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Sports Cars - The Definitive Discussion
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Regarding "genetic material" in the S2000 and Boxster, I'm not as convinced as you. The S2000 is a ground up roadster that shares almost nothing in common with other Honda products, as best I can tell. Not that that is good or bad, it's just a fact. The Boxster, on the other hand, is the first "poor man's Porsche" in a long time that actually gets some respect from the 911 purists. Certainly a lot more than the 924, 944 or 968 ever did. Probably even more than the 928.
My ho-hum impression of the 2002 Boxster was based upon my sense that it was overpriced and underpowered. I was impressed with the steering and handling, but not the gearbox. Don't know which year S2000 you drove, but my 2002 was as good as anything I've driven, and that includes my friends 360. The 2000/2001 did have a grinding problem that was remedied for 2002, bu the short throw action has stayed fairly constant.
I still prefer sports cars that are high rpm, relatively low torque so that you can "wind them out". I wouldn't take a Corvette if one was given to me. It's engine would blow up just as a Ferrari started having fun.
To each there own, I guess. I'm going to try to get out this weekend to do some further test driving. Have a good one.
We'll see when the ZO6 drops. Then you can make your allusions to Ferrari grandeur all you want as the 427 takes it's power past the F430 and stomps it's "relatively low" torque output.
Randy
The fact that I wouldn't take a Corvette if one was given to me is purely subjective. I also wouldn't go to a Nascar event if Jeff Gordon invited me personally, but wouldn't mind a front row seat at a Formula 1 Grand Prix event.
The Corvette is definitely a contender for most horsepower for the buck. Not quite the bargain of the eco-box Subarus and Lancers that I've read about in other forums, but cheap thirills, nonetheless. Personally, I am probably never going to own an American car, at least not one from the big Three. I know all the arguments as to how they have improved in quality, fit and finish, reliability, etc., but they are still not up to my standards. And, if Shifty is permitted to voice a preferencefor the "feel" of German over Japanese, I'll voice my preference for the looks and feel of German and Japanese over American. I have yet to see an American car that wowed me with its ergonomics and crisp style. Not that everything European or Japanese is perfect, for sure, but they are generally a lot closer to my stylistic preference.
As for the Corvette vs. the 430 in performance, might want to check that one again. I'll bet the road tests confirm my suspiscion that the 430 will get to 120 mph before the Corvette gets to 100. But my preference isn't for maximum terminal velocity, but how the car feels at sub-sonic speeds.
I talked to the driver/owner and (after complimenting me on my vehicle's setup) he told me that he just couldn't find the "sweet spot" of the C32A DOHC bent six under the cover of his car.
Even though there are a lot of factors that allow sports cars to truly perform, these factors can also limit them at some tracks. Fortunately for me, the short wheelbase of my car (with stickier Kumhos on all 4 corners) allowed me to thread the twisty bits without much negotiation whereas he needed to basically throttle steer his way through. I'll be the first to admit that my car isn't big on low end torque, but the gearing and engine speed freed from the lightened valvetrain made up for it in this instance.
7,000 rpm isn't that bad for a sports car. The 505 hp LS7 in the new Z06 IS built to last, for performance, and to thrill.
One awesome sports car is the Saleen S7. Unlike many supercars today, the S7 is raced (in the American Le Man Series).
I hope GM learns a lot from the 2006 Pontiac Solstice like the fact that great steering feel counts.
Another sweet sports car is the Panoz Esperante. It has an aluminum chassis and is raced BY THE FACTORY unlike too many sports cars today. Panoz has a passion that is hard to find in other car companies today.
Germans cars don't have the build quality that they used to have just a dozen years ago.
Before you do, however, you might want to consider just how much more powerful the 430 is than the outgoing 360. According to Edmunds, the Corvette and 430 are within 20 lbs of each other in weight. The 430's 4.3 liter engine puts out 490 horsepower, 90 more than the Corvette's 6 liter. The Corvette does have 57 more foot lbs of torque, but, given the Ferrari's 8,500 rpm redline, it has a lot more room to wind out, before shifts. The lower torque is also easier to control off the line. I'm sure you are aware that the average Formula 1 car has less torque than the 430.
Edmund's lists the current Corvette's 0-60 time at 5.2 seconds. If that's correct, that's about 0.4 seconds behind a $50k M3 and a 4,000 lb M5. And light years behind the couple of early 430 tests I've read that were in the 3.8 second range. Even the Porsche 911 S which I am considering, at only 355 horsepower, beat the Corvette in a recent head to head acceleration test by one of the car magazines. The gobs of torque advantage that the Corvette had could not be put to the ground with nearly the efficiency and effectiveness of the rear engine 911. When it came to handling the twists and turns, the Corvette was even further behind the 911.
The Ferrari 360 was, IMO, a great car. But the 430 is leaps and bounds above it in power. My friend with a 360 has test driven a 430 and admitted the difference is astounding. If any $190k car can be considered a a good deal, the mere 10-15% more that the 430 costs than the former 360 is indeed a relative bargain.
So, take my bet if you remian confident. But be assured, I wouldn't be wagering the price of a 911S if I wasn't equally confident and had done some research to back it up. I would also accept a friendly wager of a couple of beers, if that is more appropriate to the spirit of Town Hall rules.
P.S. On a sad note, I don't think any of the top 100 executives at GM care about our debate. They are desperately trying to keep the company afloat. As Jim Cramer of CNBC's "Mad Money" said, if Kirk Kerkorian hadn't stepped in, the next call from GM would have been Dr. Kevorkian. From my business associates who know Ferrari, they claim that everyone there is passionate about one thing - building the best race cars and sports cars in the world. Their management doesn't have unfunded pension liabilities or skyrocketing employee health care costs occupying 90% of their workday. I feel somewhat sorry for the pickle GM finds itself in, but I predicted it nearly 30 years ago when I bought my first Datsun while my parents' hard earned money was being pissed away on excessive repairs and maintenance on GM products.
As far as the engines go and how they make their power, we're dealing with a 7.0 liter pushrod V8 that makes 500bhp@6200rpm and 475lb-ft@4800. Ferrari is packing a 4.3 liter DOHC flat crank V8 that achieves 483bhp@8500rpm and 343lb-ft@5250. The two employ dry sump lubrication. Both of these engines are wonderful designs that both benefit from trickled down racing technology from F1 in the case of the Ferrari, and Le Mans in the case of the ZO6.
Taking a look at the chassis of both cars gives us two different means to a common end, low weight and a high degree of stiffness. The 430 rides on an all aluminum chassis and double wishbones at all four corners. It has optional carbon ceramic brakes which, when coupled with it's outstanding weight distribution, will undoubtedly give it the edge in the braking department. The ZO6 differs from the standard coupe by having an aluminum/magnesium chassis wrapped in a carbon fiber/fiberglass body. It rides on transverse leaf springs suspended by Sachs monotube shocks (ready for the track!). The Vette houses vented brakes 14" and 13.4" front and rear, respectively.
In the tire department, the F430 houses nineteen inch wheels, 7.5" in front, and 10" out back. The ZO6 uses an identical diameter wheel/tire package that lays 10" in front and a full foot of rubber in the rear.
As far as getting down the track, I don't think the ZO6 will be that off. If the staff of Motor Trend knows anything about launching sports cars and collecting data, then the base C6 Coupe is 6/10ths off of the Prancing Horse's time through the quarter mile with 5.8 mph separating them (which is due to the difference in horsepower). I'm sure the ZO6 will improve on the base coupe's times significantly.
As a counterpoint (like we need anymore of those), torque control has absolutely nothing to do with the actual output. It's the access to that torque (read clutch smoothness) along with a suspension design that more properly controls how the torque reaches the rear wheels. Tire compound is also a factor in achieving quick, consistent times. This is what I've come to discover since I began drag racing.
I don't drink, so a beer is out of the question. However, if I happen to see you on a racetrack one of these millenia, our wager will have been settled regardless of the victor. I think that would be more appropriate to the spirit of Town Hall rules.
Now I just have to figure out how to rent something and set up a trip to the east or south and hit some historic tracks, a fantasy.
Randy
The fact that GM needs 7 liters of displacement to get 500 hp is not something I find impressive and certainly wouldn't brag about. Hand Ferrari 7 liters and they would be pushing 800 horsepower. Hand Honda's S2000 engineers 7 liters and they would be at 840 horsepower. Even the new BMW M5 I am eyeballing achieves 500 horsepower in less than 5 liters.
GM's approach has remained fairly true to the muscle car approach from the 60's, wrapped in different sheet metal. To each there own. The contractor that built my house is about 6'2" and 275 lbs and absolutely loves his Corvette Z06. On the weekends, he competes in armwrestling events. My orthopedic surgeon drives a Ferrari 360. He is 6', 175 lbs and just ran the Boston Marathon in 3:15 at the age of 54.
Anyone that seriously cross shopped the Ferrari 430 with a Corvette Z06 should be medicated for bipolar disorder.
Unless you track your car the engine should have equanimity or else it’s just going to wear you out IMO. That’s the biggest problem with the S2000. Too noisy plus it’s anemic at stoplights, highway entrances and hills. It’s a gas to drive but it has the demeanor of a 2-year old child who can’t sleep at 2AM. Porsches are decathletes. The new M5—wrong formula for a sedan. I think BMW is a little intoxicated on that 100-hp-per-liter thing.
I saw a 430 yesterday. The styling is disappointing and it looks cheap. I like the 360 much much better. But remember, light those stogeys with hundred-dollar bills. Oh and yes, screen your orthopedic surgeon well. You don't want him garroted to his ego with gold chains and putting in your prosthesis with a sledgehammer.
Now, I need to find my Risperdal or else I'll start talking about Corvettes.
;-)
Oh yeah, the small block turns 50 this year, if I'm not mistaken. Try to avoid down playing the fact that this represents 50 years of development. I'm not sure that I see any other engines that displace 6.0 liters or make 400bhp getting anywhere near 25+mpg on the open road.
And I happen to be very fond of my sledgehammer, thank you very much! :P
Intersting. I like the F430 overall, but those nostrills are just too much. They should have just used a mesh/wire something instead of all that black plastic.
To me neither the F430 or 360 Modena looked as good as the F355, especially the Spider versions with their ill-placed roll hoops.
M
I also must question what a "sports car" is supposed to be. The S2000 was not a Porsche 928 GT or my former Supra TT on the highway by any means. But the S2000 was far, far more of a sports car than those behemouth by comparisons ever were. I am dangerously close to turning 50 and I recall about 30-35 years ago the MGB's, Alfa Romeos and other roadsters that were the "real" sports cars of their generation. The 2,800 lb S2000 is a luxury cruiser by comparison. I put several 300+ mile highway trips on the odometer without any ill effect on me. I don't drag race at stoplights, but I can tell you there wasn't a single on ramp on the Washingon Beltway that I couldn't negotiate and reach illegal speeds long before merging. I also put much of my 18,000 miles on the car driving the streets of Washington DC and I still have all of my fillings in place. I'm not challenging any Corvette owners to an arm wresling match, but if the S2000 is too harsh for you, you've gotten soft in your old age. Thankfully, I haven't (yet).
I do accept that there are some among us who want to be able to stomp the gas pedal and be thrown back in their seat with instantaneous torque. Some even prefer not to be bothered with a stick shift and take their so-called sports cars with automatics. Thank God it's a free country, because if that was the national definition of "sports car" I'd have to move.
P.S. Wonder what my adversaries think of the Lotus Elise?
As to the S2000, I'd love to try one for a bit. Too tight and if I remember it had the same issue as the Boxster, the bulk head behind the seat. I drove an MGB for a dozen years and the recline made it a very comfortable ride from mid-20's to late 30's, I was a little slimmer back in those days. Based just on it's track performance the S2000 and the M3 are the best of what's out there today. Of course like the Vette, they are better if some aftermarket add-ons for suspension and tires are put into the mix. 240hp S2000's are one of the few things that regularly pass me, usually on race slicks but none the less, impressive.
I think I already mentioned the visit to Sears Point when I said hi to the Ferrari driver who was swapping tires at lunch after I'd passed him in the sessions before lunch, from his street rubber to D0T-R tires. His wife then made a big deal about how fast I must have been, she seemed to be crusing for a brusing, so I didn't get much info on his ride, too bad, I was interested. Some times things just don't work out like you hope for.
Enjoy what you drive, I do!
Some posters need to open their eyes to "today". Should I let my S2000 purchase be determined by Honda's rust-out problem from 30 years ago?
Question: if a small block displaces 7 liters (427CID) is it still a "small" block? :confuse:
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
M
Oh yeah, look for a fading smile as they walk through the door.
And one of my requirements of any car was that it must be able to hold my golf clubs, and one other person. The 911 barely qualifies, by having my golf clubs in the back seat. The Elise would need a roof rack or trailer, neither of which would help its performance.
As for the junk comment, I have now heard it all. Guess all those folks with an average net worth of $15+ million that are on a 3-5 year wait list for a 430 should come to you for advice on how to prudently invest their money or for a lesson on Chevy vs. Ferrari quality?
Were my net worth in that range (give me 5 years) and I found myself wanting a real Ferrari, I'd go for a 1959 250GT Passo Corto (3.0 liter Colombo-based V12 with 280bhp@7000rpm!) or a 1960 250GT 2+2. Not to downplay the passion of today's cars, but those are real Ferraris. I'll cease fire on that issue (with which I have a huge case) and get back to the point.
The first sports car I ever drove was a TR3 and I fell in love with sports cars then. I've owned a Fiat 850 Spider, a TR250 (aka TR5) and a Triumph spitfire and loved them all. Today's sports cars have way too many unnecessary and expensive items tacked on. Who needs power windows and remote keyless entry in a sports car? Those early sports cars didn't have power tops or air conditioning or huge power plants but that didn't make them any less fun to drive.
But they did have one thing that none of today's sports cars have; A low sticker price.
After lunch I asked him about the car, he is a long time Ferrari owner and said if he didn't already own one he would not have gotten the new one. Basically all the new ones are spoken for to prior clients and the way to get on the list is to buy a used one. It was a stunning light blue. I have no idea as to model or price level at this point, although at the time, I think it was discussed in the pits. Different view on car ownership that those of us who worry about MSRP and discounts, rather than if the car is even available to us.
Randy
Ferrari's come with a 2 year, unlimited mileage warranty. My surgeon's 360 has 20,000 miles ( a lot for a 2 seat sportscar for a guy with 4 kids) and he has never had a single repair or mechanical problem of any kind. I have researched this, since I would consider buying the car from him, if he elects to get a new 430. By comparison, his wife's Chevy Tahoo has been to the shop repeatedly for a variety of large and small problems, and they are now trading it for either a $32k Honda Pilot or $40k Acura MDX. So they are hardly a "snobs" that don't apprecate value (and quality).
GM/Chevy would kill to be able to "put all of their money into F1 racing". As someone else pointed out, their's is all going into UAW pension plans and health care costs (and, in fairness, excessive executive compensation, I'm sure). From which company would you rather buy a sports car, one that has a racing heritage second to none, or one that is a bloated dinosaur flirting with extinction?
But aside from all that, to me a sports car has to have a very "visceral" feeling about it, with all the parts like an orchestra. The entire car is thoroughbred, electric, exciting and nervous. The best sports cars are, to me, thrilling.
I never felt that in an S2000....but it was fun and very competent.
I was also underwhelmed by the earliest Boxsters and I complained mightily on this board some years back. But the S is really a great car and worth the price I think.
It may not do EVERYTHING the best, but it does more things best than any other car I can think of in the approximate price category.
Randy
Pontiac will build hardtop Solstice
General Motors will offer a removable hardtop on the Pontiac Solstice roadster in the
first quarter of 2007, supplier and GM sources say. The variant is part of GM's
attempt to race the Solstice in Sports Car Club of America events. To race there, an
automaker must have a production version of a hardtop vehicle.
If a person hasn't had a ride in a Ferrari at race track speeds, they really can't talk about the car. It's like talking about China from reading postcards. The "real" experience is eye-opening to say the least.
I do agree that the Boxster S is an excellent car, don't get me wrong. But it is damn near as comfortable as the M5 I am on the list for. Perhaps our definition of visceral differs, but there sure is a lot of comfort that goes into a Boxster S that is nowhere to be found on an S2000 or Lotus Elise.
Oh, and for the Ferrari bashers, Ferrari was just named in the Robb Report as the best automotive investment for the past 50 years. No other vehicles - Classic Corvettes, Porsches, Lamborghinis, Maserattis, Shelbys, Aston Martens, Rolls Royces, Bentleys, etc. have come close to retaining their value and appreciating as much as Ferraris. You can't fool that many millionaires and billionares for that many decades by building "junk".
I'd get tired of an S2000 real fast, I'm sorry to say. But then, I do bore easily so maybe it's my problem and not the S2000's.
I didn't mean to say the Boxster S was really "visceral" in the same way as Ferrari either.
The Ferrari is a total wild man's car, it is without compromise and the Boxster and S2000 are loaded with compromise.
BESIDES ALL THAT----- 4 cylinders? Eh...........
Did you see the pix I posted of the SC S2000 that someone built near me? It's putting out over 300 HP and I have to say with the screaming blower on it and the smoking rear tires, I'm liking that one more.
AHA!!!! I knew it, you are a sucker for torque, aren't you? Hey, the new Mustang Shelby Cobra GT500 etc. etc. etc. should be right up your alley then..... :P
Before you do, however, you might want to consider just how much more powerful the 430 is than the outgoing 360. According to Edmunds, the Corvette and 430 are within 20 lbs of each other in weight. The 430's 4.3 liter engine puts out 490 horsepower, 90 more than the Corvette's 6 liter. The Corvette does have 57 more foot lbs of torque, but, given the Ferrari's 8,500 rpm redline, it has a lot more room to wind out, before shifts. The lower torque is also easier to control off the line. I'm sure you are aware that the average Formula 1 car has less torque than the 430.
Edmund's lists the current Corvette's 0-60 time at 5.2 seconds. If that's correct, that's about 0.4 seconds behind a $50k M3 and a 4,000 lb M5. And light years behind the couple of early 430 tests I've read that were in the 3.8 second range. Even the Porsche 911 S which I am considering, at only 355 horsepower, beat the Corvette in a recent head to head acceleration test by one of the car magazines. The gobs of torque advantage that the Corvette had could not be put to the ground with nearly the efficiency and effectiveness of the rear engine 911. When it came to handling the twists and turns, the Corvette was even further behind the 911.
The Ferrari 360 was, IMO, a great car. But the 430 is leaps and bounds above it in power. My friend with a 360 has test driven a 430 and admitted the difference is astounding. If any $190k car can be considered a a good deal, the mere 10-15% more that the 430 costs than the former 360 is indeed a relative bargain.
So, take my bet if you remian confident. But be assured, I wouldn't be wagering the price of a 911S if I wasn't equally confident and had done some research to back it up. I would also accept a friendly wager of a couple of beers, if that is more appropriate to the spirit of Town Hall rules.
P.S. On a sad note, I don't think any of the top 100 executives at GM care about our debate. They are desperately trying to keep the company afloat. As Jim Cramer of CNBC's "Mad Money" said, if Kirk Kerkorian hadn't stepped in, the next call from GM would have been Dr. Kevorkian. From my business associates who know Ferrari, they claim that everyone there is passionate about one thing - building the best race cars and sports cars in the world. Their management doesn't have unfunded pension liabilities or skyrocketing employee health care costs occupying 90% of their workday. I feel somewhat sorry for the pickle GM finds itself in, but I predicted it nearly 30 years ago when I bought my first Datsun while my parents' hard earned money was being pissed away on excessive repairs and maintenance on GM products.
The Corvette's base price is around $45,000 while the 911 S starts at around $80,000.
The new Corvette Z06 will obviously cost less than a 911 S and it has DRY-SUMP LUBRICATION which every 997 lacks.
Car & Driver has tested a new Corvette at 0-60 in 4.1 seconds. I've
Fiat owns Ferrari and Fiat isn't doing too well right now. Fiat whined and complained until GM gave them $2,000,000,000.
But I digress...yes, I am presently on a torque binge, but I draw the line around 5 liters...bigger 'n that and I find them too much work. Turbo motors also can be an issue for me, depending on how well the turbo is engineered. But a supercharger certainly changes the overall character of the S2000. They won't let me drive it however, which hurts my feelings as you can well imagine.
Fortunately for said consumer, the F20 inline four delivered the highest specific output for a naturally aspirated production engine (forget about the lack of low-end, I'm on a roll here), in automotive history. Clickety typewriter engine? You've gotta be kidding me. I've driven most performance cars. That car was meant to be on a tight track judging by the gear ratios alone. I'll let that one go seeing be that this is a forum and everyone's entitled to their own opinion.
Let's not forget that Honda has just as many resources at their disposal as Ferrari when it comes to racing. Flat crank engine? Yep. Titanium valves and valve springs? The S2K's already running with them. V8, V10, V12? No problem.
However, because the company as a whole isn't as completely defined by racing as Ferrari is, the aforementioned contender hasn't surfaced (yet). But make no doubt that Honda is just as serious about it's racing programs as Ferrari is it's racing program. And provided I'm still in the "Definitive Discussion" racing definitely improves the breed.
The S2000 is built by a company that knows racing. It's also built by a company that cares about it's consumers. Not that Ferrari doesn't, mind you. If they didn't then their cars would not have become so much more user friendly in the past 8 or so years. But to say that the Honda is loaded with compromise is a fallacy. If you'd stated that the NSX is loaded with compromise, I may have agreed with you. The S2000 takes the high output engine/small chassis concept in the right direction. If they wanted to incorporate more low end, it would have been in there, but there's a compromise that has be met. There was definitely more balance present than other attempts at the formula when the MkI debuted. The MkII is that much better despite having to bring the redline down to Ferrari levels.
All apologies to you that Honda doesn't have the cachet that Ferrari or Porsche do.
The new LS7 is now rated at 505 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The LS7 weighs less most other high-performance OHC engines. It has a low height. The Cadillac CTS-V uses an LS6 because Cadillac's 4.6 liter DOHC 320 hp V-8.
The current BMW M3's I-6 has over 100 hp/liter but check this link
BMW M3's engine
Go to the Sears Point event for 4-3-05 and look at the class 7. Mostly
S2000's with a C4 Corvette trying to keep up. Sidney is a very good driver
but the S2000's on Race tires are really amazing for 240hp. Now they
probably have a few more than that with modest bolt on's but not much.
Consider that the Z06 is in class 6 and the times for S2000's show some
of the drivers are getting out about what's available, it's a very nice package.
And I'm sorry, but Honda could never build a Ferrari for regular production, but even if it did and I was totally wrong, it would cost as much as a Ferrari anyway. Why? Because of the type of components needed to go flat out at redline for 24 hours, the limited production necessary to maintain the "cache", and the enormous cost of customized lightweight castings for multi-cylinder engines and transmissions--to say nothing of paying a design team to make an outrageously good--looking supercar, which Honda has yet to do.
Honda motorcycles are quite up to snuff with the Italian superbikes, but their cars aren't. An S2000 is a Miata with guts. That's why it costs as little as it does.
Clever car and a great little sports car. I bow in homage to Honda's efforts with this car.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=100600
I think I'd like this car more than the earlier ones, for the reasons stated in the article. But I'm afraid I still find the styling uninspiring. I'd love to put an S2200 driveline into an RX-7 twin turbo coupe, black on black...oh, momma.....
" ... and a new ABS system incorporating "yaw control logic." "
Stability Control without telling you that it might save your bacon!
If I can fit in it, I just might take one for a test drive after the initial interest wanes.
There are only two cars in the aforementioned group or, for that matter, sold in America, that are meant to be driven at between 7,000 and 8,500+ rpm - the Ferrari 360/430 and the (pre 2004 model) S2000. And, although the Ferrari is rear engine, both of those cars are among the most nimble handling and steering in their peer groups. Driven at 8,000+ rpm, the Honda sounds exactly what I would expect a 2.0 liter Ferrari engine to sound like, based upon my experience in 308's, 328's and a 360. IMO, the innovative chassis and in-wheel suspension system of the Honda is better than the more traditional Boxster design in terms of structural rigidity and lack of cowl shake.
I should point out that I have never personally owned a Honda. Probably never will. I have no axe to grind or personal agenda. But when I see comments suggesting that the Honda S2000's closest cousin is a Mazda Miata, I can't help but call a spade a spade. That comment smacks of snobbery, or engineering ignorance, take your pick. Would be like me stating that a 911 or Boxster S is nothing more than a gussied up Toyota MR2, simply because they are all mid/rear engine layouts.
Porsche makes some of the finest cars in the world. As does Ferrari. But the Honda S2000 is perhaps the best sports car ever to come out of Japan. If you are anti-Japanese, that's your perogative. But as much as I am a BMW owner and fan, I'd have to go back to the 1972 M1 to find something that could compete with the S2000 in innovation and engineering. Certainly the Z3, Z4 and even $130k Z8 don't.
So the fact that I could comfortably pay cash for a 360 or 430 doesn't cause me to thumb my nose at a 9,000 rpm Honda S2000 that costs a mere $32,000. And I will take the Honda 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine over the Lotus Elise's Toyota Celica borrowed engine anyday. Sorry "Honda" doesn't sound sexy to you, but in Formula One, they need to make no apologies.
Actually, I REALLY want one of these:
http://www.wcmultralite.com
S2000 drivetrain in a 1400 lb. Lotus 7. Now THAT'S a sportscar....... :shades:
Are you saying an S2000 looks more like a Ferrari than it does a Miata? Or has more room than a Miata? Or is radically different in drivetrain layout? I don't personally think it has much connection with the Ferrari "concept" at all but a helluva lot of connection to a Miata "type" of car. Really, Miatas and S2000s are modern re-iterations of the MG and Austin Healey. They are not re-iteration of powerful & exclusive European GT or race cars.
It's a small fast Japanese sports car and the price is about right for what you get, maybe a $10,000 bargain. A Boxster is a small fast German sports car and is not a bargain.
So-- a Mustang is heck of a bargain too, but it isn't a Ferrari either. If it revs to 5,500 is it then 80% of a Ferrari? And if a Boxster revs to 6,000, same thing. It's nothing like a Ferrari.
In fact, no car is remotely like a Ferrari, which is why everybody wants one. It's really not too much more complicated than that (of course, you add mystique and heritage, blah blah, but really what people want is the total uniqueness of it).
I'm just not getting the logic here. Hopping from an S2000 to a Ferrari is two completely different universes. It's not like anyone would "confuse" one for the other IMO. It's not like people "cross-shop" them or anything.
People always accuse those exercising discrimination as "snobs" or "elitists" because I guess they want everything on a level field. But with cars it's not like that. That's what makes them so interesting. They are all so different.
(We aren't arguing, we are having fun! )
RORR -- ooooh, that's nice. Interesting they offer TWO engines, a Honda S2000 and.....a Miata!!
You're obviously unaware of the fact that, and I quote, "Honda has enjoyed record sales of cars and light trucks in each of the past six years—surpassing one million vehicles sold in every year since 1998."
"Worldwide unit sales of motorcycles, automobiles and power products all increased and set new records for the fiscal first half. Consolidated operating income increased mainly due to increased revenues and cost reduction effects which offset the negative effect from depreciation of the U.S. dollar."
In short, this means they have money. Lots of money. Regardless of your alleged "snobbery," Shifty, money talks. Honda has a lot of it. Last I checked, Ferrari was busy digging itself out of financial purgatory, albeit with a steady modicum of success. So regardless of who makes cars like this or like that, Honda's the bigger dog in the global market. It's unfair to assume that they can't do a Ferrari challenger. Cachet aside, it's obviously not the direction Honda's headed.
Because of the type of components needed to go flat out at redline for 24 hours,
I'll quickly let you know that if there were a Ferrari fighter in the Honda camp, the owners of the Hondas would be the ones hanging out at redline without fear of depreciation and resale. They'd be the ones speaking excitedly of their much repeated adventures in the hallowed blurry zone (above 130mph from what I can recall on the drive home, hehe). I've been up to the high 180's in a slightly modded NSX at the owners request.
the limited production necessary to maintain the "cache",
The numbers mean nothing. This is a case of value vs. cachet. No reason to start this fire again. Besides, cache isn't necessary when building a supercar. If it's a good enough value, it will sell. This is what keeps the Vette sales strong and also what killed the NSX.
and the enormous cost of customized lightweight castings for multi-cylinder engines and transmissions--
Did I hear the word cost? Are we forgetting who's got more dough?
to say nothing of paying a design team to make an outrageously good--looking supercar, which Honda has yet to do.
If form follows function as it did in the HSC concept a couple of years ago, good looking isn't that far of a stretch.
It's not as if we're trying to run a head to head comparison between the S2K and an F430. That's not it at all. Try not to be so ignorant to the fact that Honda knows just as much about racing as the Europeans do. If sports cars are representatives of racing cars on the consumer level, as most members have painstakingly agreed, then it's a safe to say that they know just as much about sports cars as well.
This fact is nothing new. In the sixties, there were exactly 2 car companies in the entire world that employed production engines with specific outputs north of 80bhp/liter, Honda and Ferrari. Honda even had an F1 victory in 1965. These facts may not have much to say about Honda's cachet, but it does show that Ferrari isn't the only player in the game with a history of building sports cars.
Remember that Honda is consumer oriented. They have to appeal to a wide range of people, not just the select few as Ferrari does. I think it's amazing that despite their plebeian entries into the market, Honda is still mentioned in sports car conversations worldwide.
Car designers are, as Road and Track said "cultural architects", that is, they reflect their country's culture. Ferraris are very romantic cars, Hondas are simply not at all like that. The Japanese are pragmatic, and much enamored of gadgetry and modernity but also a very conformist culture and very homogeneous. The very chaos and individuality of Italy clashes mightily with the orderliness of Japan and Germany.
Honda couldn't build a Ferrari with a hundred gazillion dollars, unless they hired Italians to build it for them and gave them carte blanche. it's not in their culture to build such a car. They would revolt at the sheer craziness of a Ferrari.
They can duplicate the performance of a Ferrari, they can copy the style of a Ferrari but not the soul of it. I don't think so anyway.
But why would they want to duplicate another country's cars? The suggestion is rather pointless. Hondas need to be Hondas. What could be more perfect?
Ferraris are for people who don't want Hondas, that's the whole idea. And what possible benefit could it be to Honda to steal the Ferrari market?
Liking Ferraris more than Hondas isn't "snobbery". It's discrimination in one's tastes. The more a person knows about something, the more he discriminates between one thing and another. That doesn't make him "right", that only means he recognizes a difference and is willing to pay for it. To presume the lover of a certain car has no educated levels of discrimination but is merely a slave to fashion or his own vanity or a tool of advertising is to suggest that all these enthusiasts with their passion for whatever car they choose have all made meaningless and erroneous choices.. You like crafted microbrews, I like wine, he likes ports, she likes cognacs. Why should I switch to sake -- because it costs less and gets me just as drunk? Not good reasons, just like buying stats on paper isn't a good reason to love a car.
The love of a certain car is extremely complex and no amount of statistics will explain it any more than it does love among humans IMO.