RE: PH Blog: supercars - what's the point exactly?
Discussion
I've never thought that Supercars needed a point, that they exist has always been enough "point" for me.
That said, the term "Supercar" gets thrown around at all manner of machines these days that do not justify the term.
Naturally, every post Miura(yes, even the LM002 in it's own, special, way) v12 Lambo is a supercar - hell, Setright gave us the word to distinguish the Miura from GTs and sportscars etc.
(Ferraris tend to fit either of the last two categories. 911s are Sportscars)
I've always accepted the traditional definition of a Supercar as one that sacrifices everything in the name of Style and Performance. (and I've always considered the "performance" bit of that to refer to theatre rather than track ability).
That said - if a supposed supercar is comfortable: chances are that it's a GT. If it goes around corners without ripping your arms off and sulking in a hedge: it's probably a sportscar.
For all of it's glorious faults the Aventador still shouts Supercar, and probably is about a lunatic as you can expect from a major car company these days.
Weird how many comments damn the article on the strength of the title alone, then again - if you follow its line of questioning too far you get to:
PH Blog: Humans - what's the point, exactly?
That said, the term "Supercar" gets thrown around at all manner of machines these days that do not justify the term.
Naturally, every post Miura(yes, even the LM002 in it's own, special, way) v12 Lambo is a supercar - hell, Setright gave us the word to distinguish the Miura from GTs and sportscars etc.
(Ferraris tend to fit either of the last two categories. 911s are Sportscars)
I've always accepted the traditional definition of a Supercar as one that sacrifices everything in the name of Style and Performance. (and I've always considered the "performance" bit of that to refer to theatre rather than track ability).
That said - if a supposed supercar is comfortable: chances are that it's a GT. If it goes around corners without ripping your arms off and sulking in a hedge: it's probably a sportscar.
For all of it's glorious faults the Aventador still shouts Supercar, and probably is about a lunatic as you can expect from a major car company these days.
Weird how many comments damn the article on the strength of the title alone, then again - if you follow its line of questioning too far you get to:
PH Blog: Humans - what's the point, exactly?
"Technically impressive, visually gobsmacking, but the Aventador fails in every objective test."
To try and justify the Aventaor objectively isn't going to happen. The same goes for cars like the G63 AMG. They are bonkers, fabulous and rubbish all at the same time - but that's why we love them, right?
To try and justify the Aventaor objectively isn't going to happen. The same goes for cars like the G63 AMG. They are bonkers, fabulous and rubbish all at the same time - but that's why we love them, right?
Dr Interceptor said:
If I ran an automotive website and one of my journos wrote an article asking what the point of supercars was, I'd take that article as his resignation 
Even if I was a severely disfigured, with no legs, arms, and limited use of other faculties - I'd still have a supercar. I might not be able to drive it, but just to have someone start it up for me occasionally so I can hear its fire breathing engine burst into life, hear it suck in air, see what it blows out the tailpipes and smell the fumes.... BLISS.
Hence why it's nice to have old cars in the garage... you don't have to take them out - just to go and tickle them up, and run them is a pleasure in itself.
At least it would be a good way to top yourself, which I would be doing if I was in that state if possible! Lambo sounds and slowly pass out from awesome fumes!Even if I was a severely disfigured, with no legs, arms, and limited use of other faculties - I'd still have a supercar. I might not be able to drive it, but just to have someone start it up for me occasionally so I can hear its fire breathing engine burst into life, hear it suck in air, see what it blows out the tailpipes and smell the fumes.... BLISS.
Hence why it's nice to have old cars in the garage... you don't have to take them out - just to go and tickle them up, and run them is a pleasure in itself.
BarbaricAvatar said:
Hate the Aventador. Nastiest factory Lamborghini ever.
I'm sure it's an event to drive, but i wouldn't want to be seen in one.
I don't think supercars are pointless, but some of the newer ones are pretty vulgar.
I have to say I pretty much agree.I'm sure it's an event to drive, but i wouldn't want to be seen in one.
I don't think supercars are pointless, but some of the newer ones are pretty vulgar.
When I first saw the Aventador I thought it was trying too hard - the Aventador J thing is certainly guilty of this. The Museo Lamborghini now has 'brand values' signs like 'EXTREME' dotted amongst the cars - it's pretty tragic (as is the oh-so-predictable Uterus SUV thing).
But I saw a photo of a gold Aventador and I started to get excited about it. Then I saw THE gold Aventador going the other way down the M4 at Christmas and determined it was fate calling... I've even been to London to get the brochure.
I was really looking forward to PH bringing the Aventador round last week. But I didn't even hear it arrive. When I start my Diablo I get SMS messages and Facebook posts from far-neighbours. The poor old Aventador - if it doesn't exactly suck - sure sounds like a muted vacuum cleaner. I think it is, literally, quieter than my old Dyson, and you'd be hard pushed to figure out how many cylinders it's got from the noise. My Dyson is, I think, a V8.
Then we went up the road ... that gearbox ... Lamborghini, what the bloody f
k are you playing at? I no longer want an Aventador. I couldn't give a tuppenny st if I never sit in one again - I'd really rather not. The thing about the Aventador's styling is that, yeah, it's a visual shock in the spirit of 'Countach!' but it's lost that 'one man's vision' thing that made Lamborghinis so special. You either agreed with [the spirit of] Ferruccio, or you lump it. This new generation of visual shock is the product of distilled brand workshops and fools goading one another to draw another daring line and then doing f
k-yeah-high-fives. After the Aventador had gone I took a friend up the road in the Diablo on full reheat. That, Vorsprung boys, is what 'f
k yeah' is all about. bosscerbera said:
namnol said:
Stew2000 said:
Denorth said:
namnol said:
Pointless article in my opinion.
Name a BIG lambo that drives well?
Muira - no
Countach - no
Murcielago - no
Aventador - no
But does this make any of them bad cars? No.
They are purely about, power and noise and being big, that's what makes them a lambo.
does it mean Diablo drives well or you just missed it? Name a BIG lambo that drives well?
Muira - no
Countach - no
Murcielago - no
Aventador - no
But does this make any of them bad cars? No.
They are purely about, power and noise and being big, that's what makes them a lambo.
They will all make you smile but none of them are claiming to be "great to drive"
When you say drive well do you mean:
Lots of torque, can be left in one gear all day.
Makes a cracking noise.
Puts a smile on your face (which is all that counts)
Opinions are like a
holes, we all have one. The fact is as an a-b or 'ring lap time there has never been a "good" big lambo. But please don't compare a lambo to a bloody 911 GT3 or a Ferrari 458 or anything. They are what they are and thats why people buy them.namnol said:
I put my hands up - I have not driven a 6.0 Diablo but I have the rest inc a rare SV muira.
When you say drive well do you mean:
Lots of torque, can be left in one gear all day.
Makes a cracking noise.
Puts a smile on your face (which is all that counts)
Opinions are like aholes, we all have one. The fact is as an a-b or 'ring lap time there has never been a "good" big lambo. But please don't compare a lambo to a bloody 911 GT3 or a Ferrari 458 or anything. They are what they are and thats why people buy them.
You know all that from not having driven one. Impressive. When you say drive well do you mean:
Lots of torque, can be left in one gear all day.
Makes a cracking noise.
Puts a smile on your face (which is all that counts)
Opinions are like a
holes, we all have one. The fact is as an a-b or 'ring lap time there has never been a "good" big lambo. But please don't compare a lambo to a bloody 911 GT3 or a Ferrari 458 or anything. They are what they are and thats why people buy them.The 6.0 very nearly won eCOTY; it's a very different car to earlier Diablos.
Harris spoke about the difference between waht drivers want from a sports car vs a supercar in a Evo video on Turbo cars across the decades (Cult of the turbo if you want to Youtube it). When talking about the XJ220 he spoke of how in a sports car unpredictable power delivery from a turbo is bad, you want a precise machine, where as in a Supercar you want excitement and intimidation, and not completely trusting the car is good for a supercar, pretty rubbish for a sports car.
Think he summed it up well.
There are purests and then there are lambo owners...
Think he summed it up well.
There are purests and then there are lambo owners...
'Supercars what's the point' oh dear, PH you have finally lost the plot...what you want is a nice little shopping car, or better still a bus pass..and shopping bag on wheels....
The whole point of any pursuit of perfection or extreme is 'Because you can', alternately just join the rest of the drones and worry about Corro, or vote on the next witless talent show....come PH we know you guys are struggling for headlines but this was a low point ;-)
The whole point of any pursuit of perfection or extreme is 'Because you can', alternately just join the rest of the drones and worry about Corro, or vote on the next witless talent show....come PH we know you guys are struggling for headlines but this was a low point ;-)
most posts here seem to be about the thrill such a car can give us mere mortals lucky enough to see and hear one on the move and we know we will never own one nor drive one, but still we get that wow factor just from being near one and that feeling to us is free.
It is the owners I feel sorry for, they pay out ludicrously large amounts of money to own a car that when all said and done can only really be enjoyed on a track or an autobahn , That is one very very expensive way to put a smile on your own face, you should buy a second hand Noble, have a shed load of money left over and still keep that smile you were willing to pay so much for.
It is the owners I feel sorry for, they pay out ludicrously large amounts of money to own a car that when all said and done can only really be enjoyed on a track or an autobahn , That is one very very expensive way to put a smile on your own face, you should buy a second hand Noble, have a shed load of money left over and still keep that smile you were willing to pay so much for.
Seeing the title of this thread and the first commenter : "Ex Boy Racer" name written along it made me 
Anyway to the point:
A track car is way faster than a supercar in track,more usable and way cheaper (Lambo calipers+discs may cost around 10K) for track use too.
A sports car is faster and easier to drive and maybe more rewarding (say Exige S etc) in a B-road.
A hot hatch is way better than a supercar for everyday use.
So what are supercars for? For their amazing noise and looks i think,so they do have a point.
Anyway to the point:
A track car is way faster than a supercar in track,more usable and way cheaper (Lambo calipers+discs may cost around 10K) for track use too.
A sports car is faster and easier to drive and maybe more rewarding (say Exige S etc) in a B-road.
A hot hatch is way better than a supercar for everyday use.
So what are supercars for? For their amazing noise and looks i think,so they do have a point.
radio man said:
most posts here seem to be about the thrill such a car can give us mere mortals lucky enough to see and hear one on the move and we know we will never own one nor drive one, but still we get that wow factor just from being near one and that feeling to us is free.
It is the owners I feel sorry for, they pay out ludicrously large amounts of money to own a car that when all said and done can only really be enjoyed on a track or an autobahn , That is one very very expensive way to put a smile on your own face, you should buy a second hand Noble, have a shed load of money left over and still keep that smile you were willing to pay so much for.
I really really really don't feel sorry for the owners tbh! Come on seriously - owning a supercar has to be on every single petrolhead's top 10 to do list for life. Even driving a lambo at 5mph for 5 seconds would make me ecstatic! It is the owners I feel sorry for, they pay out ludicrously large amounts of money to own a car that when all said and done can only really be enjoyed on a track or an autobahn , That is one very very expensive way to put a smile on your own face, you should buy a second hand Noble, have a shed load of money left over and still keep that smile you were willing to pay so much for.
radio man said:
most posts here seem to be about the thrill such a car can give us mere mortals lucky enough to see and hear one on the move and we know we will never own one nor drive one, but still we get that wow factor just from being near one and that feeling to us is free.
It is the owners I feel sorry for, they pay out ludicrously large amounts of money to own a car that when all said and done can only really be enjoyed on a track or an autobahn , That is one very very expensive way to put a smile on your own face, you should buy a second hand Noble, have a shed load of money left over and still keep that smile you were willing to pay so much for.
Even driving my Ferrari slowly brings a big smile to my face as does everytime I look at in sitting stationary in the garage, noble's are nice but not that nice.It is the owners I feel sorry for, they pay out ludicrously large amounts of money to own a car that when all said and done can only really be enjoyed on a track or an autobahn , That is one very very expensive way to put a smile on your own face, you should buy a second hand Noble, have a shed load of money left over and still keep that smile you were willing to pay so much for.
John.
We all know supercar are a joke! Too fast, too big, too costly and we still want them.
If you just want something different buy a kit car. You get a rare car with factory surrport and save a lot of money. Get both in with an Ultima, a kit supercar that can out perform most other supercars.
If you just want something different buy a kit car. You get a rare car with factory surrport and save a lot of money. Get both in with an Ultima, a kit supercar that can out perform most other supercars.
benzito said:
I really really really don't feel sorry for the owners tbh! Come on seriously - owning a supercar has to be on every single petrolhead's top 10 to do list for life. Even driving a lambo at 5mph for 5 seconds would make me ecstatic!
I thought that too. Massive expectation, but bitterly disappointed with the reality. I think that on any given 'B' road an Impreza or Lancer would leave any supercar for dead. Possibly it would be even in an 'A' road as the supercar would still have the constraints of other slower traffic to deal with.
But that misses the point;
If I won the Euro Millions would I go and buy a Lancer?
Yes, as a 'B' road tool but only after buying an F40 and a 288 - cos I could!
But that misses the point;
If I won the Euro Millions would I go and buy a Lancer?
Yes, as a 'B' road tool but only after buying an F40 and a 288 - cos I could!
I have just bought a baby LP560-4 and have to say that it IS FANTASTIC - beautiful, fast, noisy (with the vacum tubes sealed off) and turns any journey, no matter how mundane, into an event(ador)!
Just come back from 1,000 miles over the weekend in a car rally and cannot tell you how many fascinated and enthusiastic enquiries I got from Lambo fans young and old.
Supercars rock!
Just come back from 1,000 miles over the weekend in a car rally and cannot tell you how many fascinated and enthusiastic enquiries I got from Lambo fans young and old.
Supercars rock!
After reading posts here I have to ask what exactly constitutes a supercar?
Is a 458 or MP4-12C for example a 'supercar'?
As they faster than most old supercars – i.e. a Diablo, probably even an F40 – and even nearly as fast as a Macca F1. And they are bonefide supercars in most sense I believe, i.e., 2 seat mid-engine, low, wide superfast cars. Might not be as stupidly wide as some supercars but still wide and low in the grand scheme of things.
I drove an MP4-12C and I thought it was amazing. Felt unbelievaby fast, I wonder an aventador feel any faster than a MP4-12C? Can anyone who has drive them both - and accelerated flat out in both – tell me?
Due to the fact its similar power, is lighter and has twin turbo rush yet still revs out. I have driven fast cars, inc a Ferrari 360, Audi R8, but the MP4 is in a different league performance wise, it felt twice as fast as a R8 for example. Sounded fab too, for all the people say its doesn’t sound that great but I thought it did – though probably not as nice as a flatplane crank Ferrari I have to admit, but still sounds acceptably good.
A 458, MP4-12C etc would be super enough a car for me – I’d be happy enough with one of them
If either other of them aren’t flashy enough for you then there is something wrong with you
Is a 458 or MP4-12C for example a 'supercar'?
As they faster than most old supercars – i.e. a Diablo, probably even an F40 – and even nearly as fast as a Macca F1. And they are bonefide supercars in most sense I believe, i.e., 2 seat mid-engine, low, wide superfast cars. Might not be as stupidly wide as some supercars but still wide and low in the grand scheme of things.
I drove an MP4-12C and I thought it was amazing. Felt unbelievaby fast, I wonder an aventador feel any faster than a MP4-12C? Can anyone who has drive them both - and accelerated flat out in both – tell me?
Due to the fact its similar power, is lighter and has twin turbo rush yet still revs out. I have driven fast cars, inc a Ferrari 360, Audi R8, but the MP4 is in a different league performance wise, it felt twice as fast as a R8 for example. Sounded fab too, for all the people say its doesn’t sound that great but I thought it did – though probably not as nice as a flatplane crank Ferrari I have to admit, but still sounds acceptably good.
A 458, MP4-12C etc would be super enough a car for me – I’d be happy enough with one of them
If either other of them aren’t flashy enough for you then there is something wrong with you
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