Choosing The Right Sports Car
The times are changing and one way to gauge how much theyve changed in the auto world is to consider that term sports car. Once upon a time and not so long ago the definition was rather narrow. A sports car was a twoseat twodoor coupe or convertible a little lean on luxury with more attention given to handling and performance. Thirty or 40 years ago there were just a few makes and models that fit the bill such as Ferrari and Porsche at the high end and MG and perhaps AlfaRomeo in the affordable category.
Today you can forget all that. The definition of sports car has expanded and inflated considerably although certain purists hold out for the twoseat coupe and convertible definition. These restrictions are enforced in certain international racing events but for the consumer auto market terms like sports and sporty can reasonably be applied to a wide range of autos including fourdoor sedans and even crossover vehicles.
Defining sports and sporty
The task of choosing a sports car or sporty one although made more difficult with the proliferation of powerful and goodhandling cars is simplified in practice by considering just a few main questions. Choosing the right sports car is a process that depends on what you want in the vehicle. You may think that ultimate cruising power and stability the traits of a classic gran turismo or GT car are the most important. Or you may want classic sports car handling for driving the Alpinetype mountain roads. Both ideals are acceptable within the expanded definition of sports car today.
Even with this expanded definition we can settle on certain traits that most auto aficionados would agree to. Sports cars should be at least reasonably fast off the line although they are not dragsters and able to maintain high speeds with stability. They should be tossable and handle well in the curves with upgraded suspensions and brakes to handle the strains. Of course looking cool or sexy is a plus as well. On the other hand luxurious comfort although achieved by some makers is not a requirement and neither are the technotoys like indash navigation systems and DVD players.
Buying considerations
If you are a single guy or gal with no intentions of getting married or raising a family any time soon or sooner than the cars paid off sticking with a nofrills twoseater is a costeffective way to get into sports motoring. The new and used market can offer everything from Nissan 350Zs and Audi TTs to newer American models like the Pontiac Solstice and the UKs miniBeemer the Mini Cooper. Many of these offer decent gas mileage too.
All is not lost if youre a family guy since only a classic car buff would tell you that the fourdoor Infiniti G35 is not a sports car. With over 300 hp a taut suspension and a sixspeed manual transmission this car can blow plenty of purist cars off the road. Also in the familyfriendly class of sports cars are several of the smaller Jaguar sedans plenty of BMW and Mercedes models and even some American muscle sports machines like the Dodge Charger or muscledup Japanese crossovers like the Lexus RX series.
For those who have no price limits of course choosing the right sports car can be frustrating these days as there are so many fabulous choices. The Ferraris are always a rich mans favorite and world class of course but AstonMartins Porsches Vipers and Corvettes the Nissan Skyline the milliondollarplus Bugatti Veyron and a phalanx of Mercedes AMG models are available for those who can afford them.
However many people who could afford any car at all still stick with older XKEs classic Alfas and small MGs because they offer the true fun Sundaydrive kind of motoring experience that still says sports car. Whats nice about the auto market today is that drivers are free to decide for themselves exactly what sports car means.
About the writer: Exotic luxury and highend cars are more than machinesthey are pieces of art that should be appreciated and respected. We at In Sixth Gear.com share your passion for these fine vehicles and understand the life of an automotive aficionado. Visit us online today.
Related posts:
