2008 Best Affordable Sport Cars-U.S. News

[wmbeaver]

did anyone notice what they put on the pro/con for the rx8:
pro:
Four-door suicide-door design makes entering the rear seat an easy task
con:
Four-door suicide-door design makes exiting the rear seat a complicated task

a bit contradictory eh?

 

[haze20]

anything that has 4 real doors OR not RWD should not be on that list, imo.

So a Veyron is not a sports car in your opinion?

 

[genericuser]

a veyron isn't a sportscar, it is a supercar

 

[kamon8404]

Well, I have to say that I have been becoming more and more of an RX-8 fan lately. I'm glad they are on the list, just should have been higher.

 

[Mocoso]

Took the liberty of deleting "Sport Sedans" from the "Sports Car" list.. frigin US News and World report... bet you the author thinks his 3 series sedan is a sports car too.... (As much as I love my MS3 a Sports Car it is NOT - Sport Sedan - Sporty Car - yes but a SPORTS CAR... tell that to the Miata or S2000 driver and they will laugh at you)

3-way tie for 1st
1st 2008 Honda S2000
1st 2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata

4th 2008 Mazda RX-8
5th 2008 Nissan 350z
6th 2008 Ford Mustang

Tiburon and Eclipse get deleted cus I want no poser Sports cars in this list damn it - 2 doors and RWD dont make a sports car... next thing you know a Civic will be called a sports car because it has 2 doors... (note the base Mustang wouldnt make my list either... its GT or better damn it - if you cant handle like a sports car you better make it up in power )


8th 2008 Pontiac Solstice
8th 2008 Saturn Sky


What it shows is that EVEN removing the MS3 Mazda's advertisement and credo that it has the soul of a sports car isnt BS....

 

[niky]

Actually, if you really want to get picky about it... only a few of those cars qualify as "true" sports cars.

A sports car, according to the classic definition is small, light, seats just one or two people, is powerful and is built for racing.

So, taking lightness, size and seat number into account:

2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata
2008 Honda S2000
2008 Pontiac Solstice
2008 Saturn Sky

And then power:

2008 Honda S2000
2008 Pontiac Solstice
2008 Saturn Sky
(only because these two have redline variants)

But since none of them are built for racing:

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You gotta have some leeway in your definition of "sportscars", because, aside from a Porsche 911 GT3RS, there aren't really that many "real" sportscars riding on the street nowadays... hence it's perfectly fine to include sports sedans and sports compacts on any list of "best sports-whatever", otherwise it'd be a pretty woeful list, composed mostly of glass-bodied Shelby Cobra wannabes, one Porsche, and maybe, just maybe, a Honda S2000... and when you get to the "racing" requirement, the only true "racing" car being sold for street use is the T1 Caparo...

 

[Mocoso]

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You gotta have some leeway in your definition of "sportscars", because, aside from a Porsche 911 GT3RS, there aren't really that many "real" sportscars riding on the street nowadays... hence it's perfectly fine to include sports sedans and sports compacts on any list of "best sports-whatever", otherwise it'd be a pretty woeful list, composed mostly of glass-bodied Shelby Cobra wannabes, one Porsche, and maybe, just maybe, a Honda S2000... and when you get to the "racing" requirement, the only true "racing" car being sold for street use is the T1 Caparo...

I dont disagree that some leeway needs to be given but they just pushed the line a little too far... by most anyone's honest take a 4 door car really falls in the sport sedan and not sports car...in all honesty if they would have left the wrx and the ms3 out of the list I would have had a hard time arguing their definition (I couldnt help throwing a jab at the mitsu and the tiburon)

 

[bazooka joe]

The solstice is about 200 lbs lighter, so they're not the exact same.


Impressive that 'we' got 3 of the top 4 spots tho

i was thinking the same, not bad, "for a mazda"!! it's really what mazda is after anyway, affordable zoom, zoom, zoom!!(drive2)

 

[TinmanMS6]

Actually, if you really want to get picky about it... only a few of those cars qualify as "true" sports cars.

A sports car, according to the classic definition is small, light, seats just one or two people, is powerful and is built for racing.

So, taking lightness, size and seat number into account:

2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata
2008 Honda S2000
2008 Pontiac Solstice
2008 Saturn Sky

And then power:

2008 Honda S2000
2008 Pontiac Solstice
2008 Saturn Sky
(only because these two have redline variants)

But since none of them are built for racing:

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-------------------

You gotta have some leeway in your definition of "sportscars", because, aside from a Porsche 911 GT3RS, there aren't really that many "real" sportscars riding on the street nowadays... hence it's perfectly fine to include sports sedans and sports compacts on any list of "best sports-whatever", otherwise it'd be a pretty woeful list, composed mostly of glass-bodied Shelby Cobra wannabes, one Porsche, and maybe, just maybe, a Honda S2000... and when you get to the "racing" requirement, the only true "racing" car being sold for street use is the T1 Caparo...

OK, it's official. We now have a panel in charge of approving official "sports cars".


While I agree that some of these cars are definitely not sports cars, I don't agree with your criteria at all. A sports car should be judged on its own merits. I don't really think that a sports car has ever been expected to be purpose built for racing. The Miata, S2000, and Solstice/Sky were all purpose-built to do all the things expected of a sports car, and the MX-5 has a dedicated racing series (MX-5 Cup anyone?).

 

[altspace]

did anyone notice what they put on the pro/con for the rx8:
pro:
Four-door suicide-door design makes entering the rear seat an easy task
con:
Four-door suicide-door design makes exiting the rear seat a complicated task

a bit contradictory eh?

They don't even know it's called a "Freestyle" door system. Just as I mentioned on the last page. Total ignorance.

 

[altspace]

Are you serious?! The RX-8 is a track car. Might not be super fast, but it's whole engineering purpose was to be a track car. No?

 

[TinmanMS6]

Are you serious?! The RX-8 is a track car. Might not be super fast, but it's whole engineering purpose was to be a track car. No?

I'm not sure if you're talking to me or him, but I missed the RX-8 because he didn't mention it.

Yes, I'd include the RX-8 as a true sports car as well. Any car that is built with nothing but sporting intentions is a sports car in my book.

 

[astraelraen]

I don't think I would have included the S2000, especially not in first. It's a very capable sports car, but I think its too expensive, especially in comparison to the cars listed there and doesn't meet the "affordable" part

 

[TinmanMS6]

I don't think I would have included the S2000, especially not in first. It's a very capable sports car, but I think its too expensive, especially in comparison to the cars listed there and doesn't meet the "affordable" part

Well, affordable is certainly relative, but I would say $32k is somewhat affordable, especially as far as sports cars go.

 

[niky]

OK, it's official. We now have a panel in charge of approving official "sports cars".


While I agree that some of these cars are definitely not sports cars, I don't agree with your criteria at all. A sports car should be judged on its own merits. I don't really think that a sports car has ever been expected to be purpose built for racing. The Miata, S2000, and Solstice/Sky were all purpose-built to do all the things expected of a sports car, and the MX-5 has a dedicated racing series (MX-5 Cup anyone?).

Yes, but sporting intentions can come with two doors, three doors, four doors or five. If you split hairs and exclude front-wheel drive cars and hatchbacks (and, by the way, the classical definition of "sports car" doesn't exclude FWD... (hah) )...then you're drawing an arbitrary line that's indefensible... considering a Mitsubishi Evolution is five times the "sportscar" an Eclipse is, though the Eclipse actually fits the classic definition (high powered, two-seater (those rear seats are about as big a joke as the 911's), low). You're never going to buy the Evo to commute to work, though that's a good excuse to get one... you buy it to drive it.

I actually have no bones with any of the choices... except the Tiburon... it doesn't even drive as well as the regular Mazda3... (hehehe) ...I'm just pointing out that a hard-line stance on what defines a sportscar is hard to defend. Personally, as long as it's designed to both go fast and corner well, it fits the definition perfectly.

And that's the consolation I have for buying a Protege over a Miata. (rofl2)

 

[Rally Ninja]

Woot 4 mazda!

as for the what is a 'sports car' debate....narrowing it down to certain things is just small, closed and narrow-minded.

Now I'm off to buy a real sports car.....a dodge caravan with the word 'sport' on it.



Badger>Snake

 

[TinmanMS6]

Yes, but sporting intentions can come with two doors, three doors, four doors or five. If you split hairs and exclude front-wheel drive cars and hatchbacks (and, by the way, the classical definition of "sports car" doesn't exclude FWD... (hah) )...then you're drawing an arbitrary line that's indefensible... considering a Mitsubishi Evolution is five times the "sportscar" an Eclipse is, though the Eclipse actually fits the classic definition (high powered, two-seater (those rear seats are about as big a joke as the 911's), low). You're never going to buy the Evo to commute to work, though that's a good excuse to get one... you buy it to drive it.

I actually have no bones with any of the choices... except the Tiburon... it doesn't even drive as well as the regular Mazda3... (hehehe) ...I'm just pointing out that a hard-line stance on what defines a sportscar is hard to defend. Personally, as long as it's designed to both go fast and corner well, it fits the definition perfectly.

And that's the consolation I have for buying a Protege over a Miata. (rofl2)

I'm not really sure what you're saying about what I said. I didn't say anything about doors, driven wheels, etc. You actually seem to agree with what I think, but not necessarily what I wrote above.

That said, there's not a (production) Protege on earth that could be defined as a sports car.

 

[niky]

I was agreeing. I was just noting that my previous previous previous post was sarcastic.

Oh, I don't know about the Protege part... I think the MSP could be considered a "sports sedan", more or less.

 

[flipstylex]

they are all good cars

for the record, who would win on a track between s2000, rx8, and ms3 ..all professional drivers !!!

 

[daonly1around]

and why did they list solstice/sky separately, they're the same frigging car...

solstice is also cheaper