Cars!

[kalra2411]

My fave is the McLaren F1.  Supposedly McLaren is in the process of developing a "baby McLaren."
I like Spyker and Pagani.  Recent cars (some just prototypes which will never see production) by Koenigsegg, Chrysler, Bugatti, Calloway and Audi have been very interesting.  To me, though, a car is more than its 0-60 (or 0-100) time and top speed.  I remember a few years ago when the Mercedes M-series was just a prototype - I really liked it.  Fast forward to now, and I think it's one of the ugliest vehicles out there after all the changes from the prototype.  One of my favorite concept cars is the Bugatti EB 218, which I hope will see production someday.
Anybody remember the Ford GT 90 from the mid-90s?

The baby McLaren is known as the Mercedes SLA, which seems to have been scraped in favour of the new SLK, as that takes a lot from the designs of the SLA, however there is still a chance that there will be a SLA, pitched as a smaller SLR.

 

[Joe G]

Keep in mind the short focal length of the lens used distorts perspective greatly, so it still could be this one. The best way to settle it would be to find pictures of the different headlight covers and compare the mounting hardware.

Indeed. On that note, see how the headlight bezel of the Series 1 E-Type (if it's got covered headlamps, it's an S-1) picture you posted is bevelled, just as the bezel featured on the album cover is. While I could not quickly Google a picture providing conclusive proof or disproof, from memory I believe that the XKSS's headlight bezel is curved rather than stepped.

However, I cannot say I've ever looked that closely at the XKSS's headlight bezels, or for that matter that I've had the opportunity to spend more than a few short minutes admiring either that beautiful automobile or the D-Type from whence it came.

 

[Joe G]

Oh, and my top five lists:

Today

1) Lotus Elise: the only proper sports car sold today, excepting some British specials (Atom, et. al.) that are only borderline as cars but packed with sport.

2) Audi TT VR6: that body, that interior, and finally a V6 to motivate it. Who cares if it's a Golf underneath?

3) Lambo Gallardo: Audi engineering, Lambo panache? It makes the Ferrari 360 look like yesterday's news.

4) Audi A8 4.0TDI: Volkswagen's best engine in their most advanced chassis, and as of yet at least it's been spared their wretched new grille.

5) Smart Roadster: indisputable proof that a modern car needn't be lined with lead.

All Time

1) Jaguar XJ-6 Series-3: mostly because I've had the fondest of memories of them from about 1981 until 2001, when either my father or I ran one without interruption.

2) Lancia Integrale: the pinnacle that WRX's and Evos still aspire to reach.

3) Aston-Martin DB6: frankly, Astons have also interested me much more than Ferraris, which seem vulgar. It's like comparing Kilgours to Dolce & Gabbana.

4) Citroen DS-19: I've never driven one, but the engineering behind it has yet to be even approached.

5) Lotus Elan: if anyone who needs to question why should check his/her pulse.

And my least favourite is any so-called supercar that drives like a lorry at town-speeds and does not provide any sensation of speed. I'd rather drive 15mph in my Elise than 150mph in one of those new half-million euro Mercedes cockmobiles.....

 

[Brian SD]

Dodge Viper SRT-10 (relatively affordable exotic. True convertible, 2nd coming of the Shelby Cobra, 70,000 mile warranty)

A viper... exotic? Sorry, I chuckled when I read that.

 

[kalra2411]

3) Aston-Martin DB6: frankly, Astons have also interested me much more than Ferraris, which seem vulgar. It's like comparing Kilgours to Dolce & Gabbana.

Have you driven the new Astons (DB9, Vanquish), they are no different to a BMW 330.

 

[Brian SD]

To add, my favorites are:

BMW M3

Acura NSX

Subaru WRX STi

Porsche 911 (any model, I love them all)

 

[Kai]

Quote:

Dodge Viper SRT-10 (relatively affordable exotic. Â True convertible, 2nd coming of the Shelby Cobra, 70,000 mile warranty)

A viper... exotic? Sorry, I chuckled when I read that.
Depends on your definition of "exotic." If you define "exotic" by performance, then I would think that the Viper certainly qualifies. It will hang with cars like the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale and Lamborgini Gallardo, which I think most folks will agree is an "exotic." In terms of numbers, I guess it's relative. There are a lot fewer Vipers than there are Ferraris, but the Vipers are not a limited production car like the Enzo. I'd be willing to bet that in Europe, at least, that there are more Enzos than Vipers. I think in my entire life, I've seen less than 10 Vipers total on the street. They certainly aren't common. I've seen a lot more Ferraris than that.

 

[imageWIS]

Quote:

(Brian SD @ 21 July 2004, 2:12) Quote Dodge Viper SRT-10 (relatively affordable exotic. True convertible, 2nd coming of the Shelby Cobra, 70,000 mile warranty)

A viper... exotic? Sorry, I chuckled when I read that.
Depends on your definition of "exotic." If you define "exotic" by performance, then I would think that the Viper certainly qualifies. It will hang with cars like the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale and Lamborgini Gallardo, which I think most folks will agree is an "exotic." In terms of numbers, I guess it's relative. There are a lot fewer Vipers than there are Ferraris, but the Vipers are not a limited production car like the Enzo. I'd be willing to bet that in Europe, at least, that there are more Enzos than Vipers. I think in my entire life, I've seen less than 10 Vipers total on the street. They certainly aren't common. I've seen a lot more Ferraris than that.[/quote] I guess it all depends where you reside. Here in South Florida, I see Vipers all the time; of course I also see Ferraris, Lamborghini's, Aston Martins, RR and Bentleys, several Maybach's (I was in one, the 62, that is one massive car, like a S600 on steroids with 20" wheels). Notice I don't mention Porches? Why? Because I must see 50-60 Porsche everyday. And most of them are not Boxster's, they are 911's. The Toyota Camry of SoFLA is either the Lexus ES 300 / Mercedes C-Class. I have even seen classic cars on the street before...and I don't mean Ford T's. I have seen a 1928 MB SSK, an Auburn Boat Tail Speedster, and a MB 500k Special Roadster, plus several others. A trip to South Beach, Palm Beach, or Las Olas Blvd in Ft. Lauderdale will certainly prove my point. But, unfortunately the display of wealth sterilizes you, and you notice that it no longer fazes you, which is not good. Jon. Also, There have been a lot more Ferraris made than Vipers, and for a much longer period of time, so the probability of seeing a Ferrari before seeing a Viper is great, just based on statistical data.

 

[Brian SD]

I mean that a Viper is not special in the way a Ferrari or a Porsche is special. A car does not become exotic, at least by my standards, simply because it's fast or because it is rare to see. An exotic car is a work of art - an engineering masterpiece, not just a fast car. Every piece of it is designed and proportioned in a way that it gives an amazing experience. For about $10,000 you can make a Neon go faster than a Ferrari, but that surely does not make the Neon exotic. More specifically on the Viper, I would call it a muscle car more than anything. It's a Dodge with a V10 in it, and really not much else, it's extremely heavy and the stylings and lines of it are more in line with Corvettes and Cadillacs. It's fast - absolutely. It's VERY fast, but it doesn't perform the way an exotic car does. It doesn't even feel like a pure sports car to me. I would take a four-cylinder S2000 over the Viper any day of the year. To add: I see about 4 - 5 newer Porches daily, and I see Vipers 2 - 3 times a week, and sometimes many more if I'm driving on a different freeway. Central San Diego is hardly considered prestigious (yet, anyway... but the "manhattenizing" of downtown San Diego is another argument completely&#33

. If I'm in La Jolla, I see less Vipers and more Lamborhginis and Ferraris, which I credit to better taste.

 

[Kai]

I mean that a Viper is not special in the way a Ferrari or a Porsche is special. A car does not become exotic, at least by my standards, simply because it's fast or because it is rare to see. An exotic car is a work of art - an engineering masterpiece, not just a fast car. Every piece of it is designed and proportioned in a way that it gives an amazing experience. For about $10,000 you can make a Neon go faster than a Ferrari, but that surely does not make the Neon exotic. More specifically on the Viper, I would call it a muscle car more than anything. It's a Dodge with a V10 in it, and really not much else, it's extremely heavy and the stylings and lines of it are more in line with Corvettes and Cadillacs. It's fast - absolutely. It's VERY fast, but it doesn't perform the way an exotic car does. It doesn't even feel like a pure sports car to me. I would take a four-cylinder S2000 over the Viper any day of the year. To add: I see about 4 - 5 newer Porches daily, and I see Vipers 2 - 3 times a week, and sometimes many more if I'm driving on a different freeway. Central San Diego is hardly considered prestigious (yet, anyway... but the "manhattenizing" of downtown San Diego is another argument completely&#33

. If I'm in La Jolla, I see less Vipers and more Lamborhginis and Ferraris, which I credit to better taste.

Point taken. Â The Viper is more of a blue collar muscle car when compared with European supercars. Â It's not an "exotic" in the same vein as an Enzo, F1, or 959, all of which were the ne plus ultra of engineering when they came out. Â It doesn't have the carbon fiber, connelly leather, or exquisite fit and finish of an exotic. Â Doesn't have the exclusivity or feel of such cars. Â The Viper has little in common with the Enzo, and is more along the lines of the old Shelby Cobras (right down to the "shake your fillings loose" ride and burning your leg on the side exhaust.) Â I would argue with the Viper not being a "pure sports car." Â To me, it is about as "pure" as sports cars get. Â The car is really pretty bare bones. Â Other than the air conditioning and stereo, there isn't anything on the car that isn't designed to increase the car's performance. Â There's no traction control, driver aids, or other newfangled gadgets. Â It takes a fair amount of time and effort to learn to drive the car well. Â It's a "driver's car" above all else, and driving it is a lot of fun, both on the road and on the track. Â Â It certainly handles better and is a lot more fun to drive than my old Fiat Spyder or Triumph Spitfire, both of which are classic sports cars. Â I've driven an S2000 (on a twisty SOLO course and on the road), and handling and general performance of the Viper are simply in a different league. Â I find the Viper to be a lot more fun than the S2000, but your mileage may vary. Â Kai

 

[Joe G]

Have you driven the new Astons (DB9, Vanquish), they are no different to a BMW 330.

Nope. I'll not be in the market for such a car, now or ever, so driving one seems rather besides the point. For the quarter-million dollars a new Aston costs, one could build a mosque and a school in many countries, as well as paying the salaries of an imam and small staff of teachers for a year. And two decades hence all of the electronics will have broken on any new car, rendering it essentially a display piece.

My theory on new exotics is that they are baubles for people who consider things such as commodities trading to be actual careers rather than just hobbies or sidelines to real businesses. They lack neither the character of seasoned vintage motorcars nor the design ingenuity of the smallest, lightest sports cars and microcars. There was much more thought, and a higher quality thereof, required to create the Fiat Panda, Citroen Pluriel, or VW Lupo than one finds in the entire lineups of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Aston Martin combined.

Peace,

JG

PS: Kai, I cannot urge you more strongly to take a Federal Elise for a spin. In truth the American version, with its Toyota/Yamaha motor and 6-speed, is probably superior to my Rover K-series powered Elise. The only thing you have to fear is that it will make your Viper feel like a turgid jelly-bodied porker on your drive home, assuming you don't part-exchange it on the spot.

 

[A Harris]

Depends on your definition of "exotic." If you define "exotic" by performance, then I would think that the Viper certainly qualifies. Â It will hang with cars like the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale and Lamborgini Gallardo, which I think most folks will agree is an "exotic." Â In terms of numbers, I guess it's relative. Â There are a lot fewer Vipers than there are Ferraris, but the Vipers are not a limited production car like the Enzo. Â I'd be willing to bet that in Europe, at least, that there are more Enzos than Vipers. Â I think in my entire life, I've seen less than 10 Vipers total on the street. Â They certainly aren't common. Â I've seen a lot more Ferraris than that.

I'll always remember the first time I saw a Viper - the guy pulled out of a parking lot onto the street in a full sideways slide, lifted off a bit and then floored it again and blew past me at about 70mph Â

 

[faustian bargain]

my car is a '94 Jaguar xj40 (aka xj6). as sedans go, it's pretty neat. straight 6, 4L engine, and heavy. and in my opinion it has a well-designed modern look. 'regency red' with a tan interior, so i can feel sporty even though it's not a sports car. i think it's a real gentleman's sedan. i love it even though i don't drive it much (public transit commuter).

my wife drives the 'family' car, a '99 lexus rx300 that was on sale as a lease return a couple years ago. the lessee was a lexus fanatic and took great care of it. it carries the kids and cargo (love the fold-down seats), and goes up hills. i ride in the back seat and play with the baby.

/andrew

 

[PHV]

I drive my dad's X5 or my mom's CL500.

Thats when I'm home... I live in montreal (and am moving to new york in 2 years), so I hope that I wont need a car in the near future.

 

[VMan]

I drive my dad's X5 or my mom's CL500.

Thats when I'm home... I live in montreal (and am moving to new york in 2 years), so I hope that I wont need a car in the near future.

Nice vehicles.

Which engine do you have in the X5?