The Towing Thread

[mts]

I would argue that the rx crs are much more of a sports car then the miata, they may be fun, but there still kind of slow and crazy gay

 

AS PER EVERY CAR EXPERT, THE MAZDA MIATA IS THE BEST SPORTS CAR IN ALL SENSE OF THE TITLE.

 

 

 

NOTE: for the ignorant one.... SPORTS CAR DOES NOT MEAN LUXURY SPORTS OR SUPERCAR, YOU SHOULD READ MORE AND LEARN

 

Dictionary:

sports car

 

n.

 

An automobile equipped for racing, especially an aerodynamically shaped one-passenger or two-passenger vehicle having a low center of gravity and steering and suspension designed for precise control at high speeds.

 

 

A sports car is an automobile designed for performance driving. Most sports cars are rear-wheel drive, have two seats, two doors, and are designed for precise handling, acceleration, and aesthetics. A sports car's dominant considerations can be superior road handling, braking, maneuverability, low weight, and high power, rather than passenger space, comfort, and fuel economy.

 

Sports cars can be either luxurious[1] or spartan, but driving mechanical performance is the key attraction. Drivers regard brand name and the subsequent racing reputation and history (for example, Ferrari, Porsche, Lotus) as important indications of sporting quality, but brands such as Lamborghini, which do not race or build racing cars, are also highly regarded.

 

A car may be a sporting automobile without being a sports car. Performance modifications of regular, production cars, such as sport compacts, sports sedans, muscle cars, hot hatches and the like, generally are not sports cars, yet share traits common to sports cars. Often, performance cars of all configurations are grouped as Sports and GT cars, or, occasionally, as performance cars.

 

A sports car does not require a large, powerful engine, though many do have them. Some classic British sports cars lacked powerful engines, but were known for exceptional handling due to light weight, a well-engineered, balanced chassis, and modern suspension. On tight, twisting roads, such an automobile performs more effectively than a heavier, more powerful luxury car with less maneuverability.

 

Due to North American safety regulations, many sports cars are unavailable for sale or use in the United States and Canada. In the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Middle Eastern market (e.g. UAE), a flexible attitude towards small-volume specialist manufacturers has allowed companies such as TVR, Noble, and Pagani to succeed.

 

The drive train and engine layout determine the handling characteristics of an automobile, and is the point of the design of a sports car.

 

The front-engine, rear-wheel drive train layout (FR layout) is common to sports cars of any era. This configuration has survived longer in sports cars than in mainstream automobiles. Current examples include the Caterham 7, Mazda MX-5, and the Chevrolet Corvette.

 

In search of improved handling and weight distribution, other formats have been tried. The RMR layout is commonly found only in sports cars — the motor is centre-mounted in the chassis (closer to and behind the driver), and powers only the rear wheels. High-performance sports car and supercar manufacturers, such as Ferrari and Lamborghini prefer this layout. Many modern cars, especially grand tourers, also use a FMR layout, with the motor sitting between the front axle and the firewall.

 

Porsche is one of the few, remaining manufacturers using the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout (RR layout). The motor's distributed weight across the wheels, in a Porsche 911, provides excellent traction, but is not ideal, as the engine's weight is not between the two axles; the vehicle is poorly balanced, thus, many early Porsches handled twitchily. Yet, Porsche have continuously refined the design and, in recent years, combined engineering modifications and electronic driving aids (i.e. computerised traction-stability control) to counteract inherent design shortcomings.

 

Some sport cars have used the front-engine, front-wheel drive layout (FF), e.g. Lotus Elan M100, Fiat Coupé, Fiat Barchetta, Saab Sonett, Toyota Celica and many Berkeley cars. This layout is advantageous for small, light, lower power sports cars, as it avoids the extra weight, increased transmission power loss, and packaging problems of a long driveshaft and longitudinal engine of FR vehicles. Yet, its conservative handling effect, particularly understeer, and the fact that many drivers believe FR is a more appropriate layout for a sports car make this layout atypical to high-performance sports cars. The FF layout, however, is common in sport compacts and hot hatches, such as the Honda Civic Si/Type R and the Volkswagen Golf GTi, which are not necessarily sports cars.

 

Before the 1980s few sports cars used four-wheel drive, which had traditionally added a lot of weight. Not a sports car, but the Audi Quattro, with coaxial driveshafts, proved its worth in rallying, and with the added advantage of all-weather traction ability. Four-wheel drive is now common in high-powered sports cars, including Porsche, Lamborghini, and the Bugatti Veyron (currently holds the world speed record for 407 km/h (253 mph) supercar.

 

Some sports cars have small back seats that are really only suitable for luggage or small children. Such a configuration is often referred to as a 2+2 (two full seats + two "occasional" seats). The Mazda RX-8 includes two small backward-opening doors to better accommodate extra passengers.

 

Over the years, some manufacturers of sports cars have sought to increase the practicality of their vehicles by increasing the seating room. One method is to place the driver's seat in the center of the car, which allows two full-sized passenger seats on each side and slightly behind the driver. The arrangement was originally considered for the Lamborghini Miura, but abandoned as impractical because of the difficulty for the driver to enter/exit the vehicle. McLaren used the design in their supercar F1.

 

Another British manufacturer, TVR, took a different approach in their Cerbera model. The interior was designed in such a way that the dashboard on the passenger side swept toward the front of the car, which allowed the passenger to sit farther forward than the driver. This gave the rear seat passenger extra room and made the arrangement suitable for three adult passengers and one child seated behind the driver. The arrangement has been referred to by the company as a 3+1. Some Matra sports cars even had three seats squeezed next to each other.

 

Some "family sports cars" even have room for four or even five adults.[2]

 

The sports car traces its roots to early 20th Century touring cars. These raced in early rallys, such as the Herkomer Cup, Prinz Heinrich Fahrt, and Monte Carlo.[3]

 

The first true sports cars (though the term would not be coined until after World War One)[4]were the 3 litre 1910 Vauxhall 20hp and 27/80PS Austro-Daimler (designed by Ferdinand Porsche, it was the more advanced]].[5]

 

These would shortly be joined by the French DFP (which became sporters after tuning by H.M. and W. O. Bentley, the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. In the U.S. (where the type was variously called roadster, speedster, runabout, or raceabout, there was Apperson, Kissel, [[Marion (car}]], Midland, National, Overland, Stoddard-Dayton, and Thomas among small models[6] (which today would be called sports cars), while Chadwick, Mercer, Stutz, and Simplex were among large ones[7] (which might today be called sports sedans or grand tourers).

 

In 1921, Ballot premiered its 2LS, with a remarkable 75hp DOHC two liter, designed by Ernest Henry (formerly of Peugeot's Grand Prix program), capable of 150kph (90mph); at most, one hundred were built in four years.[8] This was followed by the SOHC 2LT and 2LTS.[9] The same year, Benz built a supercharged 28/95PS four for the Coppa Florio; Max Sailer won.[10]

 

Simson in 1924 offered a Paul Henze-designed 60hp DOHC 2 liter four, the Simson Supra Type S, in a long-wheelbase 120kph (60mph) tourer and 115kph (mph) twin-carburettor sporter; only thirty were sold, against around three hundred of the SOHC model and 750 of the pushrod-six Type R.[11] Duerkopp's Zoller-blown two liter in 1924, as well.

 

There was a clear cleavage by 1925. As four-seaters were more profitable, two-seaters increasingly turned over to specialst manufactuers, led by Alvis, Aston-Martin, and Fazier-Nash, with shoestring budgets, fanatic followers, and limited sales (today exemplified by Aston and Morgan): between 1921 and 1939, 350 Astons were built; 323 Frazer-Nashes in the period 1924-39.[12]

 

By the end of the 1920s, AC produced a 2 liter six, the 3.5 liter Nazzaro had a three-valve OHC (only until 1922), while French makers Amilcar, Bignan, Hispano-Suiza, and Samson had the typical small four-cylinder sporters and Delage, Hotchkiss, and Chenard-Walcker the large tourers. Benz introduced the powerful SS and SSK, and Alfa Romeo, the Vittori Jano-designed 6C.[13]

 

Two companies would offer the first really reliable sports cars: Austin with the Seven and Morris Garages (MG) with the Midget. The Seven would quickly be "rodded" by numerous companies[14] (as the Type 1 would be a generation later), including Bassett and Dingle (Hammersmith, London); in 1928, a Cozette blower was fitted to the Seven Super Sports, while Cecil Kimber fitted an 847cc Minor engine, and sold more Midgets in the first year than MG's entire previous production.[15]

 

References

 

1. ^ Csaba Csere and Tony Swan (2005-01). 10Best Cars: Best Luxury Sports Car. Car and Driver. Retrieved on 2006-10-07.

2. ^ The Auto Channel: Saab 9000 (1996)

3. ^ Georgano, G. N. Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)

4. ^ Georgano.

5. ^ Georgano.

6. ^ Georgano.

7. ^ Georgano.

8. ^ Georgano.

9. ^ Georgano.

10. ^ Georgano.

11. ^ Georgano.

12. ^ Georgano.

13. ^ Georgano.

14. ^ Georgano.

15. ^ Georgano.

[ing-schu@online.no]

NDD. The Lotus Elise /Exige might be the best ever built. Light and nimble.

[///BHRpowered]

the rx-7/8 is not a luxury car, itsa high revving excellent handling, fun car, the miata is good don't get me wrong, the rx is just slightly better, that in no way means its a lesser car, mazda just made better, and if nothing else, straight people drive the rx cars.

[mts]

That RX-8 is as queer as it comes..... I would rather be seen in a Miata than an RX-8 with it's stupid rear doors.... and wannabe batmobile front wheel arches

[///BHRpowered]

 

miata = looking for lat

 

rx-8 = high revving mountain road trip

[mts]

RX-8 is a hideous mistake with a nice powertrain...

[///BHRpowered]

it grows on you

[mts]

Nope.... a rolling stone gathers no moss or hideous designed cars....

[SteveSter]

The new RX-8 def looks better. But from what ive heard the car handles amazingly well for its price. Can anyone verify that?

[ing-schu@online.no]

Yes. I agree with MTS though, the front wheel arches are not in my taste either. After 4 years of concideration I have now concluded.

 

The RX-8 can actually tow. But then, after all it is a fordoor.

[///BHRpowered]

I don't like the new rx-8 as much, and actually mts mythbusters tested your moss, a rolling stone does infact gather and grow moss...granted they had it rolling for what would work out to a several mile hill

[ing-schu@online.no]

A towing Xedos never grows moss

[Renboy]

I don't see what the big deal is, I tow with my lowered mx6.

 

As for the miata vs. rx8...tough call, both ugly. And even the power train on the rx8 isn't that impressive, they took the rx7 engine, stripped the turbos, and put it on it's side. The last gen rx7 was by far the coolest car Mazda has ever produced.......ever. If the rotaries weren't such unreliable flood monsters I'd be all over a 90's rx7.

[ing-schu@online.no]

No big deal at all...

 

I agree, the last gen RX-7 is a classic, but so is the 1st gen Miata, in my opinion. Too bad they never fitted a longitudinal KL 2,5 V6 in it though. That would have been a sweet piece of machinery. Regarding Mazda classics, I will add the Xedos as well, but realize I might be slightly biased

 

The RX-8 Renesis engine is actually vastly improved compared to the previous rotaries, with the ports facing sideways instead of outwards from the rotors. Supposed to improve apex seals lifespan. But it made stocking of additional rotors impossible.

[///BHRpowered]

bhr agreeing with ren and xedos...

 

I also concur that the last gen rx-7 was the greatest, but from what I have read over the years almost all engine failures were due to cooling issues, a turbo rx-8 would be nice, but then again they seem to be lasting alot longer.

 

Other then the b2000 which should only be limited to 2k, and maybe the tribute also limited, no mazda has any business towing anything

 

[Troutman]

 

[latinopikachu]

A towing Xedos never grows moss

[Frankzao]

 

[attachmentid=1066]

[enginph]

[attachmentid=1066]

 

Thats awesome

 

[ing-schu@online.no]

Haha. Towing a Jeep Cherokee was what I originally intended, but the Jeep was got rid of and the flatbed I'd planned on loaning stolen.

[Frankzao]

The mighty Trout always comes thru!!!!

[latinopikachu]

xedos, you mean to tell me there are no other jeep cherokees in town?

[mts]

Why would anybody want one over there when there are so many better choices

 

 

 

 

 

BUT Jeeps ALL come with diesel options in Europe...

[ing-schu@online.no]

They were popular in the mid nineties, but the 2000 onwards rules for business tax two- or threeseaters swept them off the ground. They were too low in the roof to get accepted. The new Commander is tall and ugly enough though. Full 5 seaters gets expensive. A Volvo XC90 is $140000 and upwards.

[///BHRpowered]

the cars are still cheap, you just get taxed on everything, almost like they don't want you to have cars.