Definition of a supercar
Discussion
Supercar:
Dictionary: A very expensive fast or powerful sportscar with a centrally located engine.
A supercar is car with a design that stands out from the rest and offers exceptional performance and uses premium materials (carbonfiber, etc) and looks stunning with no regards to manufacturing cost over beauty and that require the average guy to steal from several banks to pay for and that a child dreams of owning. Ideally it would be the absolute premium product the manufacturer could offer at the time and hence would have exclusivity and rarity.
I think an exotic has a large overlap with super car, but you could get an exotic that is not a super car and vice versa. There is also the Hypercar. Eg Bugatti Chiron.
For me, 911 is a sportscar. GT2 is a supercar. 918 is an exotic and a hyper car.
Dictionary: A very expensive fast or powerful sportscar with a centrally located engine.
A supercar is car with a design that stands out from the rest and offers exceptional performance and uses premium materials (carbonfiber, etc) and looks stunning with no regards to manufacturing cost over beauty and that require the average guy to steal from several banks to pay for and that a child dreams of owning. Ideally it would be the absolute premium product the manufacturer could offer at the time and hence would have exclusivity and rarity.
I think an exotic has a large overlap with super car, but you could get an exotic that is not a super car and vice versa. There is also the Hypercar. Eg Bugatti Chiron.
For me, 911 is a sportscar. GT2 is a supercar. 918 is an exotic and a hyper car.
Chris355 said:
The 355 is felt by many to be one of the most beautiful cars they made and I feel the same way. For a 1994 car it had nearly 400hp and was fast for its time. It has the classic ferrari gateshift gearbox. It sounds incredible. Actually handled very well if set up properly. Oh .... and the market seems to agree as they are appreciating in value, good ones are rare and now worth north of 100k!
Arguably a gallardo looks dated next to an LP, which in turn looks dated next to a Huracan. Does that mean only the Huracan is a supercar?
Hear hear. F355 was/ is still a fantastic SUPERcar. Supercar status is earned at the time and not a moving goal post. Arguably a gallardo looks dated next to an LP, which in turn looks dated next to a Huracan. Does that mean only the Huracan is a supercar?
Ok technology has moved on and there are faster/better cars but its a Ferrari classic.
I've got a couple of modern supercars and a couple on their way but nothing will surpass my F355 GTS manual with capristo
Any definition of a supercar will satisfy two requirements:
1. It will be different from everybody else's.
2. It will exclude at least one genuine supercar.
That said, every Ferrari qualifies, every Lambo - save the tractors, and the LM002 - which is undeniably super - but isn't a car. A similar argument eliminates the Panamera. Included are all McLarens, the R8, the E26 M1, the original V8 Vantage, a 930 Turbo surely is, but not the Boxster, most of which would be quicker. Tougher borderline cases: where does a 400 bhp mid-engined car sit these days - Cayman in or out? GT4? Evora?
1. It will be different from everybody else's.
2. It will exclude at least one genuine supercar.
That said, every Ferrari qualifies, every Lambo - save the tractors, and the LM002 - which is undeniably super - but isn't a car. A similar argument eliminates the Panamera. Included are all McLarens, the R8, the E26 M1, the original V8 Vantage, a 930 Turbo surely is, but not the Boxster, most of which would be quicker. Tougher borderline cases: where does a 400 bhp mid-engined car sit these days - Cayman in or out? GT4? Evora?
Chris355 said:
The 355 is felt by many to be one of the most beautiful cars they made and I feel the same way. For a 1994 car it had...
In 1994 a lot of todays supercar buyers were trying to make it through the day without filling their nappy times move on.Chris355 said:
Arguably a gallardo looks dated next to an LP, which in turn looks dated next to a Huracan. Does that mean only the Huracan is a supercar?
Don't be silly, you could use that argument to suggest only a Veryon is a supercar. For me a Gallardo is a supercar... old ones will soon fall out of that category. Huracan will be there for the next 10 years 
R8 is very polarising in this discusion. Personally to me it is supercar... hand built, glass engine cover, open gate manual box, looks like a supercar. With the right carbon options it looks exotic
Maserati Granturismo - not a supercar but exotic for what it is. In truth it has supercar looks, sound & running costs but not the performance, drive or maybe badge
Aston V8V, normal Porsche 997 etc - just 'super cars' IMO, I wouldn't say any 911 Turbo or GT3 etc is a supercar really
For me they have to have a V8 ideally, or at least be very rare and exotic like GT2RS maybe. I don't really think that hot versions of normal models can fit the bill as well as bespoke cars with bespoke parts. Ceramic clutch on Carerra GT = pure supercar. Lots of glass and carbon fibre parts helps.
Maserati Granturismo - not a supercar but exotic for what it is. In truth it has supercar looks, sound & running costs but not the performance, drive or maybe badge
Aston V8V, normal Porsche 997 etc - just 'super cars' IMO, I wouldn't say any 911 Turbo or GT3 etc is a supercar really
For me they have to have a V8 ideally, or at least be very rare and exotic like GT2RS maybe. I don't really think that hot versions of normal models can fit the bill as well as bespoke cars with bespoke parts. Ceramic clutch on Carerra GT = pure supercar. Lots of glass and carbon fibre parts helps.
jakesmith said:
R8 is very polarising in this discusion. ....looks like a supercar.
I think to a lot of people it looks exactly like a £20k audi TT. It might be faster than a £60k Ferrari 360 or a cheap Gallardo but both of those will get all the attention out in public. I'd say attention/how many people actually care when they see it would be a factor
Show an audi R8 to 100 random people and ask them what its worth... I bet your average guess is signficantly less than its real value. Show those people a Gallardo/360/430 and I reckon the average guess will be far more than the real price.
Algarve said:
I think to a lot of people it looks exactly like a £20k audi TT.
It might be faster than a £60k Ferrari 360 or a cheap Gallardo but both of those will get all the attention out in public. I'd say attention/how many people actually care when they see it would be a factor
Show an audi R8 to 100 random people and ask them what its worth... I bet your average guess is signficantly less than its real value. Show those people a Gallardo/360/430 and I reckon the average guess will be far more than the real price.
I agree the R8 is not a supercar, it may have the performance but not the pedigree, the fact that Audi also mass produce shopping cars drags it out of the category. For me, the large volume of 911s also means that these can not be classed as supercar since most people can't tell the difference between a Carrera and a GT4.It might be faster than a £60k Ferrari 360 or a cheap Gallardo but both of those will get all the attention out in public. I'd say attention/how many people actually care when they see it would be a factor
Show an audi R8 to 100 random people and ask them what its worth... I bet your average guess is signficantly less than its real value. Show those people a Gallardo/360/430 and I reckon the average guess will be far more than the real price.
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I agree the R8 is not a supercar, it may have the performance but not the pedigree, the fact that Audi also mass produce shopping cars drags it out of the category.
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That eliminates the Ford GT40 so. Looks like Le Mans, WRC and F1 (racing in general) have really nothing to do with the 'pedigree' attributed to cars.
A supercar is label created by the mind. So for me a supercar is any car that is, or has been, in a poster on a 10-yr olds wall. A bit crazy to think that a 10-yr old has the judgment as to what constitutes a supercar, but then most of us are following those thought patterns when thinking about these cars.
For sure that mental age is also reflected in some supercar forum threads....
For sure that mental age is also reflected in some supercar forum threads....
I can tell you that generally young lads and dads certainly respond to my R8 like it's a supercar. Much more so than my 911 ever did.
Whether others class it as one is neither here or there for me, but it certainly stands out and attracts positive attention constantly. Personally I think I need the V10 to have genuine supercar performance but my V8 with sports exhaust and carbon trim is certainly a nice package.
A GTR has supercar performance but not supercar looks or appeal, so it's more than just a cars speed, it's the full package that is that's required
Whether others class it as one is neither here or there for me, but it certainly stands out and attracts positive attention constantly. Personally I think I need the V10 to have genuine supercar performance but my V8 with sports exhaust and carbon trim is certainly a nice package.
A GTR has supercar performance but not supercar looks or appeal, so it's more than just a cars speed, it's the full package that is that's required
Algarve said:
I think to a lot of people it looks exactly like a £20k audi TT.
It might be faster than a £60k Ferrari 360 or a cheap Gallardo but both of those will get all the attention out in public. I'd say attention/how many people actually care when they see it would be a factor
Show an audi R8 to 100 random people and ask them what its worth... I bet your average guess is signficantly less than its real value. Show those people a Gallardo/360/430 and I reckon the average guess will be far more than the real price.
This is utter nonsense. It might be faster than a £60k Ferrari 360 or a cheap Gallardo but both of those will get all the attention out in public. I'd say attention/how many people actually care when they see it would be a factor
Show an audi R8 to 100 random people and ask them what its worth... I bet your average guess is signficantly less than its real value. Show those people a Gallardo/360/430 and I reckon the average guess will be far more than the real price.
I have never owned one and wouldn't personally call it a supercar but the general public would definitely. They are very much the head turner and do draw a crowd, maybe not to the level of an Aventador or such though.
And you would have to be pretty blind or stupid to actually mistake an R8 for a TT... the 360 looks more like a F430 than an R8 looks like a TT.
I think people standing looking at a older V8 R8 would suggest the price is vastly higher than the 40k they can be bought for.
Oh and for all Lambo & Ferrari owners (me included) the R8 gets more attention from the girls, they are more trendy, popular and tend to be driven by younger people, unlike the plethora of 55+ yr old leering, cringey Ferrari owners who give the brand a bad name amonst the young generation.
Edited by Craigwww on Wednesday 15th November 07:51
R8 is an interesting one. It has some similarities to the 911. The Gen 1 V8s are essentially a Carrera 4s, not a super car. Great sports car. The V10 is a competitor to the GT3 / turbo. Arguably a super car.
The Gen 2 are competitors with Mclarens, Turbo 's' and the like.
But the gen 1 V8 has a rarity, central engine so a difficult one to clearly define.
The Gen 2 are competitors with Mclarens, Turbo 's' and the like.
But the gen 1 V8 has a rarity, central engine so a difficult one to clearly define.
Supercar needs to be an uncompromising expression of speed, handling and style. 2 seat mid engined lambos/fez meet this. Audi R8 too, sorry snobs:P 4 seat/door M5 less so. Mad versions of the 911 sneak in, but not sure if most astons are a little too lux?
Oh, and the idea a car stops being a supercar as new cars are quicker is a little silly.
Oh, and the idea a car stops being a supercar as new cars are quicker is a little silly.
Craigwww said:
This is utter nonsense.
I have never owned one and wouldn't personally call it a supercar but the general public would definitely.
The general public definitely wouldn't... general pisthonhead users maybe. Park one up in grey or blue and its just an Audi to a lot of people.I have never owned one and wouldn't personally call it a supercar but the general public would definitely.
Craigwww said:
And you would have to be pretty blind or stupid to actually mistake an R8 for a TT
Thats a bit unfair. To a lot of people who have no interest in cars its just another Audi, a sporty shape one. I'd say a supercar needs to turn heads of everyone, not just people with PH logins or who can tell you who won the f1 in 1954.Craigwww said:
Oh and for all Lambo & Ferrari owners (me included) the R8 gets more attention from the girls, they are more trendy, popular and tend to be driven by younger people, unlike the plethora of 55+ yr old leering, cringey Ferrari owners who give the brand a bad name amonst the young generation.
This is simply not true at all, as much as r8 owners would probably like it to be 
You're in cloud cuckoo land if you think an r8 is going to get more attention than a Ferrari or Lambo.for me, for a car to be a supercar it has to have the "right stuff" and that stuff is very difficult to quantify as a defined list of attributes to apply to car... clearly some manufacturers have the right stuff in spades, Ferrari, Lambo, Mclaren, Pagani etc etc yes even a 456 should be regarded as a supercar imo
there are some mass model manufacturers cars that clearly qualify: R8, M1, Esprit, NSX, 959, Viper, i'm in the 911 Turbo camp too... but not the GTx cars, they are too track focused, basically race cars... i wouldn't include an Ariel Atom or Radical, whilst epically capable part of the supercar requirement is being able to pull up outside the Monaco Casino with the right look, sadly parking up outside and falling out of an R500 with an Armani suit on (whilst possibly the coolest thing ever) wouldn't cut it
one car i'm really struggling with is the GTR, Nissan have the racing pedigree, the car has the performance, looks and even the price... theres just something missing that doesn't IMO make it a supercar
there are some mass model manufacturers cars that clearly qualify: R8, M1, Esprit, NSX, 959, Viper, i'm in the 911 Turbo camp too... but not the GTx cars, they are too track focused, basically race cars... i wouldn't include an Ariel Atom or Radical, whilst epically capable part of the supercar requirement is being able to pull up outside the Monaco Casino with the right look, sadly parking up outside and falling out of an R500 with an Armani suit on (whilst possibly the coolest thing ever) wouldn't cut it
one car i'm really struggling with is the GTR, Nissan have the racing pedigree, the car has the performance, looks and even the price... theres just something missing that doesn't IMO make it a supercar
I dont have an R8, but a friend does, and it draws a lot of attention. As said above, particularly with the ladies.
I dont think attention alone makes a car a supercar. Im sure a bright green focus rs draws a lot of attention but its definitely not a supercar.
I would have said you have various categories:
1. Sports cars - most Astons, most Porsches, R8, NSX, etc
2. Supercars - most models of lambo, Ferrari, Mclaren, etc.
3. Hypercars - Pagani generally, Porsche 918, La Ferrari, Bugatti Chiron, mclaren P1.
I would suggest that its a combination of brand, heritage, style, exclusivity, performance and cost. Its not necessarily clear cut and many ate arguable. I would also say that once a supercar, always a supercar.
I dont think attention alone makes a car a supercar. Im sure a bright green focus rs draws a lot of attention but its definitely not a supercar.
I would have said you have various categories:
1. Sports cars - most Astons, most Porsches, R8, NSX, etc
2. Supercars - most models of lambo, Ferrari, Mclaren, etc.
3. Hypercars - Pagani generally, Porsche 918, La Ferrari, Bugatti Chiron, mclaren P1.
I would suggest that its a combination of brand, heritage, style, exclusivity, performance and cost. Its not necessarily clear cut and many ate arguable. I would also say that once a supercar, always a supercar.
I don't think it's quantifiable. It's very much emotional. To be a supercar, a car needs to feel special every time you drive it.
Speed isn't a measure. If it were, given the current rate of advancement, in a few years you would be saying a 458 isn't a supercar. A Ferrari 355 might be slower than a modern Golf R but, if they cost the same, which one would you want to drive? A 355 is beautiful to look at, beautiful to sit in, will age timelessly, gives aural pleasure which little else can rival.
Badge is a factor but it's definitely not a prerequisite of being a supercar. I've just acquired a Noble M600 and I don't think anyone could argue that's not a supercar. Please feel free to argue exactly that
Speed isn't a measure. If it were, given the current rate of advancement, in a few years you would be saying a 458 isn't a supercar. A Ferrari 355 might be slower than a modern Golf R but, if they cost the same, which one would you want to drive? A 355 is beautiful to look at, beautiful to sit in, will age timelessly, gives aural pleasure which little else can rival.
Badge is a factor but it's definitely not a prerequisite of being a supercar. I've just acquired a Noble M600 and I don't think anyone could argue that's not a supercar. Please feel free to argue exactly that
In football terms:
Premier League.....
Any Lambo
Any Fezza post 1975
Any Macca
Any Pagani/Koenigsnegg
Porsche 918/GT
Porsche GT3 RS
Porsche GT2
Porsche 911 Turbo S (if current model)
Championship.....
Audi R8 V10
Porsche GT3
Any Ferrari pre- 1975
Porsche 911 Turbo S (older models)
Nearly cars that fit the bill but only really considered supercars by non petrol heads
Porsche GT3
Audi R8 V8
Cayman GT4
Evora 400
No BMW M cars for me. Speed wise yes, but not mid engine or uncompromising or 2 seat or even 2 + 2.
Older classic Fezza's would arguably be deemed supercars due to the super value!!
Premier League.....
Any Lambo
Any Fezza post 1975
Any Macca
Any Pagani/Koenigsnegg
Porsche 918/GT
Porsche GT3 RS
Porsche GT2
Porsche 911 Turbo S (if current model)
Championship.....
Audi R8 V10
Porsche GT3
Any Ferrari pre- 1975
Porsche 911 Turbo S (older models)
Nearly cars that fit the bill but only really considered supercars by non petrol heads
Porsche GT3
Audi R8 V8
Cayman GT4
Evora 400
No BMW M cars for me. Speed wise yes, but not mid engine or uncompromising or 2 seat or even 2 + 2.
Older classic Fezza's would arguably be deemed supercars due to the super value!!
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