mazda miata

[ariansworld]

Depending on what year this article is from.  Chevy put the 305 / 5.0 in the IROC until 86 or 87.

If I were going for a small displacement sport car I'd go for one of these.  Beats the Miata in every aspect.

(Image removed from quote.)

Sorry I will not be getting a Pontiac Solstice, it is the same car as the Saturn Sky.  Except for some diferent exterior looks.
I just simply dont like ether one of those.  I think I will stick with trying to get a miata.

Arian

[caldera]

They had to turbocharge that thing just to make 20 more horsepower than the 240 hp my S2K gets with the same displacement normally-aspirated.
Very impressive.

If you're really serious about a small car that can trounce the big boys:

Looks like the Exige 240S if I'm not mistaken. Awesome car. Horrible color.

[RTHolmes]

I like the yellow - anything that extreme deserves a "look at me" colour

did S1 elises make it to the US? they are a real bargain over here at the moment   and a more viable alternative than the big V8 dragsters mentioned. if your considering an mx5 your probably more interested in corners than the straight bits between them...

[Cthulhu]

Looks like the Exige 240S if I'm not mistaken. Awesome car. Horrible color.

Yeah, they're incredible. Buddy of mine has one. As far as the colors go, Lotus has chosen for some reason to paint them all to look like fishing lures. 

[CAP1]

I like the yellow - anything that extreme deserves a "look at me" colour

did S1 elises make it to the US? they are a real bargain over here at the moment   and a more viable alternative than the big V8 dragsters mentioned. if your considering an mx5 your probably more interested in corners than the straight bits between them...

i'll take my "big" dragsters anyday over a lotus. i've never seen a lotus on the road here in the us that looked like anything more than a kit car.  to be honest, the "dragsters" can be made to handle very well, contrary to popular belief. if chevy keeps up with their norm, the camaro will already handle very well.

 how much does that one pictured cost over there?

my opinion of european cars is going down the pooper VERY fast. have an A4 in the shop.....it needs a thermostat. you have to buy the entire housing. it takes 3 hours to replace.
 i have a 99 beetle. it overheated because the geniuses over there put a plastic impeller on a knurled steel shaft on the waterpump. the overheat warped the cylinder head. it also melted the plastic oil deflector inside the valvecover, and the plastic windage tray. oo yea......and despite a 5 mile test drive that went perfectly, the car came back with no oil pressure. come to find out from my local vw dealer, that that is common. it seems that the melted plastic finds its way to the oil pump pickup screen.

 a friend has a bmw740il. needed a surge tank. it's a common thing to break on them.

 you guys can keep that poop. i'll stick to my ford/chevy/dodge v8's.  

[RTHolmes]

hmmm about £40,000 new with the usual options, expensive but not for a race car that you can use on the road. I was going to say theres not much faster round a track, but not if the track is 1/4 mile long and straight, or an oval. I guess it all depends on the roads and driving style, I'm not aware of a US car which is useable on typical UK roads, let alone competitive or fun on a B road.

My point was that someone looking at an mx5 isnt really interested in straight line speed or ultimate grip levels, its the more tactile stuff which will entertain at lower speeds. given similar design and quality, something weighing 2 tonnes wont ever corner, brake or communicate as well as a car weighing 1 tonne.

[CAP1]

hmmm about £40,000 new with the usual options, expensive but not for a race car that you can use on the road. I was going to say theres not much faster round a track, but not if the track is 1/4 mile long and straight, or an oval. I guess it all depends on the roads and driving style, I'm not aware of a US car which is useable on typical UK roads, let alone competitive or fun on a B road.

My point was that someone looking at an mx5 isnt really interested in straight line speed or ultimate grip levels, its the more tactile stuff which will entertain at lower speeds. given similar design and quality, something weighing 2 tonnes wont ever corner, brake or communicate as well as a car weighing 1 tonne.

understood about the cornering.

i'd take the miata over anything british......'cept a triumph with a  v8 conversion. 

 some of the british stuff might be better looking, but (and i HATE to say this) you cannot beat the japanese for reliability. combine that with the fun factor, and you have a winner.

[RTHolmes]

yeah its a shame we dont build proper mgs any more, when several japanese companies do

as for reliability, well things are alot better than they were but Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious still applies

[RTHolmes]

even VW has worked out that its a good market to get into, I really like the look of this (will be great with the 2.0 Gti engine):

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/233454/vw_bluesport_roadster.html



almost a 1/2 price boxster

[CAP1]

even VW has worked out that its a good market to get into, I really like the look of this (will be great with the 2.0 Gti engine):

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/233454/vw_bluesport_roadster.html

(Image removed from quote.)

almost a 1/2 price boxster

ya, but the 2.0L engine has that stupid plastic-impellered waterpump......


i like my f ound
           o n
           r oad
          d ead

 

[Cthulhu]

understood about the cornering.

i'd take the miata over anything british......'cept a triumph with a  v8 conversion. 

 some of the british stuff might be better looking, but (and i HATE to say this) you cannot beat the japanese for reliability. combine that with the fun factor, and you have a winner.

What's that CAP?   I'd have to agree, but it hasn't always been that way. I had a '78 280Z that saw two engine rebuilds and several starters & alternators by 160K miles. My '91 CRX on the other hand: 260K+ miles with numerous excursions past redline.    No engine work, compression is fine, original starter, original alternator. Thing is practically indestructible.

I like the yellow - anything that extreme deserves a "look at me" colour

did S1 elises make it to the US? they are a real bargain over here at the moment   and a more viable alternative than the big V8 dragsters mentioned. if your considering an mx5 your probably more interested in corners than the straight bits between them...

Hey RTHolmes, do you like this color?

[RTHolmes]

yup i like that

thats set to be a very sweet car, although its 100bhp less, and £15k more than we were hoping for



edit: btw I am fairly colourblind

[ariansworld]

i'll take my "big" dragsters anyday over a lotus. i've never seen a lotus on the road here in the us that looked like anything more than a kit car.  to be honest, the "dragsters" can be made to handle very well, contrary to popular belief. if chevy keeps up with their norm, the camaro will already handle very well.

 how much does that one pictured cost over there?

my opinion of european cars is going down the pooper VERY fast. have an A4 in the shop.....it needs a thermostat. you have to buy the entire housing. it takes 3 hours to replace.
 i have a 99 beetle. it overheated because the geniuses over there put a plastic impeller on a knurled steel shaft on the waterpump. the overheat warped the cylinder head. it also melted the plastic oil deflector inside the valvecover, and the plastic windage tray. oo yea......and despite a 5 mile test drive that went perfectly, the car came back with no oil pressure. come to find out from my local vw dealer, that that is common. it seems that the melted plastic finds its way to the oil pump pickup screen.

 a friend has a bmw740il. needed a surge tank. it's a common thing to break on them.

 you guys can keep that poop. i'll stick to my ford/chevy/dodge v8's. 

I work at a VW/Audi garage,   the thermostat really does take 3 hours to replace.  You should see how much of a pain in the arse it is to do it too.

[CAP1]

I work at a VW/Audi garage,   the thermostat really does take 3 hours to replace.  You should see how much of a pain in the arse it is to do it too.

ooooo..i wish you hadn't told me that......that a4 is my next car in the bay.

[sntslilhlpr6601]

Not all v8 dragsters are big. 

http://s118.photobucket.com/albums/o111/65gasser/?action=view&current=bpa960incar.flv 

One of my favorite vids of all time. Its a notchback fox body, probably only around 600hp. 9.60 at 138. One hell of a ride.

Little off topic but I can't resist.