What was the worst major company produced sporty type of car?

belteshazzar wrote: '84 fiero. 90hp iron duke with a 4500rpm redline, that felt/sounded too high. 4sp trans, so 70mph max. weird handling. not to mention the problems. worst of all, they looked cool.

There are sure a lot of cars being talked about here that I would never think of as sporty at all. Things like Thunderbirds - maybe, for a brief moment in the 1950s, and given the competition, the Tbird might have been considered sporting, but that was lost when they added two more seats in 1958. Gawd - the last generation in the 2000s is a boulevard cruiser with no sporting aspirations at all.

What you say about the Fiero is true, but there were mitigating circumstances. The designers wanted to build a sports car but GM wouldn't approve it, so they sold them a commuter car instead, figuring correctly that once they got it into production they could gradually sneak the bits they really wanted to use in - which they did over the next four years until the 1988 Fiero GT was a sports car that could hold its head up among other acknowledged sports car.

In reply to ArthurDent:

More than a body kit perhaps, but did you know anyone that had one when they were new? I did and it was the biggest POS of a new car I've ever seen.

I bring to you a Hyundai.. not the Tiburon.. but the predecessor.. the SCoupe.

mad_machine wrote: I bring to you a Hyundai.. not the Tiburon.. but the predecessor.. the SCoupe.

Those are kinda fun in turbo form, though.

My litmus test for this question is "Is there enough fun buried in the car for me to even want to mess with it?"

I'd mess with probably 80% of what's listed in here.

I still maintain that Bravenrace and i picked the right answer on the first page with the FWD convertible Capri.

These were so sporty they even came with opera lights and/or a landeau roof.

Klayfish wrote: These were so sporty they even came with opera lights and/or a landeau roof.

With a 351 and a ram air hood, painted the right color, it might be an interesting choice for the era. Certainly easier to see out the back of than the fastback version of the same car.

Actually, not to pick on the Mustang, I've owned several, but they put out some clunkers too. The 4 cyl model, particularly the early 80's. Talk about a "secretary's car"...sporty pretentions but nothing more. 4 cyl Camaro of the same era would fall into this as well....nothing says sporty like an Iron Duke powered Camaro.

1966stang wrote: With a 351 and a ram air hood, painted the right color, it might be an interesting choice for the era. Certainly easier to see out the back of than the fastback version of the same car.

Still an effing hippo and the Sapporo was a Mitsu tht was never meant to be sporty and of course Chrysler couldn't be bothered to even try and bring the sporty ones over they just wanted to meat the CAFE standards and appease their Mitsu compatriots.

In reply to Klayfish:

And you can't forget the horrible, no good, very bad Mustang II.....in all its iterations....

1982 Camaro with the Iron Duke 4 Cylinder and 3-speed automatic. 0-60 in 20 seconds. Ugh.

1966stang wrote: As far as modern actual sports cars go, I would say 370 Z.

Seriously? You have got to be kidding.

93EXCivic wrote:

1966stang wrote: As far as modern actual sports cars go, I would say 370 Z.

Seriously? You have got to be kidding.

I could see an argument for the the 350Z, but the 370 seems to have corrected many of the ills the 350 had. Still don't like the silly exhaust note on any of the Nissan/Ininiti models, trying too hard there folks.

pinchvalve wrote: 1982 Camaro with the Iron Duke 4 Cylinder and 3-speed automatic. 0-60 in 20 seconds. Ugh.

The early 'parts bin' Fieros with the 3 quart oil capacity Iron Dukes and Chevette/Citation suspension fall in this category as well. In 1988 they finally got the thing close to right then killed it. You go, GM.

Now I am wondering about my definition of sporty car. To me, camaros and mustangs are not sporty cars. They are muscle cars (or in the case of some of the nominees in this thread, muscle car wanna-be's), but not sporty. The FWD Capri, early Fieros and the Scoupe I can see as poor sporty type cars.

But, whatever you call it the 4 cylinder mustangs and any20 second 0-60 camaro are cars that are not what they seem. They are either really bad at being what they are supposed to be, or really good. Not sure.

T.J. wrote: Now I am wondering about my definition of sporty car. To me, camaros and mustangs are not sporty cars. They are muscle cars (or in the case of some of the nominees in this thread, muscle car wanna-be's), but not sporty. The FWD Capri, early Fieros and the Scoupe I can see as poor sporty type cars. But, whatever you call it the 4 cylinder mustangs and any20 second 0-60 camaro are cars that are not what they seem. They are either really bad at being what they are supposed to be, or really good. Not sure.

But a muscle car is a type of sporty car, its a very wide description, used to describe cars people would think of as some type of sporty. 77 thunderbird, coupe, gigantic gas hog motor, according to ford it was sporty http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9233jAtWfo

Everything made in America during the 70s. OK I'll admit a retro-disco sort of attraction to the screaming chicken Firebird, but basically from an enthusiast standpoint, if you wiped that decade out of the collective consciousness, you wouldn't miss much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-w4g90EnTU

Chevy Vega anyone? I wouldnt mind getting ahold of a hatch or camback model from 71 though

Geo Storm

Lest we not forget the 1978 Ford European Sports Sedan.

and Sports Coupe:

I actually dont mind that Granada Coupe.....I need help....

AMC Concorde AMX. Sad namesake to the real AMX.

http://globalcarbrands.com/i/amc/amc-concord-amx/amc-concord-amx-06.jpg

93EXCivic wrote:

1966stang wrote: As far as modern actual sports cars go, I would say 370 Z.

Seriously? You have got to be kidding.

Overpriced. Genesis V6 gets the same 0-60 1/4 mile and track times as the Nismo version that costs almost $20,000 more.

The car is behind.

I'm surprised by the fiero hate. For a mid 80's car the interiors were not that bad, the 2.8l cars are decent performers. The looks are good and the cars respond well to GRM type mods. Handling on the pre 88 is good if you actually keep the tie rods, bushings, and shocks in good shape. I had both an 84 and a 86v6 both where good entry level sports cars. Compared to other early 80's options it wasn't bad.

ryanty22 wrote: Chevy Vega anyone? I wouldnt mind getting ahold of a hatch or camback model from 71 though

Just want to add that the Vega was my pick on Page 1.

We agree on that!

Plus, I don't agree about the Dodges, I'd LOVE me some home-made Turbo Horizon or a Shelby GLHS!