What is your ideal car?

[kambites]

jamieduff1981 said:

Alas true. A mini-AJP8 type thing could be little longer than a BMC A-series.

I was thinking of something along the lines of the RST V8 - a pair of motorbike top-ends bolted to a custom V8 block with a dry sump to keep the CoG low. R1 heads would be a good start since they're designed for the right sort of cylinder size, specific output, and revs.

[mclwanB]

kambites said:

jamieduff1981 said:

Alas true. A mini-AJP8 type thing could be little longer than a BMC A-series.

I was thinking of something along the lines of the RST V8 - a pair of motorbike top-ends bolted to a custom V8 block with a dry sump to keep the CoG low. R1 heads would be a good start since they're designed for the right sort of cylinder size, specific output, and revs.

If only they could then make it go longer than ~30hrs between services that'd be great.

Or even while we're at it use the bmw straight 6 bike engine to make a lightweight 3.0l v12. And supercharge.

[Back on thread]

So for car 1 (of 3) put that in a carbon tubbed version of an S2 Exige with a removable roof, fully switchable version of Lotus's track biased traction control/esp and keep the whole as near the weight of an s1.

For car 2 Lichfield an R35 to the maximum amount (power/ weight loss) that it's still a usable dd. Carbon tub ideally. Use an electric compressor for response.

For car 3 looks like an F11 520d but carbon tub, V10 from the last M5 and hybridised extensively so usable mpg etc.

Thosetc would do me. Just need to go off and knock off the design for a working replicator... and stop pretending I'm 11...

[anonymous-user]

I want a car which has a brutal V12 engine without any batteries but is free from tax and does 100 mpg.

[R E S T E C P]

ELUSIVEJIM said:

I want a car which has a brutal V12 engine without any batteries but is free from tax and does 100 mpg.

This comes close:


1916 Packard Twin-Six

V12 - yes
No batteries - yes (hand crank, so not even a starter battery!)
Free from tax - yes
You'd probably get 100mpg momentarily down a very steep hill. Not sure about "brutal", though.

[Sko77y]

Some good suggestions, for me though it'd need to have:

Shooting Brake body style with 2 (M Coupe Style)
Front Engine V6 Turbo or V8 with RWD - around 300Bhp
Maunal 6Spd Transmission
Hydraulic Steering
Proper suspension all round with a front lift kit for speed bumps.
Single or Dual exit exhaust with sports exhaust button, for the pops and bangs.
Coolant Temp Gauge, Oil Temp Gauge, Oil Pressure Gauge.
Leather/Carbon Interior (no cheap plastics)
Auto Wipers/Dual Zone Climate Control
Sunroof
No Start/Stop Technology
No Daytime Running Lights
No 'Shift Up' Light

Took longer to write up than I thought it would!

Although I may have described an engine swapped M-Coupe as it is!

[kambites]

mclwanB said:

If only they could then make it go longer than ~30hrs between services that'd be great.

Indeed, but bike engines seem to manage the revs and specific output fine so it's got to be possible if one had the development budget.

[04helipilot]

quote=Don1]Actually, my Sagaris is pretty much my dream car. Yes, the thought of a Mc F1 is lovely, but I always wanted a sports car rather than a supercar.

I then modified it to fit my real taste and view of it.
Slats cut out.
Rear reflectors moved to light cluster.
Light cluster modified.
Engine modified.



Next up: interior mods. Maybe an upgraded gearbox soon. Keep running it until something breaks/wears out then upgrade that.
[/quote]

What a stunning looking car, absolutely fabulous

[matpilch]

lordf said:

Porsche 918 body shell with the Carrera GTV10, RWD.

I like that

[RobM77]

matpilch said:

lordf said:

Porsche 918 body shell with the Carrera GTV10, RWD.

I like that

I'm not criticising, just curious, but what would that achieve that the original Carrera GT didn't?

[C7 JFW]

Joe-2z6jw said:

Why has no one said a Subaru Legacy turbo yet?

A twin scroll estate would be perfect for me. It's 4wd, fast, huge boot, great handling etc.

When I was a student I used to have an old NA estate and it was still pretty good.

Oh and did I mention it's cheap enough for a 27 year old design engineer to afford!

I actually think that you're on the right lines there.

The only real issue with the Legacy I'd say, is the fact it's pretty square in design.

[C7 JFW]

R E S T E C P said:

An small estate, no more than Focus sized, just big enough for the dogs.
Small highly tuned NA engine, like a 3.0 V8, which loves to be revved.
AWD, with suspension setup further towards sporty than comfort, but not too far.
Loads of soundproofing for road noise, very little for engine noise.
Perfect driving position, pedals not offset, small diameter steering wheel with lots of reach adjustment.
Supremely comfortable big wide deeply-padded supportive driver's seat with adjustments in every angle possible - the lower height limit should be touching the floor of the car, and I should be able to tilt the front of the base enough that I'm looking the rear passenger in the eye.
Hydraulic power steering, not electric, and only a bit - just enough so it's not a strain.
Manual gearbox.
Android head unit fully connected to all of the car's functions, everything customisable and programmable.
The choice of both auto wipers and manual multi-speed intermittent wipers.

That's actually getting much more like it.

A bloody good stereo. None of this B&O crap or Harman Kardon stuff you get in the BMWs that you could break on an afternoon listening to 1Xtra, a full, properly fitted high quality system.

Other than that, that's a great set of conditions.

[P5BNij]

A Mk1 Jensen FF, modernised under the skin where required, with a bespoke driving position to cater for my 'short arse / Italian ape' frame.

[AC43]

C7 JFW said:

None of this B&O crap or Harman Kardon stuff you get in the BMWs that you could break on an afternoon listening to 1Xtra

The 450 watt HK 7.1 system in my Merc 211 has withstood 6 years of abuse in my hands. Specifically house music abuse. I'm a (slightly deaf) veteran of the early 90's London clubbing scene and like to work it hard when the OH's not in the car. Haven't managed to break it yet, even with the recent addition of some Sub Soul CD's. Sub Soul compilations are all about modern house music. With added bass.

It does other genres well too.

But passes the house music full volume test very well. Repeatedly. For years.

[curlyks2]

Everyday practical: Audi RS2
Weekend special: Ferrari 246 GTS
Track toy: Dax Rush Quadra

[mclwanB]

C7 JFW said:

Joe-2z6jw said:

Why has no one said a Subaru Legacy turbo yet?

A twin scroll estate would be perfect for me. It's 4wd, fast, huge boot, great handling etc.

When I was a student I used to have an old NA estate and it was still pretty good.

Oh and did I mention it's cheap enough for a 27 year old design engineer to afford!

I actually think that you're on the right lines there.

The only real issue with the Legacy I'd say, is the fact it's pretty square in design.

Shut up they're rubbish. Not going to be my next car or anything...

[diehardbenzfan]

cerb4.5lee said:

diehardbenzfan said:

That doesnt make sense to me, an RS4 being gutless low down and poor to drive, I had a e46 330i auto with about 220 lbft and i changed it for an ep3 type r and before i did, i was put off by the high redline and the *140* lbft, put off because i thought it would have to be revved out all the time, what a load of bks that was, test drove it and it was completely fine, perfect in fact, never need to rev it out, short gearing means you will easily with no fuss reach 60 from say...20 mpg without passing 4000 rpm.....please explain how a 4.2 v8 audi rs4 is gutless!! You must be comparing it to an s65 amg or flying spur

I understand where he's coming from to be fair, when I had my E92 M3(manual) its relatively low torque figure of 295ibft(for a V8) and with it having max power at a very heady 8300rpm coupled to a kerb weight of over 1600kg made it feel gutless low down and it was hard to comprehend that it had 414 bhp(never felt it).

I currently have E90 330i auto with 221ibft and that to me feels woefully limp low down and it's completely limp full stop to be fair, I find it hard to believe that 140ibft is completely fine from my experience(civic does have a lower kerb weight on its side though).

to be honest I havent had experience with powerful V8's such as m3's and rs4's like you have, this is how i work it out, my mum has a 2015 120d m sport which has around 190 hp and 290 lbft, that is a lot of torque for a small hatchback and when i get in the honda after driving the bmw, i dont think, 'oh, i wish this had more power/torque' I think it is completely fine, I mean sure, the bmw has lots of low down power and you can feel the torque but maybe the honda feels fine to me because of its short gearing? If im driving respectably (hardly do lol) at 40 mph, 4th gear is at around 3500 rpm.....i always put it into 6th as i feel like im in first, very jolty.....i think it's definitely the gearing, maybe the rs4 power delivery/torque is different to the honda thus being 'gutless'

[Pulse]

Don1 said:

Actually, my Sagaris is pretty much my dream car. Yes, the thought of a Mc F1 is lovely, but I always wanted a sports car rather than a supercar.

I then modified it to fit my real taste and view of it.
Slats cut out.
Rear reflectors moved to light cluster.
Light cluster modified.
Engine modified.



Next up: interior mods. Maybe an upgraded gearbox soon. Keep running it until something breaks/wears out then upgrade that.

I've said this before, but I'll never forget sitting in your car on a PH run many years ago... It looks even better now than it did then! Certainly would be one of my choices for 'ideal car'.

[MrAverage]

My ideal car would be a revvy v8 rwd monster that does 100mpg+,£0 ved, -£100 to insure handles like it's on rails, comfortable....the list goes on.

Being serious I think the new mx5 is something I'd like to own at this moment in time

[Don1]

Pulse said:

I've said this before, but I'll never forget sitting in your car on a PH run many years ago... It looks even better now than it did then! Certainly would be one of my choices for 'ideal car'.

Happy to add a memory. Hope all is well with you.

[EthanC12S]

front mounted naturally aspirated 8000 rpm 4.8 litre V8 500bhp+, 400 ib ft of torque (fully deployable without ridiculous wheelspin!!)
11-1200kg (a bit of weight and roll affords a car a more progressive slip attitude)
RWD, manual short throw dogleg 7 speed, (specially calibrated 7th gear to reduce infuriation and fuel consumption at motorway speeds)
T Top (Corvette/NSX Esque)
Suede 300mm wheel, quality feeling control surfaces,
Good steel brakes
Hydraulic rack
Adjustable dampers a la Ohlins on Megane Trophy R
Pilot Sport 4 Tyres 280 section rear, 260 section front
Recaro Pole Position seats
Semi-shooting brake coupe/roof line, for a big boot!
370Z ish dimensions, maybe a bit bigger.

That would be a spectacular car to drive, and hopefully to be in for a significant amount of time. GT/Sports car.

Funnily enough I quite fancy the new Corvette Grand Sport