Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: biodiesel
I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything, I just didn't understand how having a sporty European suspension package on a car somehow transforms it in to being a sports car when it's clearly marketed by the manufacturer as a small family car. Of course that doesn't mean you can't drive it in a sporty manner, but it's hardly a sports car by definition.
In Audi Junie's defence, and I certainly realize you're not trying to pick a fight, merely trying to have an enjoyable debate, the definition of a sports car among car owners is rather cloudy.
We have people that consider V-6 Mustangs and Camaros sports cars. There certainly are all kinds of vehicles out there marketed as sports cars when their base model is a family hauler. A Mercedes E-Class with a diesel or an E350 might not be a sports car. How about an E63 AMG? They all have four doors and are family haulers. The latter has a better suspension and more power. It's a four door that will kick the snot out of a two door, V-6 Mustang in just about every conceivable performance category. Which is the sports car?
There are North Americans who will say that unless it's an SVT Mustang, a Vette, or a Viper, it's not a sports car. Some in Europe will say it's not a sports car unless it's a Porsche or Ferrari.
Who is right? I say if you enjoy the vehicle in spirited driving, then it's a sports car to you, and since you pay for the gas, oil, and insurance, then your opinion is the only one that really matters.
If one really wants to be picky, there aren't any factory cars, sports cars or otherwise, that would be able to compete in an F1 race. Therefore, none of them are sports cars, right? Then again, an F1 car wouldn't have a prayer in a rally race, so maybe they're not sports cars, either. A rally car wouldn't be competitive in the top class of 24 H at Le Mans, so they must just be family haulers, too.
Have you heard of Opel Manta? At one point in history that car was a great sports car in Europe.There is even a German-made movie with the name Manta Manta.People in the US will see that car as a compact grocery-getter, if not a sub-compact.