RE: PH Blog: the death of the scary supercar
Discussion
As much as I agree that there has been "the death of a scary supercar". I would like to add my opinion that this is just merely evolution. Alot of people do buy cars that are their only car, and want one which is "bi-polar", in the respect that it CAN be driven everyday, and still have a mean streak for spirited driving.
I'm sure some responders to this topic still want to be traffic Light Lewis Hamiltons etc, but the notion of being James Dean is cool until ultimately you pay the highest price of loss.
There have been a few times where during spirited driving I've had a near miss, and this has scared the living daylights out of me, and after the adrenalin wears off you relise how much of an idiot you have been. On other occasions I've had an off where the car has been written off, and apart from the pub bragging rights of how cool it sounds to your mates of walking away from a crash.
In the cold light of day the hassle you have with no car, stress from GF, told you so brigade, what you should've done pub-experts, and hassle of fighting with insurance companies with solicitors is just excess stress I just don't need.
My solution is a 50cc scooter for comuting which still gives you a thrill weaving in and out of rush-hour traffic, and a toy for all other times.
I'm sure some responders to this topic still want to be traffic Light Lewis Hamiltons etc, but the notion of being James Dean is cool until ultimately you pay the highest price of loss.
There have been a few times where during spirited driving I've had a near miss, and this has scared the living daylights out of me, and after the adrenalin wears off you relise how much of an idiot you have been. On other occasions I've had an off where the car has been written off, and apart from the pub bragging rights of how cool it sounds to your mates of walking away from a crash.
In the cold light of day the hassle you have with no car, stress from GF, told you so brigade, what you should've done pub-experts, and hassle of fighting with insurance companies with solicitors is just excess stress I just don't need.
My solution is a 50cc scooter for comuting which still gives you a thrill weaving in and out of rush-hour traffic, and a toy for all other times.
I think they are cannoning down a one way street. You can hardly make a friendly Lambo then one that is a monster as the expectation of the driver is now that the car will be easy to drive and they would all be killed in tastefully upholstered Italian fireballs.
All of the major makes Lambo, Ferrari, Mercedes etc make their cars easy to use and cannot really go back. What we need are a new breed of insane supercars (see lotus, Mclaren, Zonda) and to get some lovably insane deathtraps on the road.
All of the major makes Lambo, Ferrari, Mercedes etc make their cars easy to use and cannot really go back. What we need are a new breed of insane supercars (see lotus, Mclaren, Zonda) and to get some lovably insane deathtraps on the road.
Regarding old Supercars !
When I got T-boned by a drunk driver in my TVR Chimaera 4 years ago, the things that really annoyed me most, was German laws and judges!
Driving a Chim, with no airbags, no antilock brakes, no ASR ESP and GKWE (god knows what else) means you are knowingly driving a car in which you have a higher potential of having an accident and also knowingly accepting a possibly more severe outcome should an accident happen.
Well all that happens to me and presto my super duper full cover everything included fantastic car insurance only paid 80% of the car damage due to that law.
I bought another one nevertheless and luv it
When I got T-boned by a drunk driver in my TVR Chimaera 4 years ago, the things that really annoyed me most, was German laws and judges!
Driving a Chim, with no airbags, no antilock brakes, no ASR ESP and GKWE (god knows what else) means you are knowingly driving a car in which you have a higher potential of having an accident and also knowingly accepting a possibly more severe outcome should an accident happen.
Well all that happens to me and presto my super duper full cover everything included fantastic car insurance only paid 80% of the car damage due to that law.
I bought another one nevertheless and luv it
Modern technology has enabled the modern supercar to evolve to fit the tastes of the average supercar owner: a rich poseur who can't drive and just wants the looks/image and now luxury. A vast majority never earned their money, and they don't think they have to "earn" their supercar's driving experience, either. They speak with their giant wallets, and the manufacturers have been listening for quite a while.
However, the exceptions out there are fantastic. If somebody has a few hundred grand to spend on a car, why not buy an as new Carrera GT with only a thousand miles or so on it? Lots of those available -- the poseurs who bought them hate them as they're too hard to drive and they're just taking up garage space between the Maybach and the Prius. Or if you MUST have a brand new car, the new Lamborghini Gallardo 550-2 with a manual transmission seems to be just about perfect with way more driving involvement and fun than the 4 wheel drive car with E-gear, by all accounts. It seems to me to be the ultimate mid-engine exotic car for real drivers right now -- and the razor sharp styling has really stood the test of time, and leaps out of a line up of soap bars.
However, the exceptions out there are fantastic. If somebody has a few hundred grand to spend on a car, why not buy an as new Carrera GT with only a thousand miles or so on it? Lots of those available -- the poseurs who bought them hate them as they're too hard to drive and they're just taking up garage space between the Maybach and the Prius. Or if you MUST have a brand new car, the new Lamborghini Gallardo 550-2 with a manual transmission seems to be just about perfect with way more driving involvement and fun than the 4 wheel drive car with E-gear, by all accounts. It seems to me to be the ultimate mid-engine exotic car for real drivers right now -- and the razor sharp styling has really stood the test of time, and leaps out of a line up of soap bars.
Chicane-UK said:
I know that more modern supercars are supposed to be softer and easier to drive - but I was lucky enough to drive a Murcielago a few years back and simply couldn't get over the complete assault on the senses that it was compared to a normal road car.
I know the Murcielago was supposed to be an easier all round proposition than a Diablo for example, but it totally lived up to the terrifying experience I thought it would be. The clutch was heavy, visibility was dreadful, the front being narrower than the rear caused be great concern, and I just felt out of my element.
Don't get me wrong - I LOVED the experience. It was a total blast. But if the Murcielago is meant to be example of an "easier to drive modern supercar" then I humbly suggest that perhaps the writers of PH are perhaps more used to supercars than us mere peons and that, to normal folks who are used to driving a Focus or a Polo, a supercar IS still a scary place to be!
Hate to say it, but the Murci is easier to drive than older cars! The visibility is fine, the width typical, and it's quite light to drive! All comparatively! lolI know the Murcielago was supposed to be an easier all round proposition than a Diablo for example, but it totally lived up to the terrifying experience I thought it would be. The clutch was heavy, visibility was dreadful, the front being narrower than the rear caused be great concern, and I just felt out of my element.
Don't get me wrong - I LOVED the experience. It was a total blast. But if the Murcielago is meant to be example of an "easier to drive modern supercar" then I humbly suggest that perhaps the writers of PH are perhaps more used to supercars than us mere peons and that, to normal folks who are used to driving a Focus or a Polo, a supercar IS still a scary place to be!
It is a scary car as it is sooooooooooooo fast! Faster than an SLS by a margin. Drove my first SLS last weekend. Very nice car.
I agree with Paul's assessment and conclusions. People do slag off old cars like my Countach. It is an intimidating car to drive. It isn't as bad as some suggest, but is night and day different from a modern supercar. I drove mine back to back, with a 360CS; F430, Diablo VT and SV. Suffice to say mine was the one everybody was perspiring after driving, but were grinning from ear to ear!
A very biased viewpoint, but hope it helps inform.
Paul
I don't think it's a case of not scary, I think it's a case of easier to drive. Give me the key to an Aventador and I wouldn't think twice about jumping in and blobbing off to ASDA. Throw me the key to a Diablo SV and I'd find myself a bit intimated. Not entirely sure why, the Aventador is just as capable in every conceivable manner, but just appears.. softer, if that makes sense.
Either way, my lottery money would be going on the Diablo.
Either way, my lottery money would be going on the Diablo.
HeMightBeBanned said:
Scary doesn't need to come in supercar form, either. My old Honda-powered Elise wearing AO48s and a cold / wet road was often terrifying.
this, pretty much - so supercars are more of a demonstration of what can be done with technology now. You can still get raw, focused cars if you want - just not from the traditional manufacturers. I wonder whether the Hennesey venom gt is a capable cruiser? (genuine question)Is this story the same as me recently trading my perfect V10 R8 Spyder for a supercharged V8 Vette ZR1?
The R8 was perfct, just too much so. The ZR1 isn't and that's why for once, I agree with Clarkson when he reviewed both end to end a few years ago and gave the thumbs up to the Z. Bouncy plastic rear end and all...
The R8 was perfct, just too much so. The ZR1 isn't and that's why for once, I agree with Clarkson when he reviewed both end to end a few years ago and gave the thumbs up to the Z. Bouncy plastic rear end and all...
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