What car thread of a different sort.

I have been lurking here for a few years and I keep thinking of this car or that car.

But I haven't seen anyone ask, What is the ultimate car?

The criteria: Best all around sporting car. Budget not included.

I keep coming around to two vehicles that, in my mind are tied.

The Lotus 7/Locosts based cars (Dala7/Caterham/Donkervoort/Stalker) or the New Nissan GTR.

The Locosts are lighter, purer, more nimble and, IMHO, have more character.

The GTR is more advanced, stable in more conditions, better street car(read comfortable) and is faster on top end (acceleration is a toss up but the GTR is more consistent due to launch control)

so DISCUSS!!!!

I'd say GTR because it seems more all around. The Lotus is like my Escort; a big go-kart. If I want the ultimate CAR, between the two, its the GTR. But, hey, I'm partial to the Nissan Skyline, so what do I really know?

In reply to N Sperlo:

You can suggest anything, those are just my dilemmas.

BTW, shocking you didn't say Miata given where this discussion is.

911 Turbo. Drop the kids off at school in total luxury, than blow the doors off of everything this side of a Veyron.

Aston Martin makes a few cars that are beautiful, powerful enough for public roads, and have enough seats to haul a couple of my kids at a time. For the money they cost, spending real money that I have, I'd never buy one, but take away the real money restriction and I'd love one.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage.

OR

E63 AMG wagon

Why not just ask 'what colour smells the best' because that will probably be easier to answer.

Bob

I'd have to go with dusty rose as the best smelling color. puece has to be the worst.

Best sporting car? Yeah, not gonna touch that.

Then don't. It is an opinion based on what would qualify for ones needs and desires.

Someone who thinks having their username by their avatar is enough and doesn't need to type it out on every post

BEST sporting car? GTR or ZR1
"sporting" car that I want the most out of all of them? I'd say an F40 probably. I love them.

In reply to corytate:

So your opinion of the best sporting car is not the one you would take?

Strange

FlightService wrote: In reply to corytate: So your opinion of the best sporting car is not the one you would take? Strange

was not sure if the f40 could be in the running as its not the best all around. probably not even tolerable on the street

388 gto.

If I had to drive it on the street as well, I will add that I will own on of these in the next year or so if I can find a good one.

If pure track was the only thing

I can not believe on this board, this thread has only had 15 posts.

Shameful

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: 388 gto.

First car that popped in my head too. Or Stratos. Or Aventador. Or Sti swapped subaru RS. Or Skyline. If price is no option than I want something that revs very high and sounds wicked. Built mkIV Supra. Built FD RX7. Lotus Esprit V8. I can't pick one.

Before I got to my list I had a very impressive list of cars to start with.

Z06 911 Turbo Aston Martin Audi R8 BMW M5 Ferrari 458 Toyota Supra WRX STi 2011 Mustang GT350 Cadillac CTS-V Arial Atom MB SLS AMG McClaren Fax Machine even the Veyron FFR Cobra " Type 65 Ultima GT-R

I mean some really great cars (the AC 378 Zagato wasn't out when this process started)

Then I went to the numbers. You had some dominate in one form or another. The reason I went the way I did is by elimination and what I want in a sports car

Character, Driving experience, performance, uniqueness, Style, Fun.

A Z06 is just a Vette in the style department so that is out on Uniqueness

A 911, to me, is a super car just not a supercar, it puts out supercar numbers but nothing else. I think the fact there is very little difference in the 911 hurts it as a supercar. It is just a sports car. I find the styling at this point un-inspiring. I would own one in a second because of the drive, but I feel it is not an ultimate sporting car because, it just feels normal. Not in the driving sense just the emotional one. I understand this is just my opinion, don't get me wrong. I love Porsches. I find them fun and entertaining, but in the end the emotion is just that of a simple grin.

The Aston is like a tailored suit. It does everything well but not spectacular and it oozes class.

You could go down the list and eliminate them one by one.

The Nissan GTR and Locosts are phenomenal performers. They take on cars 2x - 10x their pricetags and win. The judicious application of technology (one is new tech the other is lightness) is a work of art.

If it wasn't for the Nissan Badge you would think the GTR is something else. It is an exercise in styling the merges the subdued with the outlandish. It pulls it off extremely well. You look at the GTR in person an you have to think the car is just barely containing itself. The interior is spacious for a coupe, and the car behaves itself when you don't put your foot in it. The overall configuration makes it a great GT. Then you have the track performance that humbles Ferrari, Porsche, and just about everything in between. You don't have to be Senna to drive it fast. It doesn't have this secret pact with the devil to ad to his daily quota. It just goes. The limits are for track only yet those limits are so high that on a country back road you are well beyond the limits of it's rivals while the GTR is only yawning.

The Locosts are just a retro styling theme that never went out. They look like someone wanted to build a classic British roadster. Something they can get their brown leather gloves, drivers cap, and white scarf and take a ride on the two lanes on the weekend. Just a reason to put on a fake British accent, call trucks lorries, sip tea and call the local Yanks. No one ever suspects that the car can do 1+ Gs, 0-60 < 4 seconds, and an 11 second quarter mile. It is a true sleeper.

I find these two a very formidable pair. The TG lap times are with in 0.1 seconds. Where one is a new tech playground, the other is old school function. They are completely different paths to the same end. A great driving experience that gives you a reason to get up early on the weekend and watch the sun come up in the rear view mirror.

Pretty obvious that the GTR will be a better all around car,I mean you can't take anything with you in a locost except 1 person max,if it rains your wet,if its cold your cold,if its sunny your burnt.

Switch priorities to mostly track duty(and maybe just driving to the track)and for me the locost takes over,lightweight and a pure unaided driving experience wins over a fat,comfy computer driven car everytime.For sure the track times will be close if the track contains no really long straights but the locost will a more rewarding drive imo.

Having said that the GTR is near the top of the "when I win the lottery" list.

My interpretation of "sporting car" would be as follows:
1. Street legal at a minimum. If it were for the track, it would be a "track car" or "race car".
2. Storage and passenger count is not a primary consideration, but not having enough storage for a weekend for 2 away might detract.
3. Needs enough power to easily pass on a 2-lane road or highway.
4. Sublime handling while not beating you up.
5. Inclement weather performance is definitely a secondary consideration.

Given that, my first thought would be a Cayman R. I almost feel like I'd have to be a millionaire many many times over to own a Ferrari or such and actually play with it. It would feel like too much of an investment otherwise.

Also, given the answers provided, it sounds like stock cars only. Otherwise, I might have to say some sort of LS-swapped Mazda (Miata, FD RX-7, or RX-8)

Schmidlap wrote: Why not just ask 'what colour smells the best' because that will probably be easier to answer. Bob

White, duh...

Raze wrote:

Schmidlap wrote: Why not just ask 'what colour smells the best' because that will probably be easier to answer. Bob

White, duh...

There are some who say white is not a color but the sum of all colors. It smells like the key of E.

I am going to second the 911 being the best all around car. Not only is it a car you can take down the street to the store, work, inlaws, and church, but you can turn it around and kill cones, do a lap of the ring, and buzz down the autobahn at 150+ for hours at end.

All this and is reliable (water cooled cars excluded) as gravity, comfortible, and good to look at.

When the weather gets bad.. throw some snows on it and the rear engine will let you dig through anything

Morgan Aero 8

Drive one, and you will never question it's absolute perfection as the best sporting car ever.

"I couldn't agree more."