Cars that were too fast at the time

[SlipStream77]

The original AC Cobra must have been quite something when it was released in the early '60s.

[glazbagun]

Porsche Carrera GT? Mega performance and a reputation for being unforgiving near the limits.

[iva cosworth]

HaplessBoyLard said:

I never even sat in one, and I'm sure they weren't overly quick, but didn't the mk3 fiesta RS turbo have a chassis that really wasn't good enough for the engine it was bolted to?

Edited by HaplessBoyLard on Saturday 30th May 13:32

I owned one for 4 years and managed not to crash it ,even on a track day and with only 133 BHP it was

manageable enough.

I did try to drown it but that's noT for this thread.

[GravelBen]

It's all relative I guess. I still remember the first time I drove an Impreza STi. It was a Type RA as well, for the full experience!

[johnnnnnnyy]

Mr2Mike said:

Pat H said:

1989 VX Astra GTE 16v.

Stonking engine.

Not so stonking chassis.

Fast, but horrible to drive.

And horrible to look at.

And horrible to sit in.

And that digital speedo was horrible too.

It was a great looking car for it's time, and still looks pretty good these days I reckon. They had huge boots, nice Recaros and a decent driving position though let down by an amazingly shoddy cardboard dash and the typical hard scratchy plastics of the day. No worse than the equivalent Ford and most French hatchbacks of the time though, and it would walk away from most of them (in a straight line...)

I agree about the nasty digital dash, though apparently you could order the car with conventional analog gauges.

Just made the mistake of reminding myself !

[Alucidnation]

Leins said:

I take the point about it being based on a Vauxhall/Opel so more impact in Britain, but other than that the similarities are numerous IMO. Even the models used as a base for each were original rivals

And as the top speed was the main media point when the LC was launched, I just think it's interesting to note that the Alpina, fulfilling a very similar role, possessed a higher one a year earlier

I believe the LC top speed wasn't far off 180mph against the alpina at 160mph?

[ZX10R NIN]

My R5 Turbo after I'd dropped a 1.7 lump in it, fun but 270bhp was to much for that car a lack of Diff didn't help either.

[anonymous-user]

EnthusiastOwned said:

Polo G40

Terrible suspension, terrible chassis, terrible brakes. But at the time, ridiculous.

Erm... I'm not entirely sure how 113bhp could be 'too fast', even in a car like a Polo Coupe.

[EnthusiastOwned]

NinjaPower said:

Erm... I'm not entirely sure how 113bhp could be 'too fast', even in a car like a Polo Coupe.

Go out in one then come back to me. The chassis and drive train was/is truly terrible. Even in 55bhp form they were terrifying when you had to turn/stop. They made the Renault 5 feel composed.

[Limpet]

johnnnnnnyy said:

Just made the mistake of reminding myself !

Love it. From an era when all manufacturers weren't trying to copy VAG and BMW interiors.

[Leins]

Alucidnation said:

Leins said:

I take the point about it being based on a Vauxhall/Opel so more impact in Britain, but other than that the similarities are numerous IMO. Even the models used as a base for each were original rivals

And as the top speed was the main media point when the LC was launched, I just think it's interesting to note that the Alpina, fulfilling a very similar role, possessed a higher one a year earlier

I believe the LC top speed wasn't far off 180mph against the alpina at 160mph?

That was the E34 B10 3.5. The E34 B10 BiTurbo was 360hp with a top speed of 290km/h = 181mph

[pingu393]

Onzlouk said:

Mental

I had the one litre version without all the bodykit. I must have been lucky to survive .

[bigvanfan]

Leins said:

Alucidnation said:

Leins said:

I take the point about it being based on a Vauxhall/Opel so more impact in Britain, but other than that the similarities are numerous IMO. Even the models used as a base for each were original rivals

And as the top speed was the main media point when the LC was launched, I just think it's interesting to note that the Alpina, fulfilling a very similar role, possessed a higher one a year earlier

I believe the LC top speed wasn't far off 180mph against the alpina at 160mph?

That was the E34 B10 3.5. The E34 B10 BiTurbo was 360hp with a top speed of 290km/h = 181mph

I have a road test of the Carlton against various other super saloons, the Carlton made 169 mph the e39 v8 b10 did about 0.7 mph faster, there's no way an e34 bi turbo would do 12mph more

[s m]

Limpet said:

johnnnnnnyy said:

Just made the mistake of reminding myself !

Love it. From an era when all manufacturers weren't trying to copy VAG and BMW interiors.

I found it pretty good - the only thing with the speedo readout was when you accelerated hard and you can't see the rate of change so well as a dial.
Liked the old Quattro one as well

[Mermaid]

glazbagun said:

Porsche Carrera GT? Mega performance and a reputation for being unforgiving near the limits.

Still too fast for most people, the more powerful 918 is faster but easier to drive.

[50 not out]

I hired a rediculously quick Dodge Viper on my 40th birthday, passed everything on track including a Diablo and a 355

[Leins]

bigvanfan said:

Leins said:

Alucidnation said:

Leins said:

I take the point about it being based on a Vauxhall/Opel so more impact in Britain, but other than that the similarities are numerous IMO. Even the models used as a base for each were original rivals

And as the top speed was the main media point when the LC was launched, I just think it's interesting to note that the Alpina, fulfilling a very similar role, possessed a higher one a year earlier

I believe the LC top speed wasn't far off 180mph against the alpina at 160mph?

That was the E34 B10 3.5. The E34 B10 BiTurbo was 360hp with a top speed of 290km/h = 181mph

I have a road test of the Carlton against various other super saloons, the Carlton made 169 mph the e39 v8 b10 did about 0.7 mph faster, there's no way an e34 bi turbo would do 12mph more

Perhaps, but what I was referring to was the "outrage" the LC sparked with its quoted maximum speed, which was actually lower than the E34's

To respond to your point, I've never been at full-tilt in a BiTurbo, but it did seem a good bit stronger than the n/a lump in my 3.8 M5, so I would be surprised if it pulled up short of 170mph, but who knows. Maybe someone on here has taken one for a proper spin and can advise

Also, the E34 was more powerful than the 4.6 E39 B10

[poing]

EnthusiastOwned said:

NinjaPower said:

Erm... I'm not entirely sure how 113bhp could be 'too fast', even in a car like a Polo Coupe.

Go out in one then come back to me. The chassis and drive train was/is truly terrible. Even in 55bhp form they were terrifying when you had to turn/stop. They made the Renault 5 feel composed.

He's not wrong, Polo's of that era had no real brakes to speak of. You could probably stop faster just holding your hand out the window and creating drag. My mum had a basic one, hysterical understeer was the first thing I noticed entering a roundabout a tiny bit too fast but when I say too fast it was only too fast for the Polo as my old knackered Renault 14 managed that same roundabout much faster with no problems.

[ClaphamGT3]

Audi 200 turbo from the early 80s.

An awful lot of power delivered very quickly through the front wheels

[GroundEffect]

Ferrari F12.

A lot of reviews say the car is just too fast for the road. 730BHP and only around 1600kg. Must be incredible on the road.