Topic: Honda NSX

[initial_D]

"You buy a Ferrari when you want to be somebody. You buy a Lamborghini when you are somebody." - Frank Sinatra

[Triple Bob]

It's not a matter of how they're driven by consumers, but what they're built for.  Ferrari has long built cars for the track: they're driver's cars, which were engineered to go fast - they are supercars.  Lambos, until recently perhaps, went fast, but they were built to be seen: consider the insane bodywork of a Countach or Diablo, or even the Reventon.

That is not to say a Lambo is not a fun car to drive, but if you want a pure, proper driving experience, the Ferrari is likely the better car.

I agree with the majority of the sentiment, but Ferrari hasn't built "cars for the track" for a while.  OK some of them are good track day weapons but most aren't.  Although I keep buying lottery tickets just to see if a Scuderia would be on my shopping list...

P.S. If I got a reventon, I'd track it to within an inch of it's life! 

[The Mighty Duck]

Fair enough.  And Lamborghini has been making cars lately that are getting more and more practical, so no doubt the line has blurred.

Reventon:

[rrocket]

I think the Reventon looks a bit overdone..or cartoony with all of those angles....Bleh...

[Jameel]

I think the Reventon looks a bit overdone..or cartoony with all of those angles....Bleh...

Agreed, Lamborghini was trying too hard with the Reventon. I think they just wanted to make a car that cost more than $1M to keep up with the Veyron. The Reventon is more for PR than anythnig else. I'd rather have a 360 CS,  F430 scuderia or an Atom anyday.

[safristi]

  I heard the ATOM        ..........wait  ferrit................BOMBED.........no BIGGIE....

[johngenx]

I wish I could get some seat time in something like a Lambo for a few laps, but in all honesty, I'm not sure how much fun those supercars would be on a track.  They look more like Bahnstormers.  Poor outward visibility, massive chassis with Hummer-dwarfing widths do not make for track fun.  Drive an old 911 on a track to find what FUN is.  Great visibility boosts confidence greatly and makes apex spotting easy.  No worries about trading paint with some guy you never knew was there.  Also, the limits on those supercars are SO high, you have to be moving at a truly frightening speed before the car begins to work.  The consequences of going off at 250km/h are much worse than at 150km/h, no matter what you're driving.

Track cars:

1. Mazda Miata.  Still RWD, still great.
2. Honda S2000.  Yes, it's fast, but not so fast that you can't have some fun without risking your life on every corner.
3. Porsche 911.  Newer ones are not as tossable and fun as the pre 1990 models, but still has lots of glass, trim size and short wheelbase.
4. Subaru STi.  Want to look like a hero, have a blast and drive your race car to work?  The older STi's make great track cars.  Upright seating, lots of glass, tunable tossable chassis, AWD.  Yeah, baby.
5. Mitsu Evo.  See Subaru STi.
6. Go RETRO and find a Porsche 944 turbo.  Probably still one of the best chassis every to have tires bolted onto it and the car is so well balanced it's unreal.
7. Supercar fun?  NSX.  Saw one on the track at a PCA meet, and what a hoot.  Good visibility, reliable, brakes like you tossed out a giant anchor.  I could NOT believe how deep the NSX could go into corners.  That alone would make it a fun afternoon.

[Jameel]

I wish I could get some seat time in something like a Lambo for a few laps, but in all honesty, I'm not sure how much fun those supercars would be on a track.  They look more like Bahnstormers.  Poor outward visibility, massive chassis with Hummer-dwarfing widths do not make for track fun.  Drive an old 911 on a track to find what FUN is.  Great visibility boosts confidence greatly and makes apex spotting easy.  No worries about trading paint with some guy you never knew was there.  Also, the limits on those supercars are SO high, you have to be moving at a truly frightening speed before the car begins to work.  The consequences of going off at 250km/h are much worse than at 150km/h, no matter what you're driving.

Track cars:

1. Mazda Miata.  Still RWD, still great.
2. Honda S2000.  Yes, it's fast, but not so fast that you can't have some fun without risking your life on every corner.
3. Porsche 911.  Newer ones are not as tossable and fun as the pre 1990 models, but still has lots of glass, trim size and short wheelbase.
4. Subaru STi.  Want to look like a hero, have a blast and drive your race car to work?  The older STi's make great track cars.  Upright seating, lots of glass, tunable tossable chassis, AWD.  Yeah, baby.
5. Mitsu Evo.  See Subaru STi.
6. Go RETRO and find a Porsche 944 turbo.  Probably still one of the best chassis every to have tires bolted onto it and the car is so well balanced it's unreal.
7. Supercar fun?  NSX.  Saw one on the track at a PCA meet, and what a hoot.  Good visibility, reliable, brakes like you tossed out a giant anchor.  I could NOT believe how deep the NSX could go into corners.  That alone would make it a fun afternoon.

You forgot to mention, MR2.  Mid-engine, rear-drive and turbo-charged.