What is the point of fast cars on the road?
Discussion
A thought I keep on having recently is what is the point of driving fast cars on the roads? I own a Clio 182 and recently owned a Mercedes 560 SEC, both of which I would describe as fast but not a patch on a lot of modern performance cars, even fairly mundane hot hatches and diesel repmobiles. At no point have I ever thought "damn, if only I had more power". Accelerating to the speed limit takes just a few seconds and there is only one gear in which full power can be used legally (1st just spins the wheels and 3rd+ takes you to way over the limit).
As for overtaking, if I am following a car doing 45mph in a NSL and go for an overtake I will be doing ~80mph as I come alongside which is more than quick enough, much more power and one would be looking at instant ban speeds.
This is why I just don't understand the point of cars like the Nissan GTR or the new 911 turbo, yes they are stupendously fast but what is the point? They are far too fast to use properly on the road so would just feel frustrating and dull and they are too big, heavy, insulated and expensive to use on the track. The same applies to most of the the big super saloons, pretty much all supercars and quite a few hot hatches and the like nowadays.
As much as my rational brain thinks this my inner 9 year old still compels me to look at buying ridiculous cars, whispering in my ear that what I really need is an E55K AMG estate or a Monaro VXR even though I know they would just be frustrating and expensive for almost no measurable benefit and I would constantly fear for my license. When I buy a car I can only ever bring myself to buy the most powerful model in the range even though I know it is pointless. All the female people I know seem to find this totally perplexing so I think it must be a male thing but what is it that compels us to desire/buy such unsuitable machinery?
Please explain/discuss.
As for overtaking, if I am following a car doing 45mph in a NSL and go for an overtake I will be doing ~80mph as I come alongside which is more than quick enough, much more power and one would be looking at instant ban speeds.
This is why I just don't understand the point of cars like the Nissan GTR or the new 911 turbo, yes they are stupendously fast but what is the point? They are far too fast to use properly on the road so would just feel frustrating and dull and they are too big, heavy, insulated and expensive to use on the track. The same applies to most of the the big super saloons, pretty much all supercars and quite a few hot hatches and the like nowadays.
As much as my rational brain thinks this my inner 9 year old still compels me to look at buying ridiculous cars, whispering in my ear that what I really need is an E55K AMG estate or a Monaro VXR even though I know they would just be frustrating and expensive for almost no measurable benefit and I would constantly fear for my license. When I buy a car I can only ever bring myself to buy the most powerful model in the range even though I know it is pointless. All the female people I know seem to find this totally perplexing so I think it must be a male thing but what is it that compels us to desire/buy such unsuitable machinery?
Please explain/discuss.
If you're only using them to drive to work, or the shops, then yes - they are too fast to use.
But if you drive to Wales, the Peak District, or wherever it may be to actually enjoy your car on beautiful roads, then they're great! Still illegal at the speeds you do, of course. But they're great!
But if you drive to Wales, the Peak District, or wherever it may be to actually enjoy your car on beautiful roads, then they're great! Still illegal at the speeds you do, of course. But they're great!
I have recently driven several hundred miles on national park B roads in the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors. A powerful, fast car with carbon ceramic brakes, sticky tyres, good suspension and quick turn-in makes such driving an unparalleled joy. You can cover much more ground than in a normal car. acceleration to whatever speed you deem acceptable on sighted straights is quicker, cornering speeds are higher (entry, around the corner and exit) and the whole experience is fantastic fun. When I was stuck in traffic on less exciting roads, like the A65, I was able to get past the queues, using whatever safe opportunities became available.
There is a lot of point to fast cars.
There is a lot of point to fast cars.
I often wish I had more power (Alfa 156 2ltr, ~150bhp).
It's making progress off a roundabout in an empty lane two. It's being responsive and swift in an overtake. It's coming out of a bend, up a hill, and not hanging about. It's effortlessly and lazily wafting with an understressed engine. All of this can be legal.
I'm sure at some point, maybe not far beyond the sort of PWR of the 182, there are diminishing returns for legal road use.
It's making progress off a roundabout in an empty lane two. It's being responsive and swift in an overtake. It's coming out of a bend, up a hill, and not hanging about. It's effortlessly and lazily wafting with an understressed engine. All of this can be legal.
I'm sure at some point, maybe not far beyond the sort of PWR of the 182, there are diminishing returns for legal road use.
TonyHetherington said:
jimmyone said:
You own a Clio .....
That was completely unecessary, and frankly rude. He owns a Clio 182. A superb car.I can't quite answer the question in any profound way, but all I can say is that having my "fast" cars, makes me very happy. I would probably cover the same distance at a similar pace in a machine with lower spec, but fast cars are usually fun cars for a lot of different reasons! It's how you get to 80 MPH to make that overtake I guess...?
AdvocatusD said:
TonyHetherington said:
jimmyone said:
You own a Clio .....
That was completely unecessary, and frankly rude. He owns a Clio 182. A superb car.
HonestIago said:
jimmyone said:
You own a Clio .....
What do you own then? http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
This was sort of my point, the Clio isn't really that fast in the grand scheme of things any more but still feels faster than can be safely and legally used on the roads to me.
.
kambites said:
For me, the sensation of speed is important, actual speed is not past a certain point.
The holy grail is a slow car that feels fast.
I agree very much with this. Cars which are low to the ground, have minimal sound deadening and NVH reduction, are ideally open topped and have communicative suspension/controls are ideal for generating the sensation of speed without necessarily going that fast. This makes for a more enjoyable drive than just going really fast (for me). This is why the only "supercar" (ish) that I desire is the Ariel Atom The holy grail is a slow car that feels fast.
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