It's fast
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 703
Likes: 24
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 490
Likes: 5
Okay I see what you mean, now.
I'd say that the single biggest factor is the tuning of all the parts to work in unison. It's relatively light, produces considerable downforce, has a long wheelbase, a wide track, a low center of gravity, and all the rest, but it's the way that it all works together that makes it so awesome.
A good analogy would be the 911 GT3 RSRs that used to race in the ALMS. They were the knife brought to the gun fight. Down on power, not the best weight distribution (unless we're talking braking and acceleration), small engines, large frontal area, less than stellar dimensions, mac struts, unibody chassis, etc., yet they won consistently. The reason for this is Porsche's ability to make the simple recipe work perfectly while everyone else had a more complex recipe. Every car in their field was more car on paper.
I'd say that the single biggest factor is the tuning of all the parts to work in unison. It's relatively light, produces considerable downforce, has a long wheelbase, a wide track, a low center of gravity, and all the rest, but it's the way that it all works together that makes it so awesome.
A good analogy would be the 911 GT3 RSRs that used to race in the ALMS. They were the knife brought to the gun fight. Down on power, not the best weight distribution (unless we're talking braking and acceleration), small engines, large frontal area, less than stellar dimensions, mac struts, unibody chassis, etc., yet they won consistently. The reason for this is Porsche's ability to make the simple recipe work perfectly while everyone else had a more complex recipe. Every car in their field was more car on paper.
From the Jalopnik article:
Oh boy, let the arguments on what is a "racecar" resume.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,281
Likes: 119
It's hyperbole. That's still my position. Frankly, it's simpleminded hyperbole like ,"All guys who drive big trucks have small penises." Oh, how original. Did you come up with that on your own? LOL.
The biggest issue I take with his reasoning in that article is the fact that he proclaims how it's a racecar and then proceeds to explain how you are not permitted to have that kind of aero on most racecars.
The biggest issue I take with his reasoning in that article is the fact that he proclaims how it's a racecar and then proceeds to explain how you are not permitted to have that kind of aero on most racecars.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 490
Likes: 5
It's hyperbole. That's still my position. Frankly, it's simpleminded hyperbole like ,"All guys who drive big trucks have small penises." Oh, how original. Did you come up with that on your own? LOL.
The biggest issue I take with his reasoning in that article is the fact that he proclaims how it's a racecar and then proceeds to explain how you are not permitted to have that kind of aero on most racecars.
The biggest issue I take with his reasoning in that article is the fact that he proclaims how it's a racecar and then proceeds to explain how you are not permitted to have that kind of aero on most racecars.
I think it's important to read the word in context and not dwell too much on what the proper definition is. Also, I don't really see how it relates to the truck/penis stereotype.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,281
Likes: 119
Sorry for the late reply... I forgot about this thread. Haha.
Zygrene, yes, of course I use the term racecar as defined by very specific boundaries because it is a word that has actual meaning. If what you're suggesting is that when people say racecar they actually mean "track-prepped car" then where does that lead us? If I have a bone stock Miata that was track prepped by virtue of an aggressive alignment, does that count? What if I modify the Miata slightly? What if I give it all of the same parts as the Viper, at what point does it become a racecar in your estimation?
What you're proposing undermines the very purpose of language. Words are merely symbols to denote meaning, and you're essentially advocating that the term racecar should have a very interpretive meaning. Sure, that's possible, but why bother when we have many other suitable words to choose from. Or, more to the point, if you're suggesting that we amend the meaning of the term, then you are unintentionally agreeing with me that it has a definite meaning and you're trying to re purpose it.
Street legal racecar is indeed a term that has been around for a while... as a hyperbolic term. A literal street legal racecar would be an actual car that is homologated to race in a particular series that has been licensed for road use. A car that's really fast and has some racey bits can be described as such, but in a hyperbolic sense.
I agree that it's important to read the word in context. The context is what our debate centers on.
My point regarding the penis/truck thing is that saying "street legal racecar" is a recycled and lazy phrase that is beaten to death. Like form over funcion. How many ricer douche bags each day utter that phrase to make it appear as if they have something clever to say? Or how many people who know nothing of the court system are apt to say, "America is overly litigious." OOOOOOHHHHHH, how smart of you. Did you come up with that on your own? Haha.
My meaning was simply that the term "street legal racecar" may very well be used by people like you who are worth having a conversation with in the first place, but it's also the term used by every redneck to explain his bitchin' Camaro to his girlfriend, etc. In other words, the popularity of the term does nothing to convince me of its merit.
My entire point is that racecars are actual things that are distinct from non-racecars by virtue of a few key characteristics. This car may share some of the characteristics, yet so too do other cars that we do not call street legal racecars. And furthermore, this car is lacking in the few key characteristics that I believe and reasonable person would agree must be present for it to be a racecar. And, lastly, there are actual Viper racecars that further help us differentiate between this car and an actual racecar.
Again, it's a fast street car, it's a car that has some racecar parts, it's a car that may indeed be faster than some bonafide racecars, but it is not literally a racecar. To argue otherwise requires us to expand the definition of the word racecar that would cause it to include cars that no one would consider to be racecars.
Zygrene, yes, of course I use the term racecar as defined by very specific boundaries because it is a word that has actual meaning. If what you're suggesting is that when people say racecar they actually mean "track-prepped car" then where does that lead us? If I have a bone stock Miata that was track prepped by virtue of an aggressive alignment, does that count? What if I modify the Miata slightly? What if I give it all of the same parts as the Viper, at what point does it become a racecar in your estimation?
What you're proposing undermines the very purpose of language. Words are merely symbols to denote meaning, and you're essentially advocating that the term racecar should have a very interpretive meaning. Sure, that's possible, but why bother when we have many other suitable words to choose from. Or, more to the point, if you're suggesting that we amend the meaning of the term, then you are unintentionally agreeing with me that it has a definite meaning and you're trying to re purpose it.
Street legal racecar is indeed a term that has been around for a while... as a hyperbolic term. A literal street legal racecar would be an actual car that is homologated to race in a particular series that has been licensed for road use. A car that's really fast and has some racey bits can be described as such, but in a hyperbolic sense.
I agree that it's important to read the word in context. The context is what our debate centers on.
My point regarding the penis/truck thing is that saying "street legal racecar" is a recycled and lazy phrase that is beaten to death. Like form over funcion. How many ricer douche bags each day utter that phrase to make it appear as if they have something clever to say? Or how many people who know nothing of the court system are apt to say, "America is overly litigious." OOOOOOHHHHHH, how smart of you. Did you come up with that on your own? Haha.
My meaning was simply that the term "street legal racecar" may very well be used by people like you who are worth having a conversation with in the first place, but it's also the term used by every redneck to explain his bitchin' Camaro to his girlfriend, etc. In other words, the popularity of the term does nothing to convince me of its merit.
My entire point is that racecars are actual things that are distinct from non-racecars by virtue of a few key characteristics. This car may share some of the characteristics, yet so too do other cars that we do not call street legal racecars. And furthermore, this car is lacking in the few key characteristics that I believe and reasonable person would agree must be present for it to be a racecar. And, lastly, there are actual Viper racecars that further help us differentiate between this car and an actual racecar.
Again, it's a fast street car, it's a car that has some racecar parts, it's a car that may indeed be faster than some bonafide racecars, but it is not literally a racecar. To argue otherwise requires us to expand the definition of the word racecar that would cause it to include cars that no one would consider to be racecars.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 703
Likes: 24