Best sports cars

[Jazzbass 1]

Anyone else watch that prog on TV last night about the world's top 10 sports cars?

I found it very interesting.

Natch the order was different to my thoughts, but that's unimportant.

It was interesting that they rated the Miata as #2, but almost all of the reviewers wouldn't be seen dead in one. Steven McQueen's son was funny about that.

Someone at work raised that there were no BMWs in there. Doesn't worry me, I've tended to regard BMWs as more sports sedans/coupes than straight sports cars, although obviously the Z3/4 enter that realm.

It was also funny seeing the UK & USA reviewers having opposite ideas about the Stingray. I've driven a Stingray and just loathed it. Mind you, I don't like ANY American cars, so I guess that came into it.

In the end, it was all about opinions, which we all have. There can never be a definitive answer, but it is fun seeing what others think and why.

[OLLIE 26]

i watched tiff drift an M5 instead

[rxsumo 33]

Personally I thought it was a crock......

These guys couldnt work out the difference between Sports Cars and Super Cars, and to throw into the mix they included GT cars and a Hi Performance Saloon.

The MX5 was sitting in about the right position for what it has done to the sports car market, after all people have voted, by buying the things, it is the biggest selling sports car of all time.

If you were looking at pure sports cars....2 seater open top cars, where handling and looks are everything, and actual driveline performance is secondary, then the only BMW that counts is the 507,or perhaps the Z8 (but this is verging on supercar because of it's price), the Z3 and Z4, really are riding on the MX5 wave...like the SLK and Boxster.

Glaring omissions are the Jaguar XK120 (after all the E Type wouldnt have existed if it hadnt been for the XK series), the T series MG's (they referred to them in the commentary), and no Lotus was mentioned.

If you then stretch the coverage to cover "tin tops" (so that the 911 can be included), then the mix should also include the 240Z, the French Alpine's and perhaps some of the other European specials like the OSCA's etc.

They tried to cover too many aspects in one hit, they would have been better to focus on the various categories of cars, and created a series than do the half-assed attempt we got to see.

My thoughts on classifing the cars presented....

Supercars...

ENZO

Countach

McLaren

300 Gullwing

GTs.....

Aston DB5

Skyline

911

Muscle Cars

Corvette

Sports Cars

MX5

E-Type (but only the roadster)

[*sic 1]

it was ass i didnt like the ratings at all..

[E30_318i 0]

Twas sh*t. They kept on refering to the Skyline as just that. Which is pretty much a Japanese Falcon or Commodore. Skyline GTR would have been more accurate, as the rest are nothing special.

rxsumo hit the nail on the head.

Biasness aside, the M3 should have been in there, E30 at least.

[Jazzbass 1]

Wasn't it amazing how ugly some of those cars were.

As explained - it was all about aerodynamics, but surely more consideration could be given to styling.

Backing the Countach was a dag - I thought Jeremy was kidding when he showed it on TG.

[E30stz 0]

Mmm... i just drove an M3 EVO II through a parking lot, even that was mean !

[rxsumo 33]

Twas sh*t. They kept on refering to the Skyline as just that. Which is pretty much a Japanese Falcon or Commodore. Skyline GTR would have been more accurate, as the rest are nothing special.

rxsumo hit the nail on the head.

Biasness aside, the M3 should have been in there, E30 at least.

Since they were talking about drifting....I'm guessing they were right...they were talking about Nissan Skylines....not Skyline GTR's.

Why the heck would you try drifting a 4WD car....the concept of drifting is controlled sliding, the concept of 4WD is not to slip.

Sure the GTR engine is used as a base for repowering your standard GT RWD Skyline, so that you can get your 500-1100 bhp, the Skyline is more known for its track work. The top Japanese drag skylines are RWD!.

Thats the sort of crap that was wrong with the program...they talk about GTRs and show some guy drifting a RWD Skyline Coupe.

The Skyline is a landmark Japanese GT or performance saloon, and it's reputation has been around since the late 60's, its only since the HR31's hit the Australasian Motorsport scene and the R32 GTR hit the world Motorsport scene, that the rest of the world took any notice.

Sorry dont agree with the M3.....its a concept no different to the Lotus Cortina...the RS1800 Escort, the TE27 Corolla Levin, the AE87 Corolla, the HR31 Skyline, the 190E Cosworth.....stick a hot twin cam engine into a everyday shell and beat the opposition, while its up there in the BMW Motorsports arena, the 3.0CSL was more significant sporting coupe...especially in the Group 5 variation

[E30_318i 0]

Twas sh*t. They kept on refering to the Skyline as just that. Which is pretty much a Japanese Falcon or Commodore. Skyline GTR would have been more accurate, as the rest are nothing special.

rxsumo hit the nail on the head.

Biasness aside, the M3 should have been in there, E30 at least.

Sorry dont agree with the M3.....its a concept no different to the Lotus Cortina...the RS1800 Escort, the TE27 Corolla Levin, the AE87 Corolla, the HR31 Skyline, the 190E Cosworth.....stick a hot twin cam engine into a everyday shell and beat the opposition, while its up there in the BMW Motorsports arena, the 3.0CSL was more significant sporting coupe...especially in the Group 5 variation

Ok fair enough. When I typed it I was thinking of the E30 Evo. So maybe instead of the whole M3 range, just focus on that one model like they did with the Corvette or that 300SL Benz. Hell, the most successful touring car should be on that list instead of a car which has featured in a couple of movies (DB5).

Does anyone else see that E Type jag as a melted piece of plastic? Similar to the Ford Tauris. I can think of better looking cars, seems most journos can't.