Do you consider the MS3 to be a real sports kar?
- Thread starter camrycev6
- Start date
Ghost Rider
Banned
Define "real sports car"
I would rather not give my definition as it defeats the purpose of the survey. Suffice to say, I think the car is a lot of fun...but not a real sports car in the traditional sense.
there is no undisputable definition for it... it all depends on each person's own view of it, hence the difference in opinions on the subject and variance in the poll.
at first thought, i'd be slightly hesitant to put it as a "true" sports car, main reason being that it is built from the platform of an econo-hatch. it's front wheel drive. it has just 4 cylinders and a pretty small displacement. it looks pretty tame, with only small exterior cues and some bigger rims setting it apart from a basic 3 hatch.
that being said, look at what it does. its suspension grips the road pretty nicely, keeps you planted in corners very well, and even has traction control and DSC to further bolster handling. the powerplant is raw, puts out 263 hp and 280 lb-ft to the crank, and throws you to the back of your seat when you get around 3k rpm and into full boost. it has enough power to require the reduction of it through the first 2 gears, and even so, you can still rip the tires, not to mention it's got enough torque stear to make your head crack the driver's side window if you're not ready for it. it's stout brakes will bring you to 0 pretty quickly and with good feel.
maybe hot rod is a better term for it. when you look at the roots of that term, its more about budget speed, not really technological prowess, even though it still lacks the generic traits of a "hot rod."
my final verdict: yes, i think it should be considered a true sports car. my car does everything that any other sports car is intended to do well, and i dont think i can deny it that classification just because it it doesnt look fast or because it can do things that other sports cars can't (like fit normal sized people in the back seat, provide room for more than one 30-pack in the trunk, lets me sit in it without my head being permanently wedged against the roof, and lets me average 26mpg in regular driving and 30 on the highway)
im sold.
FrequentFlyer
Member
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- 2008 CWP Mazdaspeed3
Maybe we can break this down more and call it a sport wagon, but sports car is too general of a term. I've owned multiple "sports cars" ranging from 3 door hatchbacks to roadsters and now a 5-door wagon. I don't put the MS3 in the same "sports car" league as the S2000 I used to have. Is the MS3 faster in a straight line? Maybe a smidgen (although I've seen 13.9 @ 100 for the S2k), but I don't consider straight line speed the most important factor in calling a sports car: a sports car.
Ghost Rider
Banned
It's a sports compact or whatever you want to believe it to be.
I consider it a "hot hatch", much like I did my old Mopar turbos from the 80's. It's not a sports car to me. It's better in many ways than several sports cars I've owned, which is why I bought it instead of another sports car or hot rod truck. Kinda like having your cake and eating it too.
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- 2007 MS3
Somebody tells you about their new car and describes it thusly:
Does just about 14 seconds flat in the 1/4 with a good driver.
Top speed over 150.
Handles like it is on rails.
Stops on a dime.
Take it to the track and, again with a decent driver, it will beat acknowledged sports cars.
Your response: "dude, where did you get the money for a sports car?"
Then they tell you the rest of the story. Is it no longer a sports car?
Does the fact that it does all this with five doors and front wheel drive make it any less of a car? Certainly it isn't anywhere near the top echelon of sports cars (hell, compared to other sports cars, it probably isn't even in the middle of the pack) but the numbers (and results) speak for themselves. If it swims like a duck, flies like a duck, quacks like a duck...
Does just about 14 seconds flat in the 1/4 with a good driver.
Top speed over 150.
Handles like it is on rails.
Stops on a dime.
Take it to the track and, again with a decent driver, it will beat acknowledged sports cars.
Your response: "dude, where did you get the money for a sports car?"
Then they tell you the rest of the story. Is it no longer a sports car?
Does the fact that it does all this with five doors and front wheel drive make it any less of a car? Certainly it isn't anywhere near the top echelon of sports cars (hell, compared to other sports cars, it probably isn't even in the middle of the pack) but the numbers (and results) speak for themselves. If it swims like a duck, flies like a duck, quacks like a duck...
BlackCherry06
Member
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- '17 CX-3 GT
IMO, a sports car has 2 doors, RWD, a M/T, is 'sporty' in appearance and provides a driving experience that will put a sh*t eating grin on your face. Not necessarily blindingly fast, but is light and nimble and has a respectable power-to-weight ratio. They can be hard or soft top, or have a removable roof panel.
I would have to disagree, that's a very quick Sports GT.
