hasiuk@trwspp.UUCP (06/09/84)
How can you _possibly_ compare the suspension of the Corvette, which is
based on a design which is a holdover from the days of covered wagons, to the
four wheel double wishbone suspension of the GTO, which is a holdover from
formula one race cars?
All of this talk of Corvettes, NASCARS, muscle cars in the same light
as sports cars is really annoying. The Corvette is a completely impractical
anachronism in the light of modern, small, high output motors in cars that
have a lot less weight (despite their lack of a fiberglass body!) and a lot
more room for things that you might want to carry, like a piece of luggage,
and frames which are stiff enough to handle the output of the motor without
twisting like a wet noodle. NASCARS and stock cars are really ridiculous,
being designed to turn in only one direction (believe it or not). And
Muscle cars! Muscle car really means over-powered car. An automobile
(particularly a sports car) should be a perfect balance of weight, engine
capacity and output, chasis stiffness, and suspension (hence handling).
Whatever happened to _tuned_ engines, anyway? A 1969 911S gets ~200HP
out of two liters. Even a 1974 2002tii gets more than 130HP out of 2L.
Do you know how many cubic inches that is !
Lee Hasiukroger@felix.UUCP (06/13/84)
What about the GTO (they are NOT called 308, there is no number) in race trim? At 600+ horsepower, much lighter (I haven't seen any published data yet, only the claim) and a racing suspension setup, there most definitely IS a contest. And for my money, at three or four times the price or more, the answer is, and always will be, "Because it's a Ferrari." I'll just have to wait, thank you. Roger Webster
rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher) (06/16/84)
For the person who complained that the 1984 Vette was too heavy to be a true sports car, it is exactly the same weight (within 50 lbs, and I'm not sure of which direction) as the Ferrari 308GTS. The suspension of the Vette is definitely not old fashioned. The front suspension uses alloy double wishbones (or A-arms). The transverse fiberglass leaf springs used front and rear should be judged on how they work, not on the fact that they are leaf springs. In my view, its an innovative suspension, especially in the use of fiberglass springs. Hey, the Ferrari GTO (new one) is a great car, but its also a 200 model limited production line, with a lot of things that even Ferrari wouldn't do in greater quantities. $100k should buy a lot of high tech. Bob Schleicher ihuxk!rs55611 AT&T Bell Laboratories PS Car and Driver just re-compared the 85 Vette, Ferrari 308 Quattrovalvole Porsche 928, and Lotus Turbo Esprit, in a top-speed shoot-out. The Vette won, at 154 mph. C&D also said that with the new suspension changes, which lowered spring rates while increasing roll stiffness, that the Vette felt very stable and smooth at 150+, on the banked turns of the test trackThe others? Lotus - 152 for a lap or two, then blew a hole in a piston Porsche - just under 150 Ferrari - 151, despite an indicated speedo reading of 168!
marcus@pyuxt.UUCP (M. G. Hand) (06/16/84)
Top speed maketh not a sports car. My definition of a sports car involves being small(ish), impractical and fun to drive - it says nothing about speed or handling, although often they can be driven fast on narrow twisting country roads by someone who is prepared to drive them rtaher than point them down the highway. Oh yes, they must also look like a sports car which cuts out sporty versions of family sedans. Who cares whether the top speed of a vette is 1 mph faster than a Ferrari, or that a lotus blows at 152 - tell me where you can drive that fast safely and freely. Tell me too, who has enough spare cash to drive their car at its limits for more than a few minutes? Tell me, if a muscle acr is something like a Pontiac GTO (compared with a Ferrari GTO in a recent road & track) or a Pontiac 6.6litre Firebird, what do you call small sedans with wolfs under the hood like the Dodge Charger, laser, starion etc - their not sports cars! Marcus Hand (pyuxt!marcus) PS - in defence of TC Wheeler: He originally mentioned something about overtaking in the left lane at 75.... If he looks behind, sees nothing near and then overtakes, thats fine. If you then scream up behind him doing a ton and flashing like a Christmas tree, it makes no difference - he SHOULDN'T make any maneouvre until it is once again safe to do so. I'm sure we're all complaining about the bozos who sit in the outside lane at 53 and don't budge, no matter that the middle lane is doing 60, empty or 53... oh well....