...apparently not for me. I loved my old Miata, but give me a hot hatch or a GT car anyday. I like the fact the Wasserboxer has grown in size. I like that a Mustang doesn't cowl shake like crazy and now makes a great high speed cruiser. A Boxster is a great car and about as much of a sports car as I think I want and I would go PDK over a manual any day of the week.
There I said it. I like GT cars better than true sports cars. Except the new Miata, those are pretty sweet.
Queue semantics argument. 
I think the same thing about the FR-S vs my Fiesta ST. I love driving my car, and I get a back seat and a hatch. On the street, FWD vs RWD is less of an issue and I don't need to be drifting into my office park. If I were in my 20's again it might be a different scenario, but give me a hot hatch any day. My exception is an S2000. Top down, great lines, screaming engine...I still love those things.
I've gotten convertibles out of my system at this point. I own a Miata, but I'd rather have a coupe or sedan.
In reply to RossD:
I am a FWD hater but I loved my 2010 MINI Cooper S way more than I would had imagined. I can’t believe how much fun it was. Not Miata fun, but other than some torque steer and lack of drift ability I never notices the fronts driving.
Have a 2013 Mustang GT vert and a 2010 NC and have more fun in the Miata.
News Flash - Sports cars are frivolous & convertibles doubly so.
If you don't like fun, racing, or wind in your hair you need not apply.
So you are a rational person.
Sorry to hear it. Closes a lot of doors that does!
Actually, that's not true. You DID go the sportscar route, so I have full confidence that you will continue to do silly irrational stuff in the future.
Flight Service wrote: Except the new Miata, those are pretty sweet.
because the rest of sports car made, which there are very few of, kinda suck. They don't have a bar, they aren't raced in near stock form as a test to the chassis and drivetrain and they're priced to the point that the average buyer gets them for the badge, the status and to show how frivolous of a vehicle they can afford, not for enjoyable driving, testing the driver or even autocross. Outside of the Miata, some Porsches, Caterhams and Ariels there isn't a great sportscar available for less then 100k. The Frisbee twins are very good, come close to greatness, but aren't quite great. The Jaguar F Type should've been great, it looks great, it sounds great, but it is very very far from great.
(Note I haven't driven an Alfa 4C yet, but by all accounts it sounds like it is on the great sportscar list).
Thankfully Mazda holds the Miata up against it's own legacy.
What I like about a GT car vs a sports car is a sports car, by the 80/20 rule, is on all the time. I want a car that I can run at 80% and laugh. Think driving slow car fast vs fast car slow. I want something I fit in. I don't want to debate it. In my Miata I was a tight fit, but I know the new one has better ergos and I will fit, probably comfortably if it is even close to the NC. The Miata truly is a special car and thank God for Mazda as they truly seem to get it. The twins seem un-polished. Maybe a great car 10 years ago? I really, really tried to like them, but in the end I just can't get over the hump. Even the S2000 is more cramped than the Miata. I like the Z4/Z3 and the coupe versions, but then again those are more small GT cars than a true sports cars.
I guess I am just getting older. I just need to bite the bullet and get either a E36 M3 or one of the STs or an RS, or find a wrecked Focus ST and a base Mazda2 and get creative.
In reply to Woody: Sorry about your loss!
captdownshift wrote:Flight Service wrote: Except the new Miata, those are pretty sweet.because the rest of sports car made, which there are very few of, kinda suck. They don't have a bar, they aren't raced in near stock form as a test to the chassis and drivetrain and they're priced to the point that the average buyer gets them for the badge, the status and to show how frivolous of a vehicle they can afford, not for enjoyable driving, testing the driver or even autocross. Outside of the Miata, some Porsches, Caterhams and Ariels there isn't a great sportscar available for less then 100k. The Frisbee twins are very good, come close to greatness, but aren't quite great. The Jaguar F Type should've been great, it looks great, it sounds great, but it is very very far from great. (Note I haven't driven an Alfa 4C yet, but by all accounts it sounds like it is on the great sportscar list). Thankfully Mazda holds the Miata up against it's own legacy.
I have never driven one, but I thought that the C7 Z06 vette was suposed to be a great sportscar with a $80k MSRP.
I think that you can get them in auto and vert, so it can also be a GT.
Flight Service wrote: What I like about a sports sedan vs a sports car is a sports car, by the 80/20 rule, is on all the time.
Fixed that for ya.
I like the Z4/Z3 and the coupe versions, but then again those are more small GT cars than a true sports cars.
I disagree with this, at least with the Z3 since I drove one. It is/was BMW's Miata fighter.
I guess I am just getting older.
Yeah, that's probably it.
Rupert wrote: In reply to Woody: Sorry about your loss!
Don't worry about me. I think I'll be okay.
captdownshift wrote: Outside of the Miata, some Porsches, Caterhams and Ariels there isn't a great sportscar available for less then 100k.
Whahahat? I guess this comes down to how people define "sportscar" (once again, insert semantics argument here)
I think both the NSX and S2000 are pure sports cars that qualify under the 100k mark. Also, you can pick up a Lotus for under 100k. I've never driven one, but they seem to be as pure a sports car as any. Then you also have any Z06 Corvette. If that isnt a sports car, I dont know what is :P
But I do understand your sentiment, especially if you are talking NEWER cars. I just listed off a bunch of relics. It seems less manufacturers are willing to experiment with truly sporty ideas, and if they do, they are FWD cars with a sporty flair. I do really respect Mazda for being the company willing to provide the baseline, but then again thats one of the biggest reasons they do it, is because they know they have a pretty firm grip on that section of the market.
Desmond wrote:captdownshift wrote: Outside of the Miata, some Porsches, Caterhams and Ariels there isn't a great sportscar available for less then 100k.Whahahat? I guess this comes down to how people define "sportscar" (once again, insert semantics argument here) I think both the NSX and S2000 are pure sports cars that qualify under the 100k mark. Also, you can pick up a Lotus for under 100k. I've never driven one, but they seem to be as pure a sports car as any. Then you also have any Z06 Corvette. If that isnt a sports car, I dont know what is :P But I do understand your sentiment, especially if you are talking NEWER cars. I just listed off a bunch of relics. It seems less manufacturers are willing to experiment with truly sporty ideas, and if they do, they are FWD cars with a sporty flair. I do really respect Mazda for being the company willing to provide the baseline, but then again thats one of the biggest reasons they do it, is because they know they have a pretty firm grip on that section of the market.
the only sports car is a miata, that's why none are better.
I know semantics but I've always thought sports cars were a category with 2 sub-categories, roadster (convertible) and GT (hardtop).
I will admit that although I own a Miata and a MG Midget I prefer hardtops (GT) like my Opel GT myself.
In reply to Rusnak_322:
It is a crime that I didn't mention the corvette. As for the S2000 and NSX, neither is in current production. Hence no Elise/Exige mention.
Dashpot wrote: News Flash - Sports cars are frivolous & convertibles doubly so. If you don't like fun, racing, or wind in your hair you need not apply.
My brother-in-law is an engineer. Specializing in wastewater treatment. And a tightwad. Since about 1999, he's been telling me he wants a roadster. About every 3 years, he'll start sending me links to cars: used Boxsters, lots of Miatae, once an S2000. What do I think? How are they to drive? Do they have problems? Is this the right price for this car? He'll drag me through a dozen examples of each little sports car.
The last 4 cars he's actually bought, starting around 2004:
My sister used to own a '68 GTO convertible and is fully behind the roadster idea, so it sure as hell ain't her fault.
In reply to Duke:
so he asked about problems a car may have and still bought an 09 Cooper S?
...with a 3-year extended warranty. I told him to read the fine print. I can only assume he did. Besides, he'll get rid of it in 3 years anyway, after he asks me about a bunch of NC Miatas, then buys something with a hard top and 4 doors.
Mr_Clutch42 wrote:Flight Service wrote: What I like about a sports sedan vs a sports car is a sports car, by the 80/20 rule, is on all the time.Fixed that for ya.
No you broke it. Now stop that.
I don't care if it is a sedan, roadster, coupe, 2 seats, 4 seats 3 seats (F1 anyone?) It is the always on factor.
Yeah the Z3 has never been a direct competitor to the Miata. BMW always wanted to be the high end of the spectrum and it shows.
I haven't considered a Vette a sports car for a very long time. I think it fits in the GT spectrum. Sure the Z06 package turns it into a super car, but not sports car. Now I don't want to get into a semantics arguement, but the Vette, with a few models outstanding, has always been a high speed touring car. Which is great. Marketing department aside, is it a true sports car?
As far as a semantics arguement, there are always fringe vehicles that get in the way of a clear cut category, but in the end, small, lightweight, drivers car that must be pushed to be enjoyed is what a sports car is. I would rather have a comfortable cruiser that can be hustled quickly with a reasonable weight and power.
On a track will a sports car beat it? Sure probably 9/10 unless the GT has the driver mod. Will the GT car win driving to the track, running all day, driving home and taking the wife out for cosmos later without feeling like you went 10 rounds with Tyson. Every time.
Duke wrote: The last 4 cars he's actually bought, starting around 2004: * 2000-ish Mazda 626 * Early-oughties Civic Si hatch * 2007-ish Forester * 2009 Cooper S
I'm knee deep in cheap Env/Wastewater Engineers, it's what I do. Many "fully depreciated" vehicles in the parking lot.
A $5-8K Miata is a low risk intro to the roadster/fun car world. Grab your sister & pick one out for him (for Fathers Day!). Park it in the driveway and see if he puts it to use. If not, sell it off for minimal loss. Your sister will thank you....
That '09 MINI could have been fun, did he tire of it quick?
I drive a barge, and a Toyota Echo. I wouldn't know about sporting pretensions.
In reply to G_Body_Man:
as shocking as it is, you can make an echo turn
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