[Closed] Fast road cars

I've never had a FAST car I've driven a few and I've always found that to enjoy them your well on the wrong side of the law.

I'd rather have a light revy low grip car. I track day a mk2 scirocco. I love minis and have had a riot in some mx5s.

I would think it must be quite frustrating driving a fast car on the road

I once had an absolute blast in a Lotus Elise on a twisty country road without going much above 40mph.

Sometimes it's quality, not quantity.

I get frustrated driving my Passat on motorways! 70 is too slow even for that so I can't imagine how frustrating it must be in a fast car.

I know lots of roads where the NSL is much too fast. Unfortunately, these tend to be the most fun to drive on.

Of course, if you want fun on the public road, a small motorbike is by far the best bet. You get oodles of acceleration, you can overtake other vehicles in a flash and you don't have to go ridiculously fast to get that satisfaction of using the engine/gears/tyres properly.

Best fast car I ever had was limited to 85mph, and that really was plenty fast enough

I've currently got a BMW capable of 140 mph on nice skinny tyres. I don't drive it much above 70, but you can still have lots of fun below 70 which is quite remarkable in a fairly big very comfortable estate car.

I used to have a ludicrous car as a daily driver. Mazda RX7 with as near as makes no difference 400bhp, 0-60 in less than 4 seconds, probably close to 180mph top speed. It was ace. Every single journey was an experience, be it down to the supermarket and back, over to my mates 30 mile away, long distance motorway slogs, or just plain old driving for driving's sake. It could embarrass 99% of cars on the road, plus a few bikes, but really came into its own on the track. And being such a rarity I was stopped and asked about it almost every time I used it.

The secret is that you don't have to use 100% of the available power all the time. A quick squirt here and there to despatch the odd tractor or Sunday driver, the occasional hoon on a motorway slip road to put some distance between me and the tit riding my bumper in his Golf TDI. Marvellous.

I'd have another in a heartbeat.

It's true that you have to be very disciplined in a powerful modern car to remain within national speed limits as many even with a squeeze of your accelerator foot toes will see them scorch away from otger traffic at lights and up to national single carriageway limits in...under 6 seconds. (I would love to change mine to sub 4 seconds bit the costs associated would be astronomical and would only really be fully useable on track or Germany Autobahn ( in selected areas).
For me the fun is in the fact that you can make overtakes, safely, in good time and distance, without risk. There are sections of toad that there's no way in the distance I could se to be clear that I could do an overtake in my van but my 'fast' car it's perfectly safe. The brakes and other driver aids also make for sure footed handling on mountain passes ie the road past Knockin. Finally there is of course the adrenaline rush from a howling normally aspirated V6 or if you like the punch in the back a well tuned turbo driven 2litre petrol, or the rapid gear sections of a torquey big diesel engine.
I truly believe that if you don't like driving or are not bothered about it, you would never understand the fast car buzz. Bit the same as an MTBer not understanding a roadie or other way round or a non cyclist not understanding how bikes make us feel too.

And I should add that having watched the Top Gear with the Peugeot cars segment every petrol head will have understood the amusing and accurate portrayal....every Peugeot owner will not 😆

For me the fun is in the fact that you can make overtakes, safely, in good time and distance, without risk

..aaaand we're off!

Drove my boxter down from Glencoe to stirling at 6am on Monday morning. I passed one car on the entire journey. Best 90 minute journey I've ever taken...

Its totally pointless as a motorway car or commuter, but on a nice quiet A road it was simply amazing...

I've got a 435d which I only use a tiny bit of it's capablities
I also have a 140bhp celica that I enjoy as I can eek everything out of it, keeping the revs above 4k is a joy when you hit a gear right. It's currently for sale and I will be gutted when it goes.
My wife has a 325i which seems about right, overpowered still but not daft.

I once raced a TVR from Spean Bridge to Newtonmore in my Lotus Elise. That was a lot of fun.

I drive a Lotus Elise 111R every day, I car share so some weeks I do 150 miles, others 400. It's a properly quick car but It's find it easier to poodle around at the speed limit in it than I do in my wife's Laguna estate.

I have a Lotus 7 style sportscar. The best bit is the acceleration NOT the speed. It's only a 1.6 litre engine but the car only weighs 565kg!

0-60 in 5 seconds and overtaking whenever/wherever I want 🙂

Anything over 70mph is hard work; windy, noisy and the car wanders around 😆

Whatever you buy for your next car make sure it comes with automatic gear cos manual gear is sooo yesterday.

I was caught in a major road work yesterday and with automatic gear it was so relaxing.

I was considering something economical such as a VW Up

I know of an EVO staffer who spent his own money on an Up after driving it and hasn't looked back. Something to do with being able to drive everywhere on the door handles.

Never feeling like you need to mash the throttle all the way to the stop in order to accelerate briskly.

A nice 6 cylinder engine sounds better than a 4 absolutely all the time.

And just about anything RWD, even modern overtyred stuff is amusing out of junctions and on roundabouts with the electronics turned off.

Instruments of frustration. Unless you are Mother Theresa, you'd be better of with a Ka or Up! for cheap, legal fun.

The last car i worked on had just 903bhp.....

It went alright, and surprisingly, as long as you were mature / careful, you could deploy a surprisingly large amount of those horses for quite a lot of the time........ 😉

The last car i worked on had just 903bhp.....

P1?

What did you do on the p1 project max torque? Who were you working for?

Plenty of acceleration when needed, a very nice place to be at any speed, nice sound and will cruise at way above a ton when it's legal... And will still do 30mpg at 130kph. Best car I've ever owned.

Your answer is a 2CV with a Garret T1 turbo..

85hp 1.4tdi Fabia rarely use more than 50% of its capability, occasionally 80% and never 100%, it's way quicker than many cars once considered sporting.

If you live in the right place, then there are plenty of places to enjoy some of the power and most of the handling of such cars within the confines of the NSL. North Yorks is full of Open stretches of twisty road with good views ahead and no junctions. Having said that I hired a fiat 500 a few weeks ago and that could be driven at the limit more and was very good fun.

Where is it used? In perpetual traffic jams?

Are you equating 'capabilites' with speed or acceleration?

Get anything with good steering and suspension. Everything else is a very distant bonus. That includes bhp IMO.

quick squirt here and there to despatch the odd tractor or Sunday driver, the occasional hoon on a motorway slip road to put some distance between me and the tit riding my bumper in his Golf TDI. Marvellous.

I think the op's point is that he would find it difficult to limit himself to a quick squirt now and then. The act of acceleration is enjoyable, so it's difficult to stop just as you're getting started.

Interesting to note though that a lot of people seem to quote showing off to other drivers as a benefit...

M45 between the M1 and Coventry seems, ahem, to be a spot where people put cars through their paces.

I own a TT and drive it to work pretty much every day. It can go fast. However... it also has a Haldex rear diff and just sticks to corners like glue, so you don't need to go fast to get the impression of speed.

Even though it's not a proper sports car, it makes me smile every time I get in it. I love the sound of the engine (narrow angle V6) and I love the handling.

As a counterpoint, I also have a van and that's a lovely thing to drive as well, just different. It's more relaxing, more social, more laid back. And I can make tea in the back of it when I stop (and carry a load of bikes)

Back in the seventies you could have fun in a fast car but nowadays the roads are too congested, unless you get up at dawn in summer and head out over the Pennines or mid Wales. Having owned a Land Rover 90 I can tell you that almost any car will feel relaxing to drive in comparison; long road trips were exhausting in that car.

I'm just about to take delivery of a new company car and this time I've broken the mould by insisting on an auto box as the traffic is so bad that the clutch on my diesel Passat makes my knee ache. For me the emphasis now has to be on making driving as easy and relaxing as possible. On the rare occasions when you get a chance to enjoy the drive, a performance car would be nice but hard springs and bucket seats are just not practical day to day.

PS: If you buy an Up! don't get the auto, the car is too light for an auto box and jerks horribly. Go manual.

Surfmatt would have loved this thread and no doubt flounced at the flaming he would of copped 😆

Tbh if my commute was big I'd go auto.

For me the emphasis now has to be on making driving as easy and relaxing as possible.

The other (and deeply un-manly and unfashionable) way to enjoy driving. I love a relaxing cruise 🙂

do you enjoy overtaking [s]where[/s] drivers of slower vehicles

I've just bought an MX5 (2.0 SportTech) and it's so much fun on smaller roads.
Not the fastest 0-60 but the gear change, gearing, handling and having the top down make it the most fun I've ever had in a car (apart from the Caterham drifting experience a few weeks ago)

I don't want very fast but it overtakes with ease, revs to 7.5k and is more than enough on fun roads.

On the motorway I've had 41mpg, backroads is just over half that. Less MPG = more fun.

In answer to the OP-a frustrating experience for the most part. I just sold my focus RS which was an awesome machine. I still drive an old Nissan primera but now drive a t5 as a replacement, and I don't miss the RS at all. There's the constant car parking worries, no traction in the wet, boy racers all wanting to have a dual and then the daft mpg. If I was to get another 'fast' car it would be 4wd.

My truck isn't 'fast' in the sense of the rest of th.se posts, but with 422 torques, I love seeing the nose lift up when you put your foot down @2000rpm.

I only need to accelerate from 40 to 60 for that feeling. It's great. No need to break the speed limit. I also enjoy wheel spinning in 3rd in the wet...

while I'd love a properly fast car, i'll settle for fast enough.

130BHP, 4wd, 42mpg average on a 25 mile twisty B-road commute, heated leather seats and a badge on the front guaranteed to annoy most STW readers.

while I'd love a properly fast car, i'll settle for fast enough.

I'd agree.

We used to have a civic type-R - lovely car and i appreciate isn't 'supercar fast', was plenty quick enough.
However journeys became slightly 'stressful' as it did kind of fele like I was always 'holding back a barking dog' type thing..

As things are, I really like our (boring alert...) 2l TDI octavia - still feels quick enough to pull away at speed, but 'comfy and safe' at the same time..

The only thing I'd like is slightly 'sharper' handling, but then I suppose that would negate the comfy aspect.

DrP

I might stretch to something like a 530d but I'm not sure I could take the fuel economy hit, so probably would stay with a 4cyl even if I were loaded.

Where is it used? In perpetual traffic jams?

Are you equating 'capabilites' with speed or acceleration?

A good mix of roads, I live in a fairly rural low population density area but as with most other places driving is primarily following the car in front.

The Fabia is roughly the same weight and power as an XR2 that was once considered a boy racer car, in fact due to the turbo diesel torque it's probably faster in most situations.

I have another similar power but larger car and never wish I had more power or find I can't easily drive faster than is probably responsible.

For me the emphasis now has to be on making driving as easy and relaxing as possible.

For your main car that is also the priority for me. Having your back smashed apart by a car with low pro tyres, hard suspension and bucket seats becomes very wearing after a while.

Now a little car that's medium fast and you can chuck around they are fun. Best fun I've had were either super minis like Clio's, Swifts etc. or small soft tops like Alfa Spider or an old MX-5. None of which on a 0-60 time would be considered blistering fast.

Dammit. I want a fast car. 🙁

Yup, I drive an MX5.
It'd the top spec MK2.5 model so pretty comfortable (heated leather seats, electric windows... em, I dunno - it has a boot?)

Great fun to drive and never really break the speed limits. I'll just do 60 through each corner.

Happy to just sit and cruise in it as well as drive hard through the corners. Although it is a VVT engine it doesn't feel like a VTEC with a noticeable kick, so it is tame to drive at low revs.

Drove down the borders the other week and had a big grin on my face - sunny day, top down, A roads. Fun increased once I found a 20 mile twisty b road with no one else on it.
Then I got the bike off the back and went mountain biking.

A little bit off topic. Working shift patterns, I never have to drive through rush hour, but now and again I forget what time it is and nip to the shop etc. I don't know how people do it! I live on the edge of the south downs near Southampton, so not city centre living, but the difference is remarkable. Easily double travel times!

Before choosing a car I would take this in to consideration. I would buy an automatic if I had to drive in the city or during the rush hour, but as stated above I don't have to. That's why I have a manual Mk5 R32. 8)

MX5 mk2.5 VVT is actually for better midrange iirc, not additional top end like the VTEC tends to be.

I love my MX5, so much fun (although it does encourage hooligan driving, and can probably go round a lot of corners at appreciably more than the national speed limit. Probably).

Quickish cars are handy for getting away from the lights ahead of the riff-raff. Other than that they can be a bit of a liability. I seem to have a permanent 6 points on my licence which no sooner get reduced than they are topped up again.

I have an Octavia vrs which is quite a smooth and relaxing car while having loads of mid-range surge. My previous car was a Nissan Sunny gti (not a gti-r) which was only 140bhp but had an on/off switch for an accelerator. It was brilliant on back roads but tiresome for cruising, so I just drove everywhere on back roads.

Prior to these I had such Max Power stalwarts as a Renault 4 and three mk1 and mk2 Polos in succession.

Lotus 7 type car - probably the same as a Defender mod cons/comfort wise but at the other end of the spectrum on acceleration, handling and usefulness 😀

I've an MG midget (currently in bits to rebuild/upgrade the suspension).

Anything above 60 is noisy, but even trying to keep up with a 1.1 fiesta is fun on a twisty road! Makes me grin just pootling to the shops.

Sadly I've managed to fix the leaky exhaust and the seals on the floats so it no longer spits flames out of the exhaust on the overun :-(.

My car is in having a tow bar fitted today and they've given me a Macan Turbo as a courtesy car 🙂
4.7s 0-60 makes it easily the fastest car I've driven and yet it's easy to pootle about in.

[first world problem] MrsSB is annoyed as she thought we were getting a Boxster. Women 😐
[/first world problem]

I have a fast car, one of the new breed of super hot hatches (well one of the first, bit slow now...)
4WD, 275 BHP, limited to 155 and 0-6o in 5.5 secs
I have great fun away from the lights, roundabouts, overtaking etc. However it always feels like your holding it back, straining at the leash.

I've found fun is more related to the road you're driving on than the vehicle you're driving on it. I've a 400hp plus Audi RS estate that's crazily capable, however I drove a hired Transit down my regular twisting country road recently and it was just as much fun as the Audi (or any of the other cars I've previously owned, RWD stuff included).

Where the Audi feels special is when you're just going about your daily business. It's just nice to be in something interesting and different on a daily basis - rather than just another bland and boring Eurobox.

I, too, now have a Golf R32 Mk5 (manual) - having previously owned lots of other quick-ish cars: S3, Fiat Coupe 20V Turbos, all the RS Clios etc etc.

It's an interesting contrast to my cycling lifestyle: I cycle pretty much all the time that I can and rarely use cars unless I really have to.

That said, I drive a lot of boggo hire cars on work business and it's an interesting contrast with the older, high-ish performance car that I still feel that I need!

In neither car would I drive over the speed limit in almost any circumstance, but in the R32 I'd have a right laugh the whole time. There's something about that V6 exhaust note that seriously works its way under your skin and, I think, haunts previous owners who decide to sell up.

At 7 years old, I've decided to chuck a supercharger and new suspension at it (amongst other bits and bobs). It makes no sense whatsoever in that I will barely use the resultant performance, but it'll build on a car that has a lot more character than the modern alternatives. 🙂

Last week, I was out in the recovery truck, and had the pleasure of following a new shape McLaren, loving looking vehicle, apparently very quick, but over a 22mile drive there was not one opportunity that he could get in a safe overtake, so we both reached the same destination in exactly the same time.

Having had a modern sports motorbike as well, you don't begin to wonder why?

One word missing is appropriate speed, yes it might be a NSL but is it appropriate in the conditions?

I've never owned a truely fast car - have had a dew quickish ones (Mini Cooper S, 325, 330 etc) but have driven some properly quick cars owned by friends and family.

My MCS was a hoot to drive, not mega fast at 7 and a bit secs to 62 but the whine of the supercharger just egged you on. It was hoot on country lanes too but didn't do relaxing all that well. The current 330 manages to cover both bases well; it's good at cruising at a sedate pace but has enough power to make you grin a bit when you can use it. It also sounds lovely too (more so with the BMW carbon air intake).

In terms of properly quick cars, I spent a bit of time driving my step-uncle's V10 RS6. That was an impressive bit of engineering - it was quite happy to cruise so it wasn't frustrating but equally cheeky overtakes were over in a blink of the eye. His previous RS4 would have frustrated me more to own because you always felt like you needed to be 'on it' to enjoy it.

With the even more serious cars, there is the drama that goes with it too which is fun (noise etc).

might stretch to something like a 530d but I'm not sure I could take the fuel economy hit, so probably would stay with a 4cyl even if I were loaded.

The economy hit isn't that bad in the real world (ignoring the flawed EU tests) but the pay offs are worth it in my experience; better noise (even with the derv) and they're much smoother.

Only had fast bikes. They're nice as everything is effortless, but it's very easy to do some very silly things. 😈

Now I'm old and over power/speed, I'll take a slower or older bike any day.

I enjoy nailing a corner line in the correct gear then hammering it out of the corner back up to 70/80ish. The fast bikes would have cruised a similar corner in top gear then barely accelerated to hit 80. just not as fun without going silly fast.

I think for an exciting car, a roadster would be better than a silly powerful rally rep, or get a nice van and enjoy the relaxing ride!

It's nice to get an adrenaline buzz, in whatever way you get it

Fast cars are capable, slower cars can sometimes be more fun. Hire cars are nearly always fun to drive...

My car is practical and fulfils family needs brilliantly. Hopefully will get a T5 next.

Thankfully I have a motorbike for kicks. All big bikes are quick, some are just quicker than others

Ben_h, a friend got rid of his mk5 r32 for a mk 7 gti. He says the gti is quicker and better handling but he weeps when he hears mine. I oblige him by revving a lot. 😆

Thanks - there's a lot of useful info there.

I used to drive fast years ago, and on most days would drive at speeds which would now mean an instant ban. The car I was driving wasn't fast by today's standards, but I would make full use of the power in all gears.

I've also got a motorbike license, and while I love the increased involvement of bikes, I found it difficult to keep to speed limits on the open road.

I do fancy one or two of the cars mentioned, the MX-5 being one. I had a test drive in a used MK3 last year, and thought it was a nice car to sit in and drive. The main downside of the MX-5 to me is that it's unlikely to be any cheaper to run than my Defender in terms of road tax and fuel efficiency. Someone mentioned a 2CV, and they also appeal (especially with BMW engine), although after watching some videos last week I came to the conclusion that they're even flimsier than a Defender, so I think I've ruled it out.

However, the Defender has always seemed like an 'ideal' car in many ways. I think I'd miss it. Mine is happy to grunt along on minimum throttle, and it's perfectly content to trundle along at 50mph or 55mph on an A road, so sitting behind a slow-ish lorry isn't as frustrating as it would be in a fast car. It's also easy to drive to speed limits in town, and acceleration is steady from traffic lights, to the extent that buses will pull ahead. However, when asked to, mine comes alive with a roar and some impressive acceleration for something that size. It feels like I'm hammering some sort of 1970's rally car, and it will wheel-spin on damp corners if the turbo is on boost. I know I'm in a tiny minority, but to me it's almost ergonomically perfect!

I suppose I like something with a bit of character which isn't too bland to drive. However, modern cars apparently offer great efficiency and safety. I'll maybe hire some cars, starting with an Up, to see what they're like.

cobrakai - Member
Ben_h, a friend got rid of his mk5 r32 for a mk 7 gti. He says the gti is quicker and better handling but he weeps when he hears mine. I oblige him by revving a lot.

^^ I almost bought a Mk7 GTI about a month ago.

I decided at the last minute to live a little and to go down the tuning route with my R32. The upfront cost is obviously substantial, but it'll cost less overall than any new car of even 2/3rds the power - and of course I'll have the presence, feelgood factor and knowledge (mainly to myself!) that I have a real sleeper. 😉

The fact that I'm a 34-year-old sensible dad of 2 with a boring career etc just adds to the fun! No 320d in recession white for me... 😀

The economy hit isn't that bad in the real world

See, I am intrigued. The only real dowside to more cylinders is more friction.. but really how much? More weight too I guess.

I hated the MK3 MX5 compared to the Mk2.5. It felt like a Jap saloon to me compared. Better on a long journey maybe but the MK2.5 walked all over it IMO. I still haven't driven a MK1- I bet (untired) it'd be better than both.

I've heard that about the Mk3 MX-5. I only drove it on a short loop from the garage, but it took in some B-roads and a short section of dual-carriageway. It felt refined, but as you say, probably not as raw as a Mk1 might be. I remember that although it seemed quite fast, it took a while for the rev counter to climb.

I'd be tempted to try and find a nice Mk1.

Having an Elise for 4 years spoiled me for other cars, so drive whatever I can find cheap now.

Every now and then though, I see a Tuscan or an Alfa and just think ...

Mk1 MX 5 rocks. I had a 1.6 which was generally regarded as a little underpowered - was fine with a few upgrades, but if I were looking again I'd start with the 1.8 block. Unfortunately I need some passing gesture at least at 4 seats 🙁

My car falls into your broad definition of quick I suppose, but it really drives just the same as the slower versions except when I ask it, so there's no drawback. And being able to leave most people in a cloud of dust on demand... er, well, mostly smoke actually... is a nice option.

I had motorbikes before cars so very little seems fast, my "popular first bike" could run a barely-over-3-second 0-60 and a sub-9-second 0-100, and a better rider would have that well beat. So it gives you a different impression of speed really.

I've always had to have sensible (but quite nice) cars owing to having a sensible job with sensible company car. Job change last year meant I had the chance to drive whatever I fancied. 2 door german coupe 6 cyl twin turbo diesel 280+ bhp auto. Loads of fun, bags of power, by far the fastest car ive had for any length of time 5 sec 0-60. Yet I can pootle anywhere within speed limits as it can also be quite lazy. Still have as much fun as my mate in his westfield, but with leather and aircon and 40+ mpg unless hooning about where -30 mpg is more likely. That said, on a warm dry day,the westie might bring a bigger smile!!.

.

I still haven't driven a MK1- I bet (untired) it'd be better than both.

Mk1 mx5 are great cars, if you can find one that's light on rust. Not much power but perfectly balanced. Wish we still had ours.

One word - roundabouts.

And being able to leave most people in a cloud of dust on demand... er, well, mostly smoke actually... is a nice option.

There it is again.. fascinating..

Toyota GT86 here - have had it for just over 2 1/2 years now and it still makes me smile every time I get behind the wheel. Reasonably economical if you want it to be (nudges 40 mpg on a run), but brilliant fun at sensible speeds if you fancy a change. 100% reliable so far - have had no need to make use of the 5 yr standard warranty, or the dealership for anything other than routine servicing. 🙂

Roundabouts? Theres a double figure of 8 roundabouts near me..

molgrips - Member
And being able to leave most people in a cloud of dust on demand... er, well, mostly smoke actually... is a nice option.
There it is again.. fascinating..

Whilst I take your point, it's undeniable that when we're in our cars, at times there's a sense that we're children again and playing at racing.
I'm not condoning making the roads into a child's racetrack, but obviously it's part of our psyche.

There it is again.. fascinating..

Yep. Someone who professes to be disinterested in fast cars can't stop coming back to a thread about one.

Admit it, deep down you want to be in that car overtaking from five cars back...

34 years old with a bambino on the way. Been a golf fan for years and this is my 3rd after 2 mk 4s. Tdi was superb but the 2.0 "gti" was gutless.

I can see loads of potential in the v6 but I'm leaving it completely standard. It's only got 40k on the Clock and as long as I keep it serviced and the mileage lowish, it'll be desirable in 10 years. I think mods can go either way so just leaving it.

Turbo kit though.....

Cobrakai, me too funnily enough I brought it to keep stock, keep the mikeage reasonable and in great condition. It's actually really nice when it's clean and glistening in the sun when young and old petrol heads know what they're looking at and give you a wave or thumbs up, particularly if you make it sing for a couple of seconds.
But I do keep finding myself looking at the turbo and supercharger upgrades....then the DSG upgrade....suspension....brakes.... £21000 later I'd have a track day only useable car but worth nowhere near a well looked after original.
I woul love to know how many R32 owners occasionally go on you tube for exhaust comparisons......just for the noise!

molgrips - Member

There it is again.. fascinating..

Is it really? We are[i] allowed [/i]to overtake you know

There it is again.. fascinating.