Veloster is supposed to be an amazing handling car and a spiritual successor to the CRX. it weighs like 2,200 lbs or something.
My sister was the very first Canadian owner of a Veloster. Don't let the 138hp fool you, the thing has some zip to it and corners incredibly. It also as an awesome, very aggressive stance.
0-60 in 9.8 is slow as balls and should disqualify it from ever being considered a sports car. Don't get me wrong, the car looks badass and I think Hyundais are cool cars these days, but the automotive press and general public have to quit pretending this is a sports car.
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I just googled that car, not sure why they consider it a sports car, its a hatchback with some nice wheels. Sort of weird shape to the ass end of it, not sure if I'm a fan. I'd have to see it in person before judging.
The Veloster is as much of a sports car as the new Focus. I expect it to be very good like most new Hyundai models, but it's a regular hatchback that's been styled to look fast. The turbo model will be a different story.
Its a car that delivers performance unmatched by anything under $50K that I can think of, so the price is really quite reasonable.
I have been a bit of a German car snob for quite a few years. But some of the American "Muscle" stuff is really starting to get my attention, especially the new Mustangs. Bang for the buck is ridiculous with some of these cars now. At the end of the day, a true performance guy looks for how fast for how cheap? And these V8 studs that the big 3 are putting out are seriosly starting to revive my favourite genre of cars. Rear drive, obnoxious, macho mobiles. They are so ######y, yet you feel invincible behind the wheel when you have a badass V8 growling and effortlessly chugging you along. Open them up, and the roar is second only to none in my opinion. Pure andrenaline. My heart would love a new Challenger, best retro redo to date. But the handling, and tune ability of the new Stang is mega appealing, considering their much lower curb weights. Maybe my next one won't be born in Wolfsburg.
Absolutely. It might not be the most powerful car in the world, but they are tracked and raced all the time. Go to any driving school, and chances are they are using Miatas as their cars.
Absolutely. It might not be the most powerful car in the world, but they are tracked and raced all the time. Go to any driving school, and chances are they are using Miatas as their cars.
They're at tracks and schools because they're cheap and slow, which is exactly what you want novice drivers bombing around in. I know they handle awesome, but handling alone doesn't make a sports car. They're like a GTI - another car that handles well but isn't fast enough to be considered a sports car.
They're at tracks and schools because they're cheap and slow, which is exactly what you want novice drivers bombing around in. I know they handle awesome, but handling alone doesn't make a sports car. They're like a GTI - another car that handles well but isn't fast enough to be considered a sports car.
I beg to differ. The Miata has all the traits of a great sports car....RWD, light weight, two seater, 50/50 weight distribution. While I love it, the GTI really has none of that. Personally, I think handling, and the feeling it gives you while driving it, is the most important characteristics of a sports car, even if a Camry could beat you off the line.
By no means official, but I guess for me it sort of goes like this....
1. Sporty - cars that have some appropriate aesthetics, but not much performance (ie, the Veloster, or Civic Si). Might just be something with racing stripes and a spoiler and nothing else.
2. Sports - Typically RWD or AWD cars that are built from the ground up to be driven spiritedly. Can vary vastly in performance and price of course. (Miata, M3, Cayman, Boxter, Mustang, Corvette etc).
3. Supercar - Perhaps the name is not right, but this is a higher end "sports" car that have a lot of performance and proven on the track. But usually not astronomically priced compared to a hypercar. (911 Turbo, GTR)
It's hard to say where a GTI would fit in....probably Sporty or Sports depending on the generation and your setup. For most I would lean towards Sporty....
