Definition of a supercar
Discussion
A while back my friends and I got into the discussion of "what is a supercar". There are the easy ones ... any car from Lambo, Pagani and Ferrari etc.
Then you have the middle ground Porsche, Aston, etc. Are they super cars or sports cars? Does it depend on model Eg feeling a 911 GT3RS is a supercar, but a boxster isn't?
What about brands that aren't normally associated with super cars but have something thats not run of the mill eg not Audi generally but the R8 etc?
Of course none of this really matters but what are your views?
Then you have the middle ground Porsche, Aston, etc. Are they super cars or sports cars? Does it depend on model Eg feeling a 911 GT3RS is a supercar, but a boxster isn't?
What about brands that aren't normally associated with super cars but have something thats not run of the mill eg not Audi generally but the R8 etc?
Of course none of this really matters but what are your views?
Loads of discussions on this, here's one of them https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=13...
Yipper said:
A supercar is defined as a car at launch with super looks, super speed, super noise, super price, and super badge.
When the looks go south and the performance is worse than a BMW or Merc that you can get on PCP for £300 a month I'd be inclined to say its not a supercar any more. Algarve said:
Yipper said:
A supercar is defined as a car at launch with super looks, super speed, super noise, super price, and super badge.
When the looks go south and the performance is worse than a BMW or Merc that you can get on PCP for £300 a month I'd be inclined to say its not a supercar any more. It probably even needs an extra element added for the buying experience:
A supercar is defined as a car at launch with super looks, super speed, super noise, super price, and super badge, sold in a super showroom.
Yipper said:
For example, a BMW M3 looks like something driven by a recruitment consultant, so it's not in the supercar bucket.
I'm definitely not saying an m2/m3 is a supercar, I'm saying the existence of it prevents a 355 (and probably a 360) being a supercar to me.Yipper said:
sold in a super showroom.
So no Xj220 or Ford GT? Or the very high end Audi r8?MKnight702 said:
Cough... Lamborghini Countach Cough...
Can you honestly say that this is no longer a supercar?
v12, extreme looks, excellent brand, still turns heads, rare/valuable etc - I'm not going to relegate this one like a standard spec 355 Can you honestly say that this is no longer a supercar?
So because a 250 SWB is slower than a current BMW/golf, it is not a supercar?
The classification of a car does not change just because it gets older and technology moves on. Cars do become more or less desirable over time though (although again not necessarily driven by performance compared to cars from different eras)
The classification of a car does not change just because it gets older and technology moves on. Cars do become more or less desirable over time though (although again not necessarily driven by performance compared to cars from different eras)
Algarve said:
Yipper said:
A supercar is defined as a car at launch with super looks, super speed, super noise, super price, and super badge.
When the looks go south and the performance is worse than a BMW or Merc that you can get on PCP for £300 a month I'd be inclined to say its not a supercar any more. Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 14th November 15:03
MDL111 said:
So because a 250 SWB is slower than a current BMW/golf, it is not a supercar?
No of course not. I'm saying it varies on the specific circumstances and you've just went and picked the most extreme example possible 
Whats special about a 355? I realise some won't agree but to me it looks dated, its not particularly fast, doesn't handle particularly well, isn't particularly rare/valuable, and doesn't do anything particularly well.
Next to drop of the supercar list - 997 Turbo. poverty spec 360. Poverty spec gallardo (will need to get rid of mines before i recategorise it
)Personally I think a car gets the "supercar" title at birth, based on a whole host of factors and based on its performance relative to everything else AT THAT TIME.
Once a supercar, always one - irrespective of technological advances that make yesterdays supercar no quicker than todays hot hatch.
Is it subjective what defines one car as a supercar and another as not? Maybe. For instance I don't personally feel any mainstream Porsche as being a supercar (e.g. any modern 911 Turbo). But I feel the 918 is.
I don't personally think brand matters.
Once a supercar, always one - irrespective of technological advances that make yesterdays supercar no quicker than todays hot hatch.
Is it subjective what defines one car as a supercar and another as not? Maybe. For instance I don't personally feel any mainstream Porsche as being a supercar (e.g. any modern 911 Turbo). But I feel the 918 is.
I don't personally think brand matters.
Algarve said:
MDL111 said:
So because a 250 SWB is slower than a current BMW/golf, it is not a supercar?
No of course not. I'm saying it varies on the specific circumstances and you've just went and picked the most extreme example possible Whats special about a 355? I realise some won't agree but to me it looks dated, its not particularly fast, doesn't handle particularly well, isn't particularly rare/valuable, and doesn't do anything particularly well.
Next to drop of the supercar list - 997 Turbo. poverty spec 360. Poverty spec gallardo (will need to get rid of mines before i recategorise it
)It had an engine revving to c 8.5k rpm in 1994, it nigh on hit 300 kph, under 5 sec to 100, it has a classical supercar shape, pop up headlights, expensive when new, expensive to run/own/service, an amazing open gated 6-speed gearbox, best sounding car possibly ever, first Ferrari to use any semblance of underfloor aero I think, etc
Algarve said:
Yipper said:
For example, a BMW M3 looks like something driven by a recruitment consultant, so it's not in the supercar bucket.
I'm definitely not saying an m2/m3 is a supercar, I'm saying the existence of it prevents a 355 (and probably a 360) being a supercar to me.Yipper said:
sold in a super showroom.
So no Xj220 or Ford GT? Or the very high end Audi r8?MKnight702 said:
Cough... Lamborghini Countach Cough...
Can you honestly say that this is no longer a supercar?
v12, extreme looks, excellent brand, still turns heads, rare/valuable etc - I'm not going to relegate this one like a standard spec 355 Can you honestly say that this is no longer a supercar?
Older supercars enter the "classic supercars" bucket after, say, 5, 10 or 15 years.
Algarve said:
No of course not. I'm saying it varies on the specific circumstances and you've just went and picked the most extreme example possible
Whats special about a 355? I realise some won't agree but to me it looks dated, its not particularly fast, doesn't handle particularly well, isn't particularly rare/valuable, and doesn't do anything particularly well.
Next to drop of the supercar list - 997 Turbo. poverty spec 360. Poverty spec gallardo (will need to get rid of mines before i recategorise it )
The 355 is felt by many to be one of the most beautiful cars they made and I feel the same way. For a 1994 car it had nearly 400hp and was fast for its time. It has the classic ferrari gateshift gearbox. It sounds incredible. Actually handled very well if set up properly. Oh .... and the market seems to agree as they are appreciating in value, good ones are rare and now worth north of 100k! Whats special about a 355? I realise some won't agree but to me it looks dated, its not particularly fast, doesn't handle particularly well, isn't particularly rare/valuable, and doesn't do anything particularly well.
Next to drop of the supercar list - 997 Turbo. poverty spec 360. Poverty spec gallardo (will need to get rid of mines before i recategorise it
)Arguably a gallardo looks dated next to an LP, which in turn looks dated next to a Huracan. Does that mean only the Huracan is a supercar?
Gassing Station | Supercar General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff