Has modern supercar ownership become NAFF and irrelevant?
Discussion
Fresh Prince said:
TREMAiNE said:
I agree completely.
I drive a Boxster S and sometimes I even think that has too much power to have fun on the road (having loved my MK1 MX5 which you could safely and legally push)... I can't begin to imagine what a Supercar would be like on the streets.
I save most of my 'spirited driving' for the track where I can just have fun.
This is why I've kept my mk1 MX-5 whilst a Boxster S passes through the household. During the first year, I thought that the MX-5 was hands-down more "fun". Then I realised that the Boxster is also "fun", but the limits are so much higher so it takes much more to reveal the fun side. The mind boggles at what supercars today must be like on today's roads. Won't stop me getting one if I am lucky enough to do so one day.I drive a Boxster S and sometimes I even think that has too much power to have fun on the road (having loved my MK1 MX5 which you could safely and legally push)... I can't begin to imagine what a Supercar would be like on the streets.
I save most of my 'spirited driving' for the track where I can just have fun.
Shallow people thrive on attention, so they buy flashy cars with stupidly loud exhausts to floor it between the lights to impress all the 13 year old girls and 20 year old boys around London, whilst trying to make themselves "goals" to other people. Unfortunately living in London compounds that as it is full of that sort of thing.
It's all materialistic and fake.
You may get pictured, or talked to whilst filling your supercar up, but that's part of ownership. You may get people you wouldn't like to talk to again about it, but you may also end up talking to real enthusiasts. I personally think that modern supercars have become to quick to use on the roads at full chat, which is why they excel on the track. But, people who buy them are too worried about them (so would I be, had I sunk 100k into a car) to take it to a track and thrash it around with people they don't know, and have never seen drive before. Which is why people prefer older cars as they provide more fun at lower, non scary speeds.
I want to add, that this is not a dig at you, you bought your car because you like it, not because it would impress people.
I get attention, both good and bad, with my car which is nowhere the same league as a supercar (Megane RS265). This may also be partly attributed to the fact I'm relatively young (22) and drive a fairly new car. Ultimately though, I bought the car because I wanted it, not because I thought other people would like it. I've never cared what people think of me, and I do what I want, because I want to do it, not for the satisfaction or approval of some people on the internet.
It's all materialistic and fake.
You may get pictured, or talked to whilst filling your supercar up, but that's part of ownership. You may get people you wouldn't like to talk to again about it, but you may also end up talking to real enthusiasts. I personally think that modern supercars have become to quick to use on the roads at full chat, which is why they excel on the track. But, people who buy them are too worried about them (so would I be, had I sunk 100k into a car) to take it to a track and thrash it around with people they don't know, and have never seen drive before. Which is why people prefer older cars as they provide more fun at lower, non scary speeds.
I want to add, that this is not a dig at you, you bought your car because you like it, not because it would impress people.
I get attention, both good and bad, with my car which is nowhere the same league as a supercar (Megane RS265). This may also be partly attributed to the fact I'm relatively young (22) and drive a fairly new car. Ultimately though, I bought the car because I wanted it, not because I thought other people would like it. I've never cared what people think of me, and I do what I want, because I want to do it, not for the satisfaction or approval of some people on the internet.
Edited by Blanchimont on Monday 1st August 15:52
Have to agree unfortunately, even however a 5am blast concerns me in the 355 or 550, your into very naughty speeds very easily.
Added to that the roads are dreadful !!
Like many others I bought an Elise and its great fun even at normal speeds and to be honest I also don't worry about using it / leaving it places
Phib
Added to that the roads are dreadful !!
Like many others I bought an Elise and its great fun even at normal speeds and to be honest I also don't worry about using it / leaving it places
Phib
996TT02 said:
Yes to so much of what you said, OP.
As for the cars - be careful what you wish for springs to mind.
Buyers want faster, bigger numbers, more tech, and that is what manufacturers gave us.
Unfortunately bigger numbers and more tech don't equate to more fun, I guess any Airbus has far more tech and definitely bigger numbers than a supercar, but is the most mindblowingly boring and safe means of transport that I know of.
I read somewhere recently that a current S-class has more computing power than a Dreamliner.As for the cars - be careful what you wish for springs to mind.
Buyers want faster, bigger numbers, more tech, and that is what manufacturers gave us.
Unfortunately bigger numbers and more tech don't equate to more fun, I guess any Airbus has far more tech and definitely bigger numbers than a supercar, but is the most mindblowingly boring and safe means of transport that I know of.
I agree about the horrible image of such cars now. Worst thing would be somebody thinking you were a footballist person should you be seen driving one. God, the shame.
What is more of a concern to me is how much of the driving experience has been engineered out of these things. The desire of the enthusiast has been lost in the obsession with making each new car irrelevantly faster than the last while also ensuring they don't kill anyone. No need to change gear and computer controlled steering, just mash the pedal until your bottle goes. It's easy to see why this has happened due to the filter down of engineering. Even a bloody Ford Focus can do 0-60 in 4something seconds these days so the gap between a relatively normal car and a super car is smaller than it has ever been in performance terms.
The analogue experience of the old is definitely where you need to go for that different, special experience now. Be aware that people will still stop, stare, take photos and even strike up conversations. However, it won't be the rich kids of instagram.
What is more of a concern to me is how much of the driving experience has been engineered out of these things. The desire of the enthusiast has been lost in the obsession with making each new car irrelevantly faster than the last while also ensuring they don't kill anyone. No need to change gear and computer controlled steering, just mash the pedal until your bottle goes. It's easy to see why this has happened due to the filter down of engineering. Even a bloody Ford Focus can do 0-60 in 4something seconds these days so the gap between a relatively normal car and a super car is smaller than it has ever been in performance terms.
The analogue experience of the old is definitely where you need to go for that different, special experience now. Be aware that people will still stop, stare, take photos and even strike up conversations. However, it won't be the rich kids of instagram.
996TT02 said:
That makes three of us then. My Mk1 MX5 is not going anywhere, ever, perhaps, whereas my 996 Turbo may someday.
My thoughts exactly. And I massively enjoyed driving a 996TT when I had the chance, and may even own one someday. But I think there's something timeless about driving something like an early MX-5, particularly in the context of today's driving environment.Murcielago_Boy said:
Is that Gulzar's RR at 4.30 - 4.40 in that vid?Surely there can't be two?
mikemike08 said:
Yeah because you can park it and still find it when you get back ?
Have you never seen a motorbike parked on the street? If you've got something really exotic you might not leave it on the street, the same as you wouldn't with a supercar. I don't suppose many people make a habit of parking their supercar on the street the same way as they wouldn't leave their NC30 VFR750 or their HP4 unattended on the street. Luckily with a bike, they're easier to park off the street than a car. In the last two years, I've parked my bike on the street only once, and that was for three minutes. It comes out of my garage and into a secure compound at work, or I just ride it around great B roads for fun. Something less nickable than a sportsbike (but still a lot of fun) like a Deauville or an ER6, I wouldn't think twice about parking on the street.
I am not a supercar owner and I am not in the position to become one.
But I do think supercars are becoming increasingly uncool. While they are fantastic when it comes to performance, there is very little to be said to style when it comes to a green Lamborghini. This is possibly borne out of the Knightsbridge crew. Just seems like it's such an easy choice and it's all about being the flashiest show-off.
If, and it's a pretty large if, I had the money for a £150,000+ car I would most probably ignore the offerings from Ferrari and Lamborghini and go for something like an E-Type or a particular 911. It's not like supercars can be driven to their limits so why not have a bit of 1960s style when you're cruising to work!
I think the same with watches. I'd much rather have a Seamaster or Submariner than an AP.
But I do think supercars are becoming increasingly uncool. While they are fantastic when it comes to performance, there is very little to be said to style when it comes to a green Lamborghini. This is possibly borne out of the Knightsbridge crew. Just seems like it's such an easy choice and it's all about being the flashiest show-off.
If, and it's a pretty large if, I had the money for a £150,000+ car I would most probably ignore the offerings from Ferrari and Lamborghini and go for something like an E-Type or a particular 911. It's not like supercars can be driven to their limits so why not have a bit of 1960s style when you're cruising to work!
I think the same with watches. I'd much rather have a Seamaster or Submariner than an AP.
Murcielago_Boy said:
I like the way the R8 V10 just rolled past without causing any attention. My type of car.I'd love a supercar (must work harder), but having just moved out of London after 17 years, no way i'd want one there!! Bring them to Scotland folks, and enjoy them.
Oh, and i'm sure ill get flamed for saying this, but doesn't all this car spotting or whatever not seem, well, a bit weird??!!
Not that I've ever owned a supercar before but I can understand and agree with some of the OP's comments, that said when it comes to supercars/hypercars you do have to accept your going to stand out and receive a lot of attention, which may not all be positive. Also whilst you may not be interested in the status or showing off aspect of these cars, I'm sure there are many owners that absolutely are, and I don't think that's anything new.
In terms of performance I completely agree but feel this is far from a supercar only problem, this filters right down to hot hatches today, the funny thing is it's all consumer driven! Despite our roads closing in on us in terms of more users, speed limits/cameras and driving quickly becoming very much frowned upon, we want more & more power, and more and more race bred tech, all of which for the vast majority of the time is of zero use.
Its no different with modern superbikes, anti wheelie, traction control, launch control, quickshift.. all there to enable as much of the 200 odd bhp to be used at any given time, only funnily enough triggering any of these systems on the road would have the rider taking serious risks in an instant. But hey as we all know, the problem with superbikes such as the original R1 was that they were just too slow on the road..!
But hey if we ask for it we shouldn't be surprised when we get it!
In terms of performance I completely agree but feel this is far from a supercar only problem, this filters right down to hot hatches today, the funny thing is it's all consumer driven! Despite our roads closing in on us in terms of more users, speed limits/cameras and driving quickly becoming very much frowned upon, we want more & more power, and more and more race bred tech, all of which for the vast majority of the time is of zero use.
Its no different with modern superbikes, anti wheelie, traction control, launch control, quickshift.. all there to enable as much of the 200 odd bhp to be used at any given time, only funnily enough triggering any of these systems on the road would have the rider taking serious risks in an instant. But hey as we all know, the problem with superbikes such as the original R1 was that they were just too slow on the road..!
But hey if we ask for it we shouldn't be surprised when we get it!
I suppose that supercars have always been irrelevant....
....But there was something strangely exciting, sexy and glamorous seeing an industrialist rumbling gently through Knightbridge in an impossibly expensive Diablo 6.0 back in 1999. It wasn't a hire car out for an Eid celebration, wrapped in a nice shade of satin matt "jizz," it wasn't being wheelspun and donuted and video-ed for youtube, the owner didn't have negative equity on the PCP. It was manual, hard to drive (by todays standards) difficult to access the performance, too expensive to buy, exciting, rare and sexy,and the owner wasn't driving it while taking a picture of his new "Louis V" shoes and gold teeth to show "goals" for his Instaface followers.
As a kid, that's what supercars meant to me. In the USA they're still called "exotics.
Today, here in the UK, that glamour, that schoolboy wonder, has been replaced with tacky vulgarity. Just watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62n-H6mo-eM
And this is NOT an age thing I think (I may be wrong). I think it's a PLACE thing.
....But there was something strangely exciting, sexy and glamorous seeing an industrialist rumbling gently through Knightbridge in an impossibly expensive Diablo 6.0 back in 1999. It wasn't a hire car out for an Eid celebration, wrapped in a nice shade of satin matt "jizz," it wasn't being wheelspun and donuted and video-ed for youtube, the owner didn't have negative equity on the PCP. It was manual, hard to drive (by todays standards) difficult to access the performance, too expensive to buy, exciting, rare and sexy,and the owner wasn't driving it while taking a picture of his new "Louis V" shoes and gold teeth to show "goals" for his Instaface followers.
As a kid, that's what supercars meant to me. In the USA they're still called "exotics.
Today, here in the UK, that glamour, that schoolboy wonder, has been replaced with tacky vulgarity. Just watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62n-H6mo-eM
And this is NOT an age thing I think (I may be wrong). I think it's a PLACE thing.
I personally wouldn't bother. Realistically, you need about £2k to own something that is fun to use on the roads or track days. Anything else is just spending money for the sake of it, because like you say, it's getting harder and harder to be able to use that 950bhp for anything other than a short 'BWAAAARRPPP!' in a 30mph zone that will make you look like a cock. And most supercars are too big/wide to be fun on back roads etc.
giblets_ said:
I have to agree with OP. He DOES come across as a bit of an old fart, but he makes relevant points.
Imo, this new age of "Traders" or "Shisha lounge owners" or "Dessert lounge owners" spanning the age of 21-28 from certain areas in the UK have killed off all supercar ownership fantasies.
Supercars rarely had a stigma attached to them but its like these douches have ruined the entire supercar scene by making them appear so accessible.
You realise the smoking ban that came in years ago killed the Shisha Lounge, right? Imo, this new age of "Traders" or "Shisha lounge owners" or "Dessert lounge owners" spanning the age of 21-28 from certain areas in the UK have killed off all supercar ownership fantasies.
Supercars rarely had a stigma attached to them but its like these douches have ruined the entire supercar scene by making them appear so accessible.
Murcielago_Boy said:
2. So what about going for a drive in the country? Waking up at 5am on summer Sunday and going for a hoon? Yes, good point and I used to do it. But there's a new problem. These new cars are now WILDLY fast in a way which wasn't a consideration in yesterday. Going for a burn in a Ferrari F355 is one thing. Going for a burn in a 488 and you're going at BALLISTIC speeds which are not funny anymore because, if you get it wrong, you're going to have a big problem - there's a monumental difference between doing 70mph vs 110mph
Either you find excitement easier or you're drastically underestimating your speeds.My RX7 with 360bhp doesn't get interesting until 130 on the average NSL, which is why I tend to drive my supercharged MX5 in which 100 does feel fast - however as they have reduced many NSLs to 50, that doesn't help much.
The problem with classic cars is the extra maintenance, obsolete parts, rust etc (My father is a Classic car dealer) it's also frustrating in a Classic when you can't get past a modern diesel who is fast on the straights but slow in the corners.
Edited by V8RX7 on Monday 1st August 17:42
They have become fashion accessories in London, people are buying because they are cool rather than the car it self. I'm not sure how you can have an engaging drive in any of these modern supercars and I think if there was a slight hint of difficulty in driving these half of these people wouldn't be wouldn't be owners.
Depends on your reason for owning one in my opinion.
If you're buying one just to show off, brag to mates, make yourself look flash whilst pootling around the centre of cities then yes....it's naff and irrelevant.
But if you're buying one because you love the cars, love going out of your way to find nice, quiet roads to enjoy driving them on then no....it's not naff and irrelevant. I personally haven't jumped on the social media band-wagon. Have no interest in the 'look at me' culture today. And I don't live in a city. But I do love going out for drives in my car, whether they're spirited, or not. Simply driving these cars can be special even without going full throttle. If they bring a smile to your face then how can that be irrelevant.
There are still plenty of places to go for a fun drive. It's about being careful and not wreckless. Granted, some supercar owners can drive like idiots at times, but I'd hardly cite that as a reason for not wanting to own one. And let's face it, the vast majority of bad driving on the roads is not done by people driving supercars.
So no, I don't think they're irrelevant if you're buying them for the right reasons.
If you're buying one just to show off, brag to mates, make yourself look flash whilst pootling around the centre of cities then yes....it's naff and irrelevant.
But if you're buying one because you love the cars, love going out of your way to find nice, quiet roads to enjoy driving them on then no....it's not naff and irrelevant. I personally haven't jumped on the social media band-wagon. Have no interest in the 'look at me' culture today. And I don't live in a city. But I do love going out for drives in my car, whether they're spirited, or not. Simply driving these cars can be special even without going full throttle. If they bring a smile to your face then how can that be irrelevant.
There are still plenty of places to go for a fun drive. It's about being careful and not wreckless. Granted, some supercar owners can drive like idiots at times, but I'd hardly cite that as a reason for not wanting to own one. And let's face it, the vast majority of bad driving on the roads is not done by people driving supercars.
So no, I don't think they're irrelevant if you're buying them for the right reasons.
130mph on an NSL road before it becomes an interesting drive? You could not make up some of the turd people come out with on here.
The OP is of course 100% right.
Supercars are vastly too fast and dull to be worth driving in the UK. They are all autos, for a start, which rules them out to anyone who actually wants to drive rather than pose.
Equally, they are now so thoroughly naif that I would feel like an utter t
t just sitting in one, let alone owning one.
The OP is of course 100% right.
Supercars are vastly too fast and dull to be worth driving in the UK. They are all autos, for a start, which rules them out to anyone who actually wants to drive rather than pose.
Equally, they are now so thoroughly naif that I would feel like an utter t
t just sitting in one, let alone owning one.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff