Your Holy Grail?
Discussion
chevronb37 said:
This.
I love the V6 Exige but I'd like a slight variation to it:
- The scavenging effect of the supercharger is highly noticeable, especially blipping the throttle on downchanges. I'd love a low-inertia, high-revving, exotic V6 or V8 developing 350-400bhp.
- Lower centre of gravity.
- More up-to-date intertia.
- Faster, sweeter gearbox.
Essentially: Lotus ride / handling; Porsche mechanical engineering; Ferrari agility and flamboyance. I 200 miles around North Yorkshire and Cumbria in my S1 Exige yesterday and it's the minimal size, absolute agility and total interia-free savagery of the drivetrain which make it so fun to drive. The outright peformance is miles off my 911 and yet nothing I've driven can touch it for driver fun. A slightly more grown-up, better-engineering example would be divine. Off-the-scale fun.
You boys have hit the nail on the head for me ..... other than I want mine in a small hatch / coupe and the ability to carry my bikes on the back.I love the V6 Exige but I'd like a slight variation to it:
- The scavenging effect of the supercharger is highly noticeable, especially blipping the throttle on downchanges. I'd love a low-inertia, high-revving, exotic V6 or V8 developing 350-400bhp.
- Lower centre of gravity.
- More up-to-date intertia.
- Faster, sweeter gearbox.
Essentially: Lotus ride / handling; Porsche mechanical engineering; Ferrari agility and flamboyance. I 200 miles around North Yorkshire and Cumbria in my S1 Exige yesterday and it's the minimal size, absolute agility and total interia-free savagery of the drivetrain which make it so fun to drive. The outright peformance is miles off my 911 and yet nothing I've driven can touch it for driver fun. A slightly more grown-up, better-engineering example would be divine. Off-the-scale fun.
I've owned loads of cars and each has had particular qualities that I love but nothing is available to meld all the best aspects into one.
Toltec said:
Integroo said:
How about a screaming small capacity high revving four cylinder in a four seat three door coupe where the rear seats fold down for improved practicality, with RWD.
A cross between an Integra and S2000 then?I may or may not be looking to buy a Type R of some description or an S2000 and there isn't quite one that ticks all the boxes ...
I can fantasize but given the constraints of practicality I'd have to take my near perfect for my circumstances Peugeot 208gti Prestige as a starting point. Then the work would begin.
Obviously the first priority would be addition of an opening facility to the panoramic sunroof for bald head tanning.
To be perfect it would need the trick LSD, stiff anti roll bars and wider track from the sportier editions (but I'd combine that with the compliant ride of the Prestige). An engineer from lotus would probably come in handy to dial in perfect responsive handling whilst keeping a comfortable ride.
This would be a daily driver not a track day hero and that being the case I'd also like a less noisy exhaust note at 70-80mph motorway cruising (the resonating drone at said speed is the car's worse fault in my opinion).
I suppose as we are dreaming it would be nice to lose 100kgs without losing any comfort or refinement but going back to reality as Peugeot coaxed out 267bhp out of the same engine in the RCZ type R whilst keeping it civilised, reliable and everyday useable I'll take that too.
Obviously the first priority would be addition of an opening facility to the panoramic sunroof for bald head tanning.
To be perfect it would need the trick LSD, stiff anti roll bars and wider track from the sportier editions (but I'd combine that with the compliant ride of the Prestige). An engineer from lotus would probably come in handy to dial in perfect responsive handling whilst keeping a comfortable ride.
This would be a daily driver not a track day hero and that being the case I'd also like a less noisy exhaust note at 70-80mph motorway cruising (the resonating drone at said speed is the car's worse fault in my opinion).
I suppose as we are dreaming it would be nice to lose 100kgs without losing any comfort or refinement but going back to reality as Peugeot coaxed out 267bhp out of the same engine in the RCZ type R whilst keeping it civilised, reliable and everyday useable I'll take that too.
My daily holy grail:
A modern version of the Citroen CX estate:
- Typical wacky-futuristic Citroen styling
- A body made from a steel-aluminium mix, so it's light and no more than 1300 - 1400 kg (similar to the original), but with modern crashworthiness
- Massive boot and comfortable seating for 5 in a plush and soft interior
- Citroen hydropneumatic suspension combining the Hydractive 3+ with the Activa suspension, allowing to switch between magic carpet ride, no-roll-supercar-slaying handling, and high clearance for winter / offroad driving
- Hydraulic steering with a direct rack and a lot of feedback
- Selectable all wheel drive
- A naturally aspirated engine, perhaps a high-revving 3 litre V6, around 350 bhp
- 6 speed manual transmission
- No electronic gimmicks like lane-assist, autopilot, autonomous braking etc. Only a regular cruise control, ESP and ABS
- Good stereo is a must
My sportscar holy grail:
Small, light two-seater coupe, a modern variant of the Alfa GTV
- Front engined, rear wheel drive, Italian sexy styling, red
- Enough boot space for a weekend away for two
- Lightweight, ideally 900 kg or less
- Twin-cam high-revving NA four pot under the bonnet, 2l, about 200 bhp
- Hydraulic steering with a direct rack
- No, or minimal electronic safety gizmos
- Comfortable interior, but with minimal amount of plushness, comfortable cloth seats and AC is all that I want
- 6 speed manual transmission
- Once again, a good stereo
A modern version of the Citroen CX estate:
- Typical wacky-futuristic Citroen styling
- A body made from a steel-aluminium mix, so it's light and no more than 1300 - 1400 kg (similar to the original), but with modern crashworthiness
- Massive boot and comfortable seating for 5 in a plush and soft interior
- Citroen hydropneumatic suspension combining the Hydractive 3+ with the Activa suspension, allowing to switch between magic carpet ride, no-roll-supercar-slaying handling, and high clearance for winter / offroad driving
- Hydraulic steering with a direct rack and a lot of feedback
- Selectable all wheel drive
- A naturally aspirated engine, perhaps a high-revving 3 litre V6, around 350 bhp
- 6 speed manual transmission
- No electronic gimmicks like lane-assist, autopilot, autonomous braking etc. Only a regular cruise control, ESP and ABS
- Good stereo is a must
My sportscar holy grail:
Small, light two-seater coupe, a modern variant of the Alfa GTV
- Front engined, rear wheel drive, Italian sexy styling, red
- Enough boot space for a weekend away for two
- Lightweight, ideally 900 kg or less
- Twin-cam high-revving NA four pot under the bonnet, 2l, about 200 bhp
- Hydraulic steering with a direct rack
- No, or minimal electronic safety gizmos
- Comfortable interior, but with minimal amount of plushness, comfortable cloth seats and AC is all that I want
- 6 speed manual transmission
- Once again, a good stereo
MorganP104 said:
The advert is wrong. Whilst Chris Bangle was Head of Design at BMW around the same time as the release of the E39, it was not one of his. The E39's designer was Japanese, Joji Nagashima.
Another common misconception is that the E38 7-Series and the E39 5-Series were designed by the same person. The E38 7-Series was actually penned by Austrian designer Boyke Boyer.
Thanks, thought I was right to call it, but not certain.Another common misconception is that the E38 7-Series and the E39 5-Series were designed by the same person. The E38 7-Series was actually penned by Austrian designer Boyke Boyer.
I'd like a new Lotus Esprit from the stalled project under the Bahar era. With the new developed V8 engine, obviously properly designed and tested. Not the first though, it would have to be a special edition GT version with more extreme aero, weight saving, carbon brakes and all the race bits and bobs.
In red please.
In red please.
John Laverick said:
You boys have hit the nail on the head for me ..... other than I want mine in a small hatch / coupe and the ability to carry my bikes on the back.
I've owned loads of cars and each has had particular qualities that I love but nothing is available to meld all the best aspects into one.
That would be another good one: exotic hot hatch. The hot hatch taken to the nth degree. All the engineering and materials input you'd expect from a class leading supercar but in a 3dr practical format. Rwd allowed and encouraged, has to be a 4 cylinder or possible small capacity v6 I've owned loads of cars and each has had particular qualities that I love but nothing is available to meld all the best aspects into one.
Something small, 90’s and light like an S1 106 Rallye or a Suzuki Cappucino with a custom carbon tub and carbon fibre body, ultra lightweight OZ wheels, super quick steering rack , LSD, 4wd, antilag , fancy susopension gubbins , either a manual or Sadev sequential, completely stripped out interior in alacantara, Sparco buckets, cage, OMP wheel and harness, no sound deadening, and most importantly
An 11500RPM 4cyl screamer with VTEC. With tonnes of low end torque. Supercharging could be an option.
An 11500RPM 4cyl screamer with VTEC. With tonnes of low end torque. Supercharging could be an option.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 23 September 17:36
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 23 September 17:38
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 23 September 17:39
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