dcn (02/22/83)
Is the Porsche 928S the "most powerful" car in the US? If "power" = horsepower, then the answer is no: Lamborghini Countach S 325 hp Aston Martin Lagonda 325 Aston Martin Vantage 300 Maserati Quattroporte 288 Jaguar XJ-S 262 All Rolls Royce 260 Porsche 928S 234 It's true that some of these cars are hard to find in your average dealer's showroom, but they are legally obtainable. As far as top speed goes, the Porsche is near the top of the list, but the Countach (and maybe a couple of other cars, such as the Ferrari 512 Boxer absent from my list) are a little faster. If you were to ask, "What is the best sports car in the world?", the answer would most likely be the 928! Dave Newkirk ixn5h!dcn P.S. All horsepower figures from Road & Track.
markm (02/23/83)
You obviously mean the most powerful, street legal, NEW car.
jm (03/04/83)
Remember that some of the cars on Dave Newkirks list are not
just "hard to find", but are in fact not importable to the US
without MAJOR MODIFICATIONS. For instance, if you somehow
manage to smuggle a Countach or a Boxer into the US without going
through the 'normal' channels, the EPA and the NHTSA will
find you and take your car and fine you to boot. The experience
of temporarily owning a Countach can cost you $250,000. (see
related article in Car and Driver several years ago).
The modifications requited by our all-knowing, all-seeing
government (coff, coff) are 5 mph bumpers, smog devices, different
head and tail lights, wheels and tires, etc, etc. There is
a company in NJ (attention Bell Labs types...) that will get you
a Boxer (or whatever) and bring it up to US specs. For A Price.
A Big Price.
Many big ticket exoticars aren't imported because of the CAFE
(Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements that it would
make the maker subject to (even though they could meet the
bumper/smog requirements fairly easily.
Turbines,
Jeff Mizener
Tektronix, ADG
Beaverton, OR
uucp: {ucbvax,decvax,chico,pur-ee,cbosg,ihnss}!teklabs!tekid!jm
CSnet: tekid!jm@tek
ARPA: tekid!jm.tek@rand-relay wookie (03/12/83)
While what Jeff Mizener says is true, he makes it sound as though it is impossible to bring these cars into the U.S. He does mention the place in New Jersey that will federalize but as I understand from friends who have tried these people they treat the customers like dirt and charge ridiculous prices since they are the only game in town. The people in Massachusettes whom I have already mentioned treat the customer well, do excellent work, and as I understand it charge about 5 to 10% of the cars selling price. This may work out to a rather large sum in the case of the Countach (they are working on one now I believe!!) but if you can afford the beast in the first place then you aren't going to quibble over such a trifle anyway!!! These things can be legalized and the price isn't all that bad when you consider that you probably really want the car since it is so much better than you can get here anyway. Keith Bauer White Tiger Racing Bell Labs Murray Hill