Supercar Engine Poll

[Slicks]

Obviously not, since there are hardly any dedicated sportscar builders in the USA.

There are well over 40 car companies building sports cars in the UK. How many in the US?

Come on, a list please. I am genuinely interested in all these American Sports cars.

Because the UK has more companies building sports cars then those companies are more "passionate?" How does that work out?
BTW when you say "Sports cars" are you refering to two seater RWD (or AWD) cars? Or just anything "sporty."

Why not?

If you see a car with an incredibly well built cabin, would you think:

a) Hmm, this car company is just building cars to make money.

b) This car company is so passionate about building cars that they have spent the time making this cabin the best that they could.

B) People build cars for money... Even if one certain car they make isnt directly for profit (like the Enzo) its for reputation which inturn leads to profit.

[Slicks]

See that first bit above Slicsk, THAT is the bit you forgot to read.

Now do you see past the mist to the point in the statement ?

Acutally I did read that, and again he not saying that cylinders matter. He was simply stating that the 4 banger celica engine in the Elise is one thing holding it back from being a supercar.

Power band - please post the Lotus power and torque bands along with the Viper and Vette for comparison please. Let's say within 20% of peak is the flat area and get back to us with the rev ranges of all 3. Thanks.

No problem
Elise
Z06 (the red lines are stock)
Viper SRT-10
That took about 5 minutes to find...
BTW even with the Elise's super tiny gearing (4.53:1 final drive) it holds a pathetic 5mph rolling to 60mph run of 5.8 seconds (and thats with the optional sports package)

Re the "add-ons", it was a comment from a mate with an Exige who said that Lotus US were asking for them to be added. Seemingly it's the earliest questions !!

No other citation for you on it Slicks so you just take it as pure lies and you'll be fine

Never took it as a lie, just never heard about it.

Haven't we put theis "value for money" nonsense aside yet ?
Fine, it's the only way a Vette and Viper can be compared but once you get enough money to buy a second or third car for 'fun' then price becomes much less of an issue Brothers wife has just bought him a Bentley GT - ffs gotta go visit soon

Its only "nonsence" to you because you dont like the fact that an american car is beating european cars for a fraction of the cost... Just give it up, they are great cars and nothing says otherwise (unless you can fulfill my very old request of proving it wrong)

[Slicks]

well thats basically what a kit car is, right? a light car made predominantly of composites/fibreglass. my point was that the other guy was deriding kit cars when his beloved corvette actually has some of their attributes.

Kit cars can be made of anything the builder chooses. And no, they dont have to be light either. What makes them a kit car is simply that they are a "kit" that the owner/builder puts together. Like take the Pontiac Fiero for example, there were many kits made for this car so it can resemble other cars, like ferraris etc. Kit cars are also usually use various parts from various cars.
For someone to own a Noble legally over here they have to claim it as a kit car. They must order the body and drivetrain seperatly from a company (cant remember its name now...) and build it up as a kit car. They do this because kit cars do not have to pass saftey tests here, as the Noble as is does not pass US saftey regulations.

So in all the Corvette is in no way a kit car, or holds any attributes to one.

[charged]

In response to Porsches not used at track cars but corvettes are?.Never heard of the Porsche Cup?,Carrera Cup?,GT Cup?.I see lots of Porsches at local tracks,never see any corvettes on the track,only in the car park posing

[Slicks]

In response to Porches not used as track cars but corvettes are?.Never heard of the Porsche Cup?,Carrera Cup?,GT Cup?.I see lots of Porches at local tracks,never see any corvettes on the track,only in the car park posing

Porsches on tracks as in NOT being raced by Porsche themselves but by an owner that bought the car.
Are Corvettes even sold legally in Australia? That would make sence that you would see more porshces than vettes....

[charged]

Porsches on tracks as in NOT being raced by Porsche themselves but by an owner that bought the car.
Are Corvettes even sold legally in Australia? That would make sence that you would see more porshces than vettes....

In Australia we have various multi make race classes,nations cup,gt performance have all different makes of car Ferraris,subaru,nissan,lambo's,etc no corvettes.I see 6 to 12 national meetings a year never see a Vette in marque sports,sports car etc race classes,but heaps of Porsches.Even local practice days or come and try days no vettes.They can be exported here,but the people importing them certainly dont use them as a sports car,more a fashion statment.Sad really

[Spastik_Roach]

BTW even with the Elise's super tiny gearing (4.53:1 final drive) it holds a pathetic 5mph rolling to 60mph run of 5.8 seconds (and thats with the optional sports package)

You bloody Americans just don't get it.

That is perfectly adequate for a car thats main intention is HANDLING! Through the bends, round the hairpin! Yaaargh!!

And don't you think thats pretty fast for a car powered by (Shock Horror) A JAPANESE MANUFACTURER?

[Hjholter3]

In Australia we have various multi make race classes,nations cup,gt performance have all different makes of car Ferraris,subaru,nissan,lambo's,etc no corvettes.I see 6 to 12 national meetings a year never see a Vette in marque sports,sports car etc race classes,but heaps of Porsches.Even local practice days or come and try days no vettes.They can be exported here,but the people importing them certainly dont use them as a sports car,more a fashion statment.Sad really

1. Can you buy a Corvette at a dealership?

Probably not. Can you buy a Porsche at a dealership? probably so.
that would explain why you see more Porsches...

[Hjholter3]

Hj, this is what I call a nice car. The Morgan Aero 8 GT.
330 horsepower, 1 ton. Can you rednecks work out the power-to-weight?

I did that in my head, but I'm sure you needed a Calculator..

As opposed to your Corvette c6, 272 horsepower/ton.
AND the morgan, unlike your Corvette, will actually handle. You get a wood-and-leather interior, an un-muffled, heavily-tuned BMW engine, and a track time faster than a Lamborghini, for 120k (in dollars). And not an American part in there..

And you pay, what, nearly 3 times the cost of a basemodel corvette for some wood bits, a nice cut of leather, and a BMW engine. How is that attractive?

P.S. I have U.S. citizenship. I like musclecars, but they are not the be-all and end-all of performance.

Nor did I say they are, where, or would ever be. Maybe you just assumed that due to my defense of the 'Vette I love musclecars. so..
1. Get your head out of your ass.
2. Realize the Corvette is a SPORTS CAR, not a MUSCLE CAR.

-TN55, latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving liberal extraordinaire.

I'm a bit liberal myself, but a Volvo? FWD?

[Coventrysucks]

Because the UK has more companies building sports cars then those companies are more "passionate?" How does that work out?
BTW when you say "Sports cars" are you refering to two seater RWD (or AWD) cars? Or just anything "sporty."

Stop coming up with weak arguments and avioding the questions.

Most of the sports car firms in the UK deal in front engined, rear wheel drive cars, some mid engined.

There are probably close to a hundred car companies in the UK building their own cars (not tuning), or providing the parts for them semi-built (kit cars).

How many of them actually make a decent profit? VERY few.

So why are they doing it, if not passion and love of cars.

Obviously it isn't for profit, as there isn't much to be had anyway.

So why if the American population are so passionate about cars, are there not similar numbers of small manufacturers?

I found a website with a far from exhaustive list of makers. Aside from the "big" US companies (eg Ford) there were only about 10 - 15, compared with about 40 UK companies.

It is a Russian site, so I doubt it is especially biased in the UK's favour.

The only established independant US manufacturers I can think of are Saleen, Mosler and Panoz, all of which seem focussed at building stripped out road racers than something more akin to a Porsche or Lamborghini. (i.e. more creature comforts. Leather seats, Sat nav etc)

If I am missing a huge number of sports car companies from the US - PLEASE tell me - I want to know about them.

Please only companies that build their own cars - not tuners like Lingenfelter.

[charged]

1. Can you buy a Corvette at a dealership?

Probably not. Can you buy a Porsche at a dealership? probably so.
that would explain why you see more Porsches...

True,still doesnt explain why their in the carpark and none on the tracks?On all amercian car runs there are over 200?.They get private imported in fairly reasonable numbers here though

[Hjholter3]

True,still doesnt explain why their in the carpark and none on the tracks?On all amercian car runs there are over 200?.They get private imported in fairly reasonable numbers here though

Probably the same reason the 'Vette sees the track here and the Porsche rarely gets out of the Garage..

In AU I'm guessing they import more Porsche's than Corvettes, and so a Corvette owner bought the car as a fashion statement and probably spent more on it than he could get a similar Porsche for.

In the US you can buy either at a dealership.. the Porsche just so happens to be the fastest fashion statement the yuppie populace can lay hands on, as they would never be seen driving a CHEVROLET .

[Slicks]

In Australia we have various multi make race classes,nations cup,gt performance have all different makes of car Ferraris,subaru,nissan,lambo's,etc no corvettes.I see 6 to 12 national meetings a year never see a Vette in marque sports,sports car etc race classes,but heaps of Porsches.Even local practice days or come and try days no vettes.They can be exported here,but the people importing them certainly dont use them as a sports car,more a fashion statment.Sad really

Thats what I thought, it would take a pretty penny to import a car, I rather just buy one...
That makes perfect sence that you see more Porsches.

[Slicks]

You bloody Americans just don't get it.

That is perfectly adequate for a car thats main intention is HANDLING! Through the bends, round the hairpin! Yaaargh!!

And don't you think thats pretty fast for a car powered by (Shock Horror) A JAPANESE MANUFACTURER?

You dont seem to get it. Im saying that its powerband is crap.

[clutch-monkey]

So in all the Corvette is in no way a kit car, or holds any attributes to one.

yes, kit cars have better build quality j/k