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- Martin
So I've been thinking of this thread theme for some time now. All too often I look at a particular car and go, gee - that's good but it's a pity that... or, it would be better if... or, if only it had...
So, it works like this; there are many good cars on the market but so many of these have an Achilles heel or fall just short of true greatness by virtue of a certain characteristic or lack thereof.
This is a fun thread and shouldn't be taken too seriously but the idea is to explain why you feel a certain way about an almost-great car. I'll go first with a couple of my examples:
The BMW M5, it's good but it'd be great if it had a proper gearbox
It seems to me that the S85 V10's timing was just a tad out of phase with the progress of transmission development. The S85 is a peerless, technical tour-de-force of an engine that sadly got lumbered with a less than perfect SMG III gearbox that was too slow and slury at its lowest setting and too violent at its highest. If only the appropriate dual clutch technology had been available a few years earlier - I believe the car would be nigh-on the perfect luxury performance saloon.
The Renaultsport Clio R27 is good, but it'd be great if it had the Cooper S' turbo'd engine.
Not an R27 - Just a Clio Sport - couldn't find nice pics of R27
I like the Clio Sport R27 - it's a good hot hatch with superb road agility and great driver appeal. However, if ever there was a 2.0 litre naturally aspirated engine that felt limp it's this one in comparison with MINI's feisty, torquey turbocharged 1.6. Renault claims 215 Nm at 5550 rpm but below 4000 rpm it feels like 115 Nm up here at 1600m above sea level. A Cooper S by comparison feels infinitely more sprightly and "hot" and I reckon its fizzy, punchy 1.6 engine is the toast of its segment.
The Honda Type R hatch would be so much better if it had proper rear suspension
Honda's peppy, futuristic Type R is a joy to look at and has a terrific engine. Sadly, even in latest Championship White limited edition guise, its torsion beam rear suspension leaves the car trailing its dynamically brilliant JDM sibling. Now, we all know that torsion beam suspensions are cheaper and liberate more boot space, but here in SA the CTR is the same price as a GTI and who ever bought a hot hatch for ultimate trunk carrying capacity?
and my last one for now...
The Audi R8 is perfect. If only it didn't have an Audi badge.
Ducks flying bricks and bottles
Over to you lot...
So, it works like this; there are many good cars on the market but so many of these have an Achilles heel or fall just short of true greatness by virtue of a certain characteristic or lack thereof.
This is a fun thread and shouldn't be taken too seriously but the idea is to explain why you feel a certain way about an almost-great car. I'll go first with a couple of my examples:
The BMW M5, it's good but it'd be great if it had a proper gearbox
It seems to me that the S85 V10's timing was just a tad out of phase with the progress of transmission development. The S85 is a peerless, technical tour-de-force of an engine that sadly got lumbered with a less than perfect SMG III gearbox that was too slow and slury at its lowest setting and too violent at its highest. If only the appropriate dual clutch technology had been available a few years earlier - I believe the car would be nigh-on the perfect luxury performance saloon.
The Renaultsport Clio R27 is good, but it'd be great if it had the Cooper S' turbo'd engine.
Not an R27 - Just a Clio Sport - couldn't find nice pics of R27
I like the Clio Sport R27 - it's a good hot hatch with superb road agility and great driver appeal. However, if ever there was a 2.0 litre naturally aspirated engine that felt limp it's this one in comparison with MINI's feisty, torquey turbocharged 1.6. Renault claims 215 Nm at 5550 rpm but below 4000 rpm it feels like 115 Nm up here at 1600m above sea level. A Cooper S by comparison feels infinitely more sprightly and "hot" and I reckon its fizzy, punchy 1.6 engine is the toast of its segment.
The Honda Type R hatch would be so much better if it had proper rear suspension
Honda's peppy, futuristic Type R is a joy to look at and has a terrific engine. Sadly, even in latest Championship White limited edition guise, its torsion beam rear suspension leaves the car trailing its dynamically brilliant JDM sibling. Now, we all know that torsion beam suspensions are cheaper and liberate more boot space, but here in SA the CTR is the same price as a GTI and who ever bought a hot hatch for ultimate trunk carrying capacity?
and my last one for now...
The Audi R8 is perfect. If only it didn't have an Audi badge.
Ducks flying bricks and bottles
Over to you lot...
