Could a modern Integra Type R be done?

[snorkel sucker]

BlueTwo2 said:

Will a manufacturer ever again turn over one of their regular, mundane cars to the engineers and say "Here you go lads, make this car fun"?

No.

Because selling a car means appealing to the general public, not members of Pistonheads.

What do porsche sell more of; their GT3 RS, or a 911 cabrio with pdk gearbox, sat nav, aircon, heated seats and all the trimmings...

[EDLT]

Crusoe said:

aspen said:

What I'd really like is a car with around 250bhp, around 1100kg, Coupe, RWD, under £25k for a raw drivers car whilst retaining an element of practicality. Problem is, not too many people would buy a car without a/c, cruise control, leather, loads of airbags, sound deadening etc.

Why buy that when you could have a E46 with 343bhp for £10k

Didn't know you could still buy a new E46, and so cheap!

[300bhp/ton]

BlueTwo2 said:

Some good points.

I don't really care about the FWD/RWD thing in this discussion. Although I said "modern ITR", I could live with RWD if someone wanted to make something similar. The main thing really, was whether a regular manufacturer, i.e. not Lotus and the like, could make something so focused these days?

The safety regs I was talking about include things like having airbags in every conceivable place they can go! Side of the seats, the pillars, the dash etc. etc.

Will a manufacturer ever again turn over one of their regular, mundane cars to the engineers and say "Here you go lads, make this car fun"?

I reckon the RX-8 R3 wasn't so far off tbh. Very focused and lots of chassis tweaks to make it handle better.

[jatinder]

stinkysteve said:

Isn't the Megane R26R (i think) exactly what this is all about?

Perspex windows, no comforts etc?

I thought that too, it is a modern version of the DC2

[Terminator X]

aspen said:

What I'd really like is a car with around 250bhp, around 1100kg, Coupe, RWD, under £25k for a raw drivers car whilst retaining an element of practicality. Problem is, not too many people would buy a car without a/c, cruise control, leather, loads of airbags, sound deadening etc.

The Ren Megane R26.R was almost that though yet didn't sell ... my ideal car albeit I never splash out on brand new metal. Coming in to my price range now though



TX.

Edit - apols to stinkysteve who mentioned the R26.R on previous page

Edited by Terminator X on Wednesday 11th May 13:56

[jagfan2]

Megane R26R ? ~1200kg but closest in ideology to the DC2 (or certainly the DC5), but shows the market for one as struggled to sell 500 i think, with 200 ish in the UK, so not exactly a big market, when something like a Focus ST or CTR was 10-15k / year !

[iphonedyou]

I realise it stopped production last year, but I'd say it was a successor to the teg, as well as to the Civic. I don't know, just musing, lol.

Edited by iphonedyou on Wednesday 11th May 14:00

Interestingly enough, I think the days of relatively affordable performance cars are numbered, I really do - if only because running them will become prohibitively expensive due to tax, insurance and fuel costs.

So I've decided I'm buying a DC5 now, and enjoying it for as long as I can.

Edited by iphonedyou on Wednesday 11th May 14:02

[slipstream 1985]

BlueTwo2 said:

Some good points.

I don't really care about the FWD/RWD thing in this discussion. Although I said "modern ITR", I could live with RWD if someone wanted to make something similar. The main thing really, was whether a regular manufacturer, i.e. not Lotus and the like, could make something so focused these days?

The safety regs I was talking about include things like having airbags in every conceivable place they can go! Side of the seats, the pillars, the dash etc. etc.

Will a manufacturer ever again turn over one of their regular, mundane cars to the engineers and say "Here you go lads, make this car fun"?

could you argue the rx8 is a bit like that. they just had to add the airbags abs etc to broaden the market. a proper hardcore version no sound deadening no abs etc,

eta should have read the whole topic

[Terminator X]

We owned a DC5 up until about a year ago. Awesome car which turned heads wherever it went. In white natch

TX.

[otolith]

I think the sales problem with the R26.R was the deletion of the rear seats. A large proportion of the hot hatch market falls into the bracket of "want a sports car, can't live with one". Once you've turned your 23k hot hatch into a two seater, you aren't competing against other hot hatches so much as used sports cars, and while the R26.R was massively capable and looked mean, a secondhand Exige is also massively capable and looks pornographic.

[Speed_Demon]

If only.

As it is I'm looking at picking a DC2, giving it a good overhaul and sticking in some tasty bushes, bracing, sway bar And chucking out the rear seas, A/C etc. I have a feeling that will a better drive than 90% of the hot hatches on sale today.

[aspen]

Something quite small as well. 3 Series feel big compared to the DC2 (which was quite long but felt small).

The R26.R is close but losing the rear seats kills the practicality.

The FT-86 has the potential if they bring out a lightweight version but it will be the wrong side of £30k probably.