Supercar Or Not
12-11-2011, 10:04 PM
#18
Drifting
Thread Starter
This is one of those sliding definitions. Basically, if you can afford it, it's not a supercar unless you bought it and discovered you can't tolerate it for more than a hundred miles a month. (c.f. Lamborghinis, exciting as they look)
The current 997 exceeds by far the performance that people expected of the indisputable supercars in the year it was first released. (And for the record, though you didn't ask this, it is more in touch with the road and responsive than sports cars that are undeniable members of that class, but that's another question we'll save for a cold Winter night.) People who can't afford Porsches, let alone Carreras, think of these as supercars and don't even question the point. Most journalists fall into that category and they usually acknowledge the livability of the Porsches by sticking all the cost-is-no-object cars into a more rarefied category, like 'hypercar'.
As a conversational rule of thumb, a 'supercar' is one from the class just out of your financial reach that will blow off your own car. Since you (and I) own one, a Carrera isn't a supercar, just a super car. Ain't it grand?
Gary
The current 997 exceeds by far the performance that people expected of the indisputable supercars in the year it was first released. (And for the record, though you didn't ask this, it is more in touch with the road and responsive than sports cars that are undeniable members of that class, but that's another question we'll save for a cold Winter night.) People who can't afford Porsches, let alone Carreras, think of these as supercars and don't even question the point. Most journalists fall into that category and they usually acknowledge the livability of the Porsches by sticking all the cost-is-no-object cars into a more rarefied category, like 'hypercar'.
As a conversational rule of thumb, a 'supercar' is one from the class just out of your financial reach that will blow off your own car. Since you (and I) own one, a Carrera isn't a supercar, just a super car. Ain't it grand?
Gary
12-11-2011, 11:56 PM
#19
If supercar = the car to own if I can only have one i.e combined all-year daily driver, track car, occasional 4-seater and open top option, then it is one. Otherwise, no.
12-12-2011, 10:23 AM
#21
supercar
Even in regards to Supercars there are levels on that Title IMO. Now each of the below I am sure still can be debated... just giving a rough idea...
On the lower end of what maybe a Supercar -
Corvette Zr1
Viper ACR
GT2 maybe
GT3rs 4.0 maybe
AM V12 Vantage
Bentley Supersports
Gallardo
F430 etc
etc
Supercars - (some maybe on the edge to some)
Benz SLS
GT2RS (maybe)
Ferrari Italia
RUF RGT
Higher model Lamborghini
etc
A notch up from the prior Supercars noted and clearly supercars imo....
RUF CTR3
Porsche GT
Ferrari 599 GTO
Ford GT
The elite of Super cars....
Enzo
Noble m600
Veyron
Gumpert
etc...
OP, the car you noted, not even close. That said, as long as you feel it is a supercar that is all that matters.>>>>
On the lower end of what maybe a Supercar -
Corvette Zr1
Viper ACR
GT2 maybe
GT3rs 4.0 maybe
AM V12 Vantage
Bentley Supersports
Gallardo
F430 etc
etc
Supercars - (some maybe on the edge to some)
Benz SLS
GT2RS (maybe)
Ferrari Italia
RUF RGT
Higher model Lamborghini
etc
A notch up from the prior Supercars noted and clearly supercars imo....
RUF CTR3
Porsche GT
Ferrari 599 GTO
Ford GT
The elite of Super cars....
Enzo
Noble m600
Veyron
Gumpert
etc...
OP, the car you noted, not even close. That said, as long as you feel it is a supercar that is all that matters.>>>>
12-12-2011, 10:59 AM
#22
Skunk Whisperer
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Even in regards to Supercars there are levels on that Title IMO. Now each of the below I am sure still can be debated... just giving a rough idea...
On the lower end of what maybe a Supercar -
Corvette Zr1
Viper ACR
GT2 maybe
GT3rs 4.0 maybe
AM V12 Vantage
Bentley Supersports
Gallardo
F430 etc
etc
Supercars - (some maybe on the edge to some)
Benz SLS
GT2RS (maybe)
Ferrari Italia
RUF RGT
Higher model Lamborghini
etc
A notch up from the prior Supercars noted and clearly supercars imo....
RUF CTR3
Porsche GT
Ferrari 599 GTO
Ford GT
The elite of Super cars....
Enzo
Noble m600
Veyron
Gumpert
etc...
OP, the car you noted, not even close. That said, as long as you feel it is a supercar that is all that matters.>>>>
On the lower end of what maybe a Supercar -
Corvette Zr1
Viper ACR
GT2 maybe
GT3rs 4.0 maybe
AM V12 Vantage
Bentley Supersports
Gallardo
F430 etc
etc
Supercars - (some maybe on the edge to some)
Benz SLS
GT2RS (maybe)
Ferrari Italia
RUF RGT
Higher model Lamborghini
etc
A notch up from the prior Supercars noted and clearly supercars imo....
RUF CTR3
Porsche GT
Ferrari 599 GTO
Ford GT
The elite of Super cars....
Enzo
Noble m600
Veyron
Gumpert
etc...
OP, the car you noted, not even close. That said, as long as you feel it is a supercar that is all that matters.>>>>
12-12-2011, 01:16 PM
#23
12-12-2011, 03:05 PM
#24
Race Director
12-13-2011, 10:16 AM
#27
Rennlist Member
porsche has only 2 cars that do fit into 'exotics' and 'supercars' category. one was old Carrera GT car but it is not anymore, so really it is only new 918 car now.
of Ferraris - one can think either way, usually top ferrari with $500k+ can be called supercar but truly it is not these days as any moron now can drive them.
supercars are high performance custom made rare cars that have specs way above average. like veiron, like pagani zonda, etc.
Grand turismo cars are not super, sorry. Any street 997 is a pretty much a GT car. new 991 is even more GT than 997.
real sport car is not a supercar - almost any supercar will fall apart from what sport car like porsche gt3 cup car can sustain. same way we do not call nacsar cars supercars as those cars are real thing, not a stupid bling-bling for ultra-rich who can`t drive.
for very long time all porsche street cars were also very close to 'real thing' and that made them so popular.
of Ferraris - one can think either way, usually top ferrari with $500k+ can be called supercar but truly it is not these days as any moron now can drive them.
supercars are high performance custom made rare cars that have specs way above average. like veiron, like pagani zonda, etc.
Grand turismo cars are not super, sorry. Any street 997 is a pretty much a GT car. new 991 is even more GT than 997.
real sport car is not a supercar - almost any supercar will fall apart from what sport car like porsche gt3 cup car can sustain. same way we do not call nacsar cars supercars as those cars are real thing, not a stupid bling-bling for ultra-rich who can`t drive.
for very long time all porsche street cars were also very close to 'real thing' and that made them so popular.
12-13-2011, 06:45 PM
#28
Nordschleife Master
Supercar?
Depends on your definition.
To the average Joe who doesn't tool around in a $80K+ DD a Porsche Carrera S is likely seen by him as a "Supercar" or damn close to it..
Some define it based on price.
Some define it based on exclusivity which is a functoin of buy in price and number produced.
Some define it as performance. Many consider the 200 mph and over the domain of the supercar.
The Carrera S to many is a supercar based on it's unobtainable status to them and it's near 200 mph performance and panache' to boot.
In short it all depends on which facet of the prism you are looking through.
Do I consider the Carrera S a supercar?It will run with a Gallardo, F360, Corvettes etc..As a DD based on it's panache' and performance as a DD...it's damn close. Damn Close.
Depends on your definition.
To the average Joe who doesn't tool around in a $80K+ DD a Porsche Carrera S is likely seen by him as a "Supercar" or damn close to it..
Some define it based on price.
Some define it based on exclusivity which is a functoin of buy in price and number produced.
Some define it as performance. Many consider the 200 mph and over the domain of the supercar.
The Carrera S to many is a supercar based on it's unobtainable status to them and it's near 200 mph performance and panache' to boot.
In short it all depends on which facet of the prism you are looking through.
Do I consider the Carrera S a supercar?It will run with a Gallardo, F360, Corvettes etc..As a DD based on it's panache' and performance as a DD...it's damn close. Damn Close.
P-Car taboot.