Another new GT3 and more power...
Discussion
Amazing article in this months Evo by Dario Franchitti. I could relate in particular with one paragraph...
"Take the 911 RS 4.0, for example, what an epic car. But for me and where my limits are, I've got to be driving at ridiculous speeds to get a thrill from it. It's the same with the 458, and the McLaren 12C for that matter."
Exactly sums up my thoughts on the way sports cars are going. I currently have a 997 Gen2 GT3 and I can barely exploit 50% of its capabilities on the road. So what is the point? And now we have another with even more power.
As Dario says, please let car companies concentrate on feel and connection and not just how fast they can go round the ring.
Rant over!
"Take the 911 RS 4.0, for example, what an epic car. But for me and where my limits are, I've got to be driving at ridiculous speeds to get a thrill from it. It's the same with the 458, and the McLaren 12C for that matter."
Exactly sums up my thoughts on the way sports cars are going. I currently have a 997 Gen2 GT3 and I can barely exploit 50% of its capabilities on the road. So what is the point? And now we have another with even more power.
As Dario says, please let car companies concentrate on feel and connection and not just how fast they can go round the ring.
Rant over!
I understand your point however I firmly believe the new GT3 will be responsive, communicative and nimble to drive. It will also sound amazing, look amazing, handle like a go-cart, rev to 9K, and be quicker and more economical (as if that matters) than a 997 Turbo. Price is not ridiculous either (comparatively speaking). What's not to like really (apart from the stupid electric handbrake of course 
).
Now a 900BHP "LaFerrari".....that's another story
).Now a 900BHP "LaFerrari".....that's another story
DMC2 said:
Amazing article in this months Evo by Dario Franchitti. I could relate in particular with one paragraph...
"Take the 911 RS 4.0, for example, what an epic car. But for me and where my limits are, I've got to be driving at ridiculous speeds to get a thrill from it. It's the same with the 458, and the McLaren 12C for that matter."
Exactly sums up my thoughts on the way sports cars are going. I currently have a 997 Gen2 GT3 and I can barely exploit 50% of its capabilities on the road. So what is the point? And now we have another with even more power.
As Dario says, please let car companies concentrate on feel and connection and not just how fast they can go round the ring.
Rant over!
very very true, hence selling my GT3 and keeping the spyder as my fun car, it's a perfect drive with perfect power so you can actually use all the revs."Take the 911 RS 4.0, for example, what an epic car. But for me and where my limits are, I've got to be driving at ridiculous speeds to get a thrill from it. It's the same with the 458, and the McLaren 12C for that matter."
Exactly sums up my thoughts on the way sports cars are going. I currently have a 997 Gen2 GT3 and I can barely exploit 50% of its capabilities on the road. So what is the point? And now we have another with even more power.
As Dario says, please let car companies concentrate on feel and connection and not just how fast they can go round the ring.
Rant over!
I re-taxed it 1st March and after driving it again it's just awesome, it's def the best fun car I have ever owned and cheap to run.
DMC2 said:
Amazing article in this months Evo by Dario Franchitti. I could relate in particular with one paragraph...
"Take the 911 RS 4.0, for example, what an epic car. But for me and where my limits are, I've got to be driving at ridiculous speeds to get a thrill from it. It's the same with the 458, and the McLaren 12C for that matter."
Exactly sums up my thoughts on the way sports cars are going. I currently have a 997 Gen2 GT3 and I can barely exploit 50% of its capabilities on the road. So what is the point? And now we have another with even more power.
As Dario says, please let car companies concentrate on feel and connection and not just how fast they can go round the ring.
Rant over!
My experience is that there's plenty to enjoy in terms of sensory stimulation and interaction at low to moderate (road) speeds in the 4.0 whereas the 458 was comparatively dull at the same speeds. Steering feel and shifting gear accounted for a lot of the difference."Take the 911 RS 4.0, for example, what an epic car. But for me and where my limits are, I've got to be driving at ridiculous speeds to get a thrill from it. It's the same with the 458, and the McLaren 12C for that matter."
Exactly sums up my thoughts on the way sports cars are going. I currently have a 997 Gen2 GT3 and I can barely exploit 50% of its capabilities on the road. So what is the point? And now we have another with even more power.
As Dario says, please let car companies concentrate on feel and connection and not just how fast they can go round the ring.
Rant over!
Glenn McMenamin said:
So car companies just need to make cars that are no faster or more capable than the previous model...
Not a great business idea is it
G.
I don't think you get my point. Newer cars DON'T need to be faster because you can't extract the performance out of the the current crop of cars. The vast majority of people who buy 458s will never use more then 50% of its performance, so why does the next version need to be faster? Would it not be better to concentrate on feel and involvement?Not a great business idea is it
G.
I've just sold my GT3 and ordered a new Cayman, I reckon I'll at least be able to use most of its performance. No chance with the GT3, I can't remember the last time I could use full throttle through all gears.
DMC2 said:
I don't think you get my point. Newer cars DON'T need to be faster because you can't extract the performance out of the the current crop of cars. The vast majority of people who buy 458s will never use more then 50% of its performance, so why does the next version need to be faster? Would it not be better to concentrate on feel and involvement?
I've just sold my GT3 and ordered a new Cayman, I reckon I'll at least be able to use most of its performance. No chance with the GT3, I can't remember the last time I could use full throttle through all gears.
I'm totally on board with what you're saying, but other than the purists amongst us, the majority of people just want it faster, and better etc etc. I've just sold my GT3 and ordered a new Cayman, I reckon I'll at least be able to use most of its performance. No chance with the GT3, I can't remember the last time I could use full throttle through all gears.
It's just how things have and always will evolve, no doubt the 964RS lovers were having the same concerns from the era when those cars were new as well.
It's choice, if you want pure, you stay old school, but if you like the latest tech, it's there also.
G.
sootyvrs said:
One of the reasons why the Toyota GT86 has won many drivers car accolades recently..... driving pleasure at sensible speed limits...
Unfortunately numbers make headlines and you also can't demand big money for cars that don't compete in this area!
THere is fine line between haveing too much power and not having enough, the GT86 falls into the latter.Unfortunately numbers make headlines and you also can't demand big money for cars that don't compete in this area!
I think for the road circa 250/300 BHP/ton is the figure :-)
I know people lust after fast cars etc, i do, but people buy a Ferrari or hypacars or other reasons.
For enjoyment you need some thing you can use to the full but still be quite quick.
You have to have owned and lived with very fast cars to get why the OP made his post/point.
My GT3 was more fustrating than is was fun, and you only have to look at GT3 trade in's to see most people give them back after only owning them a few month, and alot have many owners in 3 years.
there are loads of great cars like that about but driving them at 50% is not much fun.
I don't mind the tech, it's not about tech and being pure, it's about being able to use what you have to the full.
Interesting article and he does have a point - This is why the new Cayman is going to sell well and the likes of the Mazda MX5 sells so well. The outright performance is not as important as the whole package. The old saying of " Its not the top speed that matters , its how it gets there " thats the important bit.
DMC2 said:
Amazing article in this months Evo by Dario Franchitti. I could relate in particular with one paragraph...
"Take the 911 RS 4.0, for example, what an epic car. But for me and where my limits are, I've got to be driving at ridiculous speeds to get a thrill from it. It's the same with the 458, and the McLaren 12C for that matter."
Exactly sums up my thoughts on the way sports cars are going. I currently have a 997 Gen2 GT3 and I can barely exploit 50% of its capabilities on the road. So what is the point? And now we have another with even more power.
As Dario says, please let car companies concentrate on feel and connection and not just how fast they can go round the ring.
Rant over!
Sort of agree with what Dario is saying but you dont have to be driving at 10/10ths and letting the back-end slide out with a Troy Queef style 'dab-of-oppo' in order to feel involved with the car!"Take the 911 RS 4.0, for example, what an epic car. But for me and where my limits are, I've got to be driving at ridiculous speeds to get a thrill from it. It's the same with the 458, and the McLaren 12C for that matter."
Exactly sums up my thoughts on the way sports cars are going. I currently have a 997 Gen2 GT3 and I can barely exploit 50% of its capabilities on the road. So what is the point? And now we have another with even more power.
As Dario says, please let car companies concentrate on feel and connection and not just how fast they can go round the ring.
Rant over!
With my old 997S I would feel connected with the car and involved in the drive even when I was popping to the shops (the long way round) to get some bread and milk from Tesco.
A high-powered drivers car can be involving - GT3 4.0 RS
A low-powered drivers car can be involving - Toyota GT86
Out of the two cars above, which one would you want to take on a trip into the Alps over the summer and which one would you want to drive 15 miles on A and B roads to work every day?
You dont have to take either of these cars to the limit in order to feel involved (but I guess you would have to thrash the nuts off the GT86 in order to have fun) So its more of a question of ...'what car do I need for the type of driving i do?'
If you drive 10 miles each day down country roads to the office then you would be better off (and feel more involved) in a Renault Clio 172 than a Zonda. If you want a car for high days and dry days or trips into Europe get a GT3!
As a side note - I would MUCH rather have the power and not need it than need the power and not have it!
Do you need to be able to take a GT3RS or Ferrari 458 up to (and over) the limit in order to feel involved and have fun?
I dont think so - Unless your name is Walter Rohrl, Dario Franchitti or Chris Harris
Edited by V8KSN on Friday 8th March 11:39
When push comes to shove, I actually find slower cars more fun than faster ones and also actually find normal cars (like my crappy 2 litre passat estate) just as much fun if not more fun to drive, than performance/sports cars.
You just can't covet, fall in love with and romance an MX5, a mk1 elise or a 118bhp caterham Classic quite as much as you can a 458 Italia.
You just can't covet, fall in love with and romance an MX5, a mk1 elise or a 118bhp caterham Classic quite as much as you can a 458 Italia.
jackal said:
....I actually find slower cars more fun than faster ones and also actually find normal cars (like my crappy 2 litre passat estate) just as much fun if not more fun to drive, than performance/sports cars....
So your Passat Estate is as much fun, if not more fun than your GT3? Hilarious! DMC2 said:
Martian O said:
So your Passat Estate is as much fun, if not more fun than your GT3? Hilarious! Don't get me wrong, I too have had fun in hire cars or crappy cars, just nowhere near as much fun as driving a sports car on the road.
Edited by Martian O on Friday 8th March 13:44
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