Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Sports Car shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Sports Car offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Sports Car at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Sports Car? Wrong! If the Sports Car is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Sports Car then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Sports Car? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Sports Car and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Sports Car wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Sports Car then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Sports Car site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Sports Car, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Sports Car, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
This article is about roadgoing sports cars. For the type of motorsport, see Sports car racing.
, a classic sports car was based upon
European sports carsA
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 Car 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 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 Cars) 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 internal combustion 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 (car), and
Pagani to succeed.
Layout
, a classic sport-style front-engine, rear-wheel drive (FR) layout; a front-engine, front wheel (FF) drive sports car
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 layout), e.g.
Lotus Elan,
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/Honda Civic 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.
Seating
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 plus 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 Cars used the design in their supercar
McLaren 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. The Auto Channel: Saab 9000 (1996)
History
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 Rally.Georgano, G. N.
Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)
The first true sports cars (though the term would not be coined until after World War One)Georgano.were the 3 litre 1910
Vauxhall Motors 20hp and 27/80PS
Austro-Daimler (designed by
Ferdinand Porsche, it was the more advanced.Georgano.
These would shortly be joined by the French
DFP (which became sporters after tuning by H. M. Bentley and
W. O. Bentley, the Rolls-Royce (car)
Silver Ghost. In the U.S. (where the type was variously called
roadster,
speedster,
runabout, or raceabout, there was
Apperson, Kissel Motor Car Company,
Marion (car},
Midland (car company),
National (car),
Overland Automobile, Stoddard-Dayton, and Thomas (car) among small modelsGeorgano. (which today would be called sports cars), while Chadwick (car), Mercer (car),
Stutz, and
Crane-Simplex were among large onesGeorgano. (which might today be called sports sedans or grand tourers).
In 1921, Ballot (automobile) premiered its 2LS, with a remarkable 75hp DOHC two liter, designed by
Ernest Henry (engineer) (formerly of
Peugeot's
Grand Prix program), capable of 150kph (90mph); at most, one hundred were built in four years.Georgano. This was followed by the SOHC 2LT and 2LTS.Georgano. The same year,
Benz built a supercharger 28/95PS four for the
Coppa Florio;
Max Sailer won.Georgano.
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.Georgano.
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 (car), Aston-Martin, and Fazier-Nash, with shoestring budgets, fanatic followers, and limited sales (today exemplified by Aston and
Morgan Motor Company): between 1921 and 1939, 350 Astons were built; 323 Frazer-Nashes in the period 1924-39.Georgano.
By the end of the 1920s, AC Cars produced a 2 liter six, the 3.5 liter Nazzaro had a three-valve OHC (only until 1922), while French makers
Amilcar,
Bignan (car), Hispano-Suiza, and
Samson (car) had the typical small four-cylinder sporters and
Delage, Hotchkiss (automobile), and
Chenard-Walcker the large tourers.
Benz introduced the powerful Mercedes-Benz SS and Mercedes-Benz SSK, and Alfa Romeo, the
Vittori Jano-designed Alfa Romeo 6C.Georgano.
Two companies would offer the first really reliable sports cars:
Austin Motor Company with the Austin 7 and
Morris Garages (MG) with the MG Midget. The Seven would quickly be "rodded" by numerous companiesGeorgano. (as the
Volkswagen Beetle 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
Morris Minor engine, and sold more Midgets in the first year than MG's entire previous production.Georgano.
Examples
In addition to specialist sports car marques, almost all major car manufacturers have made some form of high performance car, such as Ford Motor Company with the
Ford GT,
Mazda with the Mazda RX-7, BMW with the BMW M1 ,
Chevrolet with the Chevrolet Corvette, Honda with the Honda NSX,
Nissan with the
Z-car,
Toyota with the
Toyota Mr2, and Mercedes-Benz with the Mercedes-Benz 300SL.
See also
References
External links
- Road legal sports car lap times and comparison feature "Which is faster?"
- Information, pictures and video of over 450 sports cars
This article is about roadgoing sports cars. For the type of motorsport, see Sports car racing.
, a classic sports car was based upon
European sports carsA
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 Car 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 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 Cars) 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 internal combustion 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 (car), and
Pagani to succeed.
Layout
, a classic sport-style front-engine, rear-wheel drive (FR) layout; a front-engine, front wheel (FF) drive sports car
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 layout), e.g.
Lotus Elan, 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/
Honda Civic 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.
Seating
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 plus 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 Cars used the design in their supercar McLaren 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. The Auto Channel: Saab 9000 (1996)
History
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 Rally.Georgano, G. N.
Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)
The first true sports cars (though the term would not be coined until after World War One)Georgano.were the 3 litre 1910
Vauxhall Motors 20hp and 27/80PS
Austro-Daimler (designed by
Ferdinand Porsche, it was the more advanced.Georgano.
These would shortly be joined by the French
DFP (which became sporters after tuning by
H. M. Bentley and
W. O. Bentley, the
Rolls-Royce (car) Silver Ghost. In the U.S. (where the type was variously called roadster, speedster,
runabout, or
raceabout, there was Apperson,
Kissel Motor Car Company,
Marion (car},
Midland (car company),
National (car), Overland Automobile, Stoddard-Dayton, and
Thomas (car) among small modelsGeorgano. (which today would be called sports cars), while Chadwick (car), Mercer (car), Stutz, and Crane-Simplex were among large onesGeorgano. (which might today be called sports
sedans or grand tourers).
In 1921, Ballot (automobile) premiered its 2LS, with a remarkable 75hp DOHC two liter, designed by Ernest Henry (engineer) (formerly of Peugeot's
Grand Prix program), capable of 150kph (90mph); at most, one hundred were built in four years.Georgano. This was followed by the SOHC 2LT and 2LTS.Georgano. The same year,
Benz built a
supercharger 28/95PS four for the
Coppa Florio; Max Sailer won.Georgano.
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.Georgano.
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 (car),
Aston-Martin, and Fazier-Nash, with shoestring budgets, fanatic followers, and limited sales (today exemplified by Aston and
Morgan Motor Company): between 1921 and 1939, 350 Astons were built; 323 Frazer-Nashes in the period 1924-39.Georgano.
By the end of the 1920s,
AC Cars produced a 2 liter six, the 3.5 liter
Nazzaro had a three-valve OHC (only until 1922), while French makers
Amilcar,
Bignan (car), Hispano-Suiza, and
Samson (car) had the typical small four-cylinder sporters and Delage, Hotchkiss (automobile), and
Chenard-Walcker the large tourers. Benz introduced the powerful Mercedes-Benz SS and Mercedes-Benz SSK, and Alfa Romeo, the
Vittori Jano-designed Alfa Romeo 6C.Georgano.
Two companies would offer the first really reliable sports cars: Austin Motor Company with the
Austin 7 and
Morris Garages (MG) with the MG Midget. The Seven would quickly be "rodded" by numerous companiesGeorgano. (as the Volkswagen Beetle 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
Morris Minor engine, and sold more Midgets in the first year than MG's entire previous production.Georgano.
Examples
In addition to specialist sports car marques, almost all major car manufacturers have made some form of high performance car, such as
Ford Motor Company with the Ford GT, Mazda with the
Mazda RX-7,
BMW with the BMW M1 , Chevrolet with the Chevrolet Corvette,
Honda with the
Honda NSX, Nissan with the
Z-car, Toyota with the
Toyota Mr2, and Mercedes-Benz with the
Mercedes-Benz 300SL.
See also
References
External links
- Road legal sports car lap times and comparison feature "Which is faster?"
- Information, pictures and video of over 450 sports cars
Quantum Sports Cars Ltd : Welcome to Quantum Cars
Offers kit or built sport cars. Specifications, FAQ, news and sale of new and used cars.
Westfield Sports Car Club - Homepage
News, contacts, events, speed series, membership, boardroom, merchandise, links and spectator.
Fisher Sports Cars UK
Kit cars designed for road and track motorsports. Models, prices, options, and diary dates.
Maidstone Sports Cars - classic sporrts cars specialist.
MG, Triumph, Lotus and Jaguar specialist, British Motor Heritage approved. Rebuilds, servicing and bodywork.
Luego Sports Cars Ltd
About the company, V8 Viento, racing, velocity, cars, testimonials, news, pictures, downloads, links and contact
Vintage Sports-Car Club
The only club in the United Kingdom for vintage cars, pre 1930. Good jpgs of old cars ... Our free regular e-mail brings you the very latest news from the VSCC, including ...
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Euromotorcity England ... Porsche is introducing a new model Cayman S Sport, that develops over 300 bhp from its tuned 3.4-litre flat-six engine.
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Mexican Sports Car (Fri 18 Jul 08) There's quite a history of cars being built in Mexico by major manufacturers, but the introduction of the Mastretta MXT comes as something of a ...
Supreme Sports Car Hire - Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini ...
Hire anything from an Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Zonda, Koeniggsegg or Bugatti and anything in between, the UK's No1 Super Car hire company, best prices and ...
Sports Car Hire
Profile, fleet and prices. Bases in London and Manchester.
