More Than The Sum Of Its Parts
Discussion
There are cars that when you drive it you wonder how they got it so right? What makes that particular car so good? What does it have that gives you a grin like a Cheshire Cat when you go to the shops? There are a few.
One that immediately spring to mind are the VW Up GTi. It’s only got 115bhp, the noise is fake inside, it’s a tarted up city car. Yet every time I get in it I smile, It makes me giggle on winding country roads, My eight year old son wants me to use all the revs whenever I can.
But it’s a warm VW that costs less than a basic Polo.
What other cars give you that feeling, but shouldn’t? Or are punching way above their weight?
One that immediately spring to mind are the VW Up GTi. It’s only got 115bhp, the noise is fake inside, it’s a tarted up city car. Yet every time I get in it I smile, It makes me giggle on winding country roads, My eight year old son wants me to use all the revs whenever I can.
But it’s a warm VW that costs less than a basic Polo.
What other cars give you that feeling, but shouldn’t? Or are punching way above their weight?
Edited by RosscoPCole on Friday 16th June 10:12
The original Mazda MX-5 was made of relatively ordinary parts, including the 323 engine, and in fact there was a big gap between what it cost to make and what people were willing to pay, which made it such a success for Mazda. I think that's an example of fairly ordinary ingredients being made into a pretty tasty dish.
samoht said:
The original Mazda MX-5 was made of relatively ordinary parts, including the 323 engine, and in fact there was a big gap between what it cost to make and what people were willing to pay, which made it such a success for Mazda. I think that's an example of fairly ordinary ingredients being made into a pretty tasty dish.
Agree, I had one and it was sublime even if my wife to be disagreed with how I drove it round wet roundaboutsThe first BMW X5 (E53) felt to me the best SUV out of those I've driven. The right size, drove fantastically, was luxurious enough without being over-complicated, was the right balance of comfort and sporty.
Another favourite is the BMW M5 (F10), I felt that was a very fun car, and felt to be just the right size and right amount of "excessive" power
Another favourite is the BMW M5 (F10), I felt that was a very fun car, and felt to be just the right size and right amount of "excessive" power
I'll avoid delving info the "cars that were unsurprisingly good" and try stick to the brief. After owning and driving lots of quick/fun cars, the one I've always been Impressed by?
Renault Laguna Mk2 1.8 16v.
I was a stop gap car, somewhat awkward looking, plasticy, unreliable key card thing, sure. But to drive? Lovely. Impressively fun down any road with good grip, a fair turn of pace from a 120bhp engine (with a throaty roar), a cabin that felt like a cockpit, practical space and most importantly, at all times supremely comfortable.
I followed it up with an Alpina B10 4.6 V8, great, but I preferred driving the Laguna. I loaned it to a friend for a week, and after much prior scepticism, he came back in love with it. When it was time to get rid, I sold it to a colleague, who immediately wrote it off. Shame.
I'd happily have another, a 2.0 turbo ideally but all models seem few and far between. I still miss it.
It's a personal feeling of course, but if that's not a car that's more than the sum of its parts, I don't know what is.
Renault Laguna Mk2 1.8 16v.
I was a stop gap car, somewhat awkward looking, plasticy, unreliable key card thing, sure. But to drive? Lovely. Impressively fun down any road with good grip, a fair turn of pace from a 120bhp engine (with a throaty roar), a cabin that felt like a cockpit, practical space and most importantly, at all times supremely comfortable.
I followed it up with an Alpina B10 4.6 V8, great, but I preferred driving the Laguna. I loaned it to a friend for a week, and after much prior scepticism, he came back in love with it. When it was time to get rid, I sold it to a colleague, who immediately wrote it off. Shame.
I'd happily have another, a 2.0 turbo ideally but all models seem few and far between. I still miss it.
It's a personal feeling of course, but if that's not a car that's more than the sum of its parts, I don't know what is.
numtumfutunch said:
samoht said:
The original Mazda MX-5 was made of relatively ordinary parts, including the 323 engine, and in fact there was a big gap between what it cost to make and what people were willing to pay, which made it such a success for Mazda. I think that's an example of fairly ordinary ingredients being made into a pretty tasty dish.
Agree, I had one and it was sublime even if my wife to be disagreed with how I drove it round wet roundaboutsEdited by GravelBen on Friday 16th June 02:01
Personally I had a Civic EJ coupe USDM 2000 model year. I've had many nice cars and I've driven many nice cars. Nothing ever comes close to how wonderful I found that civic. The EJ is the coupé but I'm imagining the same would go for the EK as well. Completely normal and frankly boring car wouldn't look twice at in a car park almost invisible, I expect the driver to be over 80 years old etc
That double wishbone suspension all round is what really makes it special. Just so nice to drive and comfortable at the same time. VTEC engines are so fun. The lack of torque makes putting power down in the corners all the more fun, the engine runs backwards so that you don't have extra inertia in the driveline from a transaxle. The battery is also mounted to improve weight distribution
And also the Mercedes-Benz W169A class, I do still have one along with a Volvo. Pretty much deserves a half hour documentary. If Sir Issagonis was still alive he might not like the luxury features too much, but he would have been incredibly impressed with the way it made use of space and managed to be one of the safest small cars you could ever hope for. They look so ordinary and like the civic sometimes it's seen as an old people's car. The amount of engineering that went into them was phenomenal, The outside to inside space is the most extreme of any car I've ever seen. It's really honestly golf or Astra room inside but is 2 mm shorter than the last model Ford KA. I cannot describe the build quality. The glove box opens like a jewellery case. The quality of the materials is true Mercedes standard not half price or half cut because it's the smallest model. It represented the best of Mercedes Benz in the smallest dimensions following on from the disaster that was the previous 168. They are also really freaking weird. A true front mid engine car with the engine and transmission behind the front wheels, only other car I can think of like that is the citroën Maserati SM. A special parabolic rear axle, pick up truck technology but adapted for vehicle use. It's so weird to see that the rear wheels are not joined by an axle. So it's got all of that going on but literally passes everybody by as a cheap piece of old crap. Mercedes.
So for me two very ordinary cars that are way more than the sum of their parts
That double wishbone suspension all round is what really makes it special. Just so nice to drive and comfortable at the same time. VTEC engines are so fun. The lack of torque makes putting power down in the corners all the more fun, the engine runs backwards so that you don't have extra inertia in the driveline from a transaxle. The battery is also mounted to improve weight distribution
And also the Mercedes-Benz W169A class, I do still have one along with a Volvo. Pretty much deserves a half hour documentary. If Sir Issagonis was still alive he might not like the luxury features too much, but he would have been incredibly impressed with the way it made use of space and managed to be one of the safest small cars you could ever hope for. They look so ordinary and like the civic sometimes it's seen as an old people's car. The amount of engineering that went into them was phenomenal, The outside to inside space is the most extreme of any car I've ever seen. It's really honestly golf or Astra room inside but is 2 mm shorter than the last model Ford KA. I cannot describe the build quality. The glove box opens like a jewellery case. The quality of the materials is true Mercedes standard not half price or half cut because it's the smallest model. It represented the best of Mercedes Benz in the smallest dimensions following on from the disaster that was the previous 168. They are also really freaking weird. A true front mid engine car with the engine and transmission behind the front wheels, only other car I can think of like that is the citroën Maserati SM. A special parabolic rear axle, pick up truck technology but adapted for vehicle use. It's so weird to see that the rear wheels are not joined by an axle. So it's got all of that going on but literally passes everybody by as a cheap piece of old crap. Mercedes.
So for me two very ordinary cars that are way more than the sum of their parts
ajap1979 said:
Yep, read the title and the up! GTI immediately sprung to mind. Objectively mediocre, but somehow just right.
Fully agree, mine is an absolute hoot, and surprisingly quick on B-roads- it also ‘feels’ quicker than it actually is, a bit refreshing these days in the era of super hatches etc where you can’t really use the performance off a track.Agree with MX5 as well, in particular NA and NB.
The fiat X19. The only car I regret selling.
On the face of it there wasn't much. a 1300cc engine, no space to swing a car, front brakes that locked up half an hour before the rears, and the sort of unfathomable wiring that only the Italians could comprehend, and incredibly bad rust problems
But it was like being in a toy ferrari. Every journey was redline engine screaming and really good sound just behind your head. The car could drive around the outside of pretty much any car on the road, and on track it was awesome.
On the face of it there wasn't much. a 1300cc engine, no space to swing a car, front brakes that locked up half an hour before the rears, and the sort of unfathomable wiring that only the Italians could comprehend, and incredibly bad rust problems
But it was like being in a toy ferrari. Every journey was redline engine screaming and really good sound just behind your head. The car could drive around the outside of pretty much any car on the road, and on track it was awesome.
Alex_225 said:
Much like the UP! Gti, the RenaultSport Twingo 133 was a similar kind of feeling.
Underpinnings from the previous generation Clio but a better laid out interior, I'd say better handling than the Clio 172 but modest power and fun in the old school sense of hot hatches.
I always prefered the little 1.2 turbo on those, great little things though in either case.Underpinnings from the previous generation Clio but a better laid out interior, I'd say better handling than the Clio 172 but modest power and fun in the old school sense of hot hatches.
I'd also like to add the Ford Puma to the list
Alex_225 said:
Much like the UP! Gti, the RenaultSport Twingo 133 was a similar kind of feeling.
Underpinnings from the previous generation Clio but a better laid out interior, I'd say better handling than the Clio 172 but modest power and fun in the old school sense of hot hatches.
Similarly I've been impressed with our 2016 Fiesta Ecoboost 123bhp. Bought after our previous Fiesta was written off, it was chosen because of it's specification: O/H wanted heated seats, I wanted pull-up handbrake and no electronic gizmos.Underpinnings from the previous generation Clio but a better laid out interior, I'd say better handling than the Clio 172 but modest power and fun in the old school sense of hot hatches.
It needs to be revved like hell but once you do that it's very rapid and is good in the twisties too. Its gearbox could be improved but in every other way it's better than I expected given its modest spec.
Forums | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff