (unless you have multi millions) to be chucking around a track, and you can have a LOT more fun in a 30k Caterham.

Maybe its just where I live but seems you have the same view!

I'm getting more interested in classic stuff, although the issue there is basically nothing is affordable. So im left to conclude you cant have any fun on roads anymore, not to the degree i'd want to push a car. A 220bhp Elise is more than enough to get you in trouble, but to me seems like the most obvious road car choice in that you can have fun at 30mph just enjoying the feeback of the car.

Nick Graves

Mark - I totally concur with the 220 Elise conclusion! If I were starting again, I'm pretty sure it's where my money would go.

But I'm sort of waiting for my fleet to go from shed to classic status!

MB

Well I guess the NSX you have falls into the driving at slower speed / pleasure category? (But still a quick car) Imagine it's an event to drive.

Nick Graves

It's really an event every time one gets in. Big doors and you drop into a seat that's incredibly comfortable. Everything you need is at hand, and nothing you don't.

I love the simplicity of the controls - a large knob to turn down the ICE volume is such a great idea! And no buttons that I cannot comprehend.

The offbeat engine (incorrect included angle!) and the induction noise. It does sound angry when you step on it. I like the way it vibrates the steering column on warm-up. It has charm.

And the fact that it feels like travelling in a bubble; the car disappears around you. A luxury GT car crossed with a mid-engine sports; unbelievable ride quality and superb handling. As soon as you can see your way out of a corner, you can floor it and it just turns the rest of the way, accelerating firmly. Even on wet roads. Rear tyre life is short - I wonder why?

I suppose performance-wise, it's roughly supercharged S/Elise 220 territory, so it's not too fast. Better aerodynamics than those two means Vmax is higher, but that's pretty much irrelevant these days.

One of those 'where the hell you you go from here?' sort of cars.

I have a desire to try the NC1 from a technological standpoint, but I don't really want one. Same with the Clarity...

Nottm_S2

The relative simplicity of older cars appeals to me a lot. My S2 is in bits at the moment and i perversely enjoy that. A guy who lived near me, near heathrow in the late 90s had an NSX.. it sounded very exotic then. Not sure i've seen one fully lit since. This thing is a space ship by comparison and would need Einstein if it broke i bet.

I think a good kit car with 145bhp would suit me. You can rag it about, you're unlikey to go to jail and it'll still go sideways everywher if setup or driven badly , we all chase bhp but its bollox. Large capacity engines sound great but 0-100 is sub 10s in some mundane ish cars now. That's self limiting (by the aforementioned bars).

lets form www.grumpyowd****ers.com/forums/non-fast-cars

jml

At least it isn't some shopping trolley with an oversized engine. For me it redefines what a supercar should be .