Sport Compact Car Forbidden Fruit

[mikeyb]

Forbidden Fruit
The 10 greatest cars you can't buy

By Alistair Weaver
Photography: courtesy of Ford Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., Subaru of America, Inc., Vauxhall Motors Ltd., Alfa Romeo, Lotus Cars Ltd., Renault, Noble Automotive Ltd., SEAT, S.A., MG Rover Group Ltd.

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The pitiful truth is that many of the world's finest sports cars never turn a wheel in the U.S. Some fail to batter their way through U.S. regulations that encourages the Hummer H2 but rule out the Lotus Elise, while others are dismissed as "not commercially viable." Legendary marques such as Alfa Romeo and MG aren't represented on these shores because the Europeans think the "septic tanks" don't want them.

And our friends across the Pacific are no more accommodating. If you've ever spent a weekend in Tokyo, you know Japan is awash with hot, modified motors. It's rare for a Honda to pass without some sort of Mugen kit, while Subaru Technica International (STi) has an expansive showroom that's nirvana for the motoring enthusiast.



Even some of the cars that do roll of a boat, such as the Mitsubishi EVO VIII, lack the technical trickery that makes them so appealing to the Europeans. One of Prodrive's engineers famously set fire to a U.S.-spec WRX because he hadn't realized the brakes are several grades lower than they are on UK cars.

Here, we'll bring you a blow-by-blow account of the 10 best cars you can't have. Most come from Europe - one of them even hails from France - but others were born under the Japanese flag. All are eminently affordable, undeniably desirable and scream "drive me" from every angle. <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width=476 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD align=middle>


Alfa 147 GTA

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Ford Focus RS

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Honda Civic Type-R

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Lotus Elise 111S

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MG ZT V6

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Noble M12

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Renault Clio V6

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Seat Leon Cupra R

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Subaru Legacy STi

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Vauxhall VX220 Turbo

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http://sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0406scc_tengreat/

If you click of the pics an a article about the car comes up.<SCRIPT language=JavaScript>google_debug();</SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-primedia-cmmg_js&dt=1103203616406&hints=Sport%20Compact%20Car%20Magazine%2CRoot%20Category%2Cfeatures%2C&adsafe=medium&num_ads=3&output=js&adtest=off&channel=cmmg-sportcompactcarweb&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportcompactcarweb.com%2Ffeatures%2F0406scc_tengreat%2F&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fsportcompactcarweb.com%2Ffeatures%2F0406scc_tengreat%2F&u_h=768&u_w=1024&u_ah=740&u_aw=1024&u_cd=32&u_tz=-300&u_his=32&u_java=true"></SCRIPT>

 

[REMillers]

Well the Lotus is here only with the Toyota engine instead of the Rover one, but we get 190hp vs the 158 however that is offeset by weight increase.

The Noble is also here through a private company.
As for the rest (shrug) can do without them, neat article though.

 

[www.ky-kia.com]

The reason the focus RS is not here is because ford is too lazy to retune it to use US gasoline. All the parts except the engine and ecu can be purchased at a ford dealer to upgrade the US spec focus.

We have cars here they don't sell out of the country. Any SVT ford does not leave USA or Canada unless a individual or a non-ford affiliated company exports it. Just like the Skyline in USA is imported by MotoreX. The SVT line has to be aquired in other countries by a similar method.

 

[LASERBLUE135]

Better Than Years Ago

I read a similar arcticle a few years back with the WRX, Evo, and GT-R topping the list. These 3 cars best anything in that group for price/functionality. We're doing pretty well these days on this side of the pond.

 

[www.ky-kia.com]

I read a similar arcticle a few years back with the WRX, Evo, and GT-R topping the list. These 3 cars best anything in that group for price/functionality. We're doing pretty well these days on this side of the pond.

When I first saw the WRX in this country it was a imported Jspec. I was drooling then. After that they brought it here and they became so common that they are starting to blend in. The Evo is starting to get that way. But the GTR I have only seen one(not counting pics). The GTR is the kind of car I would have before any exotic. There is no othe car in the world that is that reliable in the face of abuse. You can dog those cars out and not a problem. It's like Nissan built a 1500 hp monster than detuned it to 271-300 hp but left all the strong parts inside and said there you go have fun.

 

[mp3moose]

I wouldn't be able to decide between the lotus and the noble.

 

[LASERBLUE135]

It doesn't break my heart

Now that WRX's are commonplace, and in Minnesota they are
E V E R Y W H E R E !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm still not sad. When they finally said they were bringing them here the magazines all anticipated 0-60 times of less than 5 seconds and around $30grand. Well that was the STI which came a few years later...BUT consider what car you would want in 2001??? I can't even think of a car made in the USA for the 2001 year that I would really want to drive today (being realistic of course) but today we've got all these choices and all these turbos!!! And we have to thank the sales success of that first WRX that ONLY did 0-60 in 5.4 seconds (faster than a Lamborgini Countach which was on most of our bedroom walls!!!!) Now you can have one for $12 grand, the Skylines coming, Holy-mother-of-cheap-fast-cars!!! No I'm still not sad!

partial threadjack...What car would have you wanted in 2001? Limit $50K

I'll go first, Integra Type R (I guess they made one good car that year)

 

[www.ky-kia.com]

Now that WRX's are commonplace, and in Minnesota they are
E V E R Y W H E R E !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm still not sad. When they finally said they were bringing them here the magazines all anticipated 0-60 times of less than 5 seconds and around $30grand. Well that was the STI which came a few years later...BUT consider what car you would want in 2001??? I can't even think of a car made in the USA for the 2001 year that I would really want to drive today (being realistic of course) but today we've got all these choices and all these turbos!!! And we have to thank the sales success of that first WRX that ONLY did 0-60 in 5.4 seconds (faster than a Lamborgini Countach which was on most of our bedroom walls!!!!) Now you can have one for $12 grand, the Skylines coming, Holy-mother-of-cheap-fast-cars!!! No I'm still not sad!

partial threadjack...What car would have you wanted in 2001? Limit $50K

I'll go first, Integra Type R (I guess they made one good car that year)

I have the 2001 I wanted

 

[JOS3]

skyline GT-R NEEDS to be on that list

 

[www.ky-kia.com]

skyline GT-R NEEDS to be on that list

The skyline is no compact. it is a sports car by any standard. and yes it can be tossed around like a compact even if it is heavy. (dance)