<VV> Spyder/Corsa turbo -- fast?

[Tony Underwood]

At 01:30 PM 12/22/2010, Eric S. Eberhard wrote:
>The problem with us old people is the definition of fast has changed
>a lot.

So has the definition of "car".

>The latest Bugatti iteration goes 0-60 in 2.6 seconds and
>zero to 200 and back to zero in less time than by 62 PG sedan makes
>to 60 ... that is a little sobering.

The cost of that vehicle (which I challenge as to whether it's a real 
car or a racehorse) is also sobering.   It is my position that once 
the price of a car exceeds 100,000 bucks it ceases being a car and 
becomes a status symbol.  More on that in a minute.


>Add to that modern stability control and you have stunning
>handling.

Now:   This is fine and good for the wannabe performance driver who 
is willing to pay bucks for computer controlled stability...

  I can buy a Mustang or Vette or Caddy off the
>showroom with more than 500 hp and for fairly modest (compared to
>foreign stuff) prices.


Modest?   I think not.   How much of a percentage of your yearly pay 
will one of those cars cost you?

Compare that with how much of a year's salary a 'Vair cost.   There's 
that old adage:  "Speed costs money.  How fast do you wanna go?"

When money is no object, you can buy whatever performance you 
want.   Hell, get rich enough and you can hire a race car driver to 
ride you around in your Bugatti.   You can sit in the shotgun seat 
strapped to all that leather and just observe... the epitome of the 
loss of driving skill.


>Not as fun as our Corvairs, requires way less skill to drive at speed
>that are stupid on modern roads (in fact opening up a new Vette
>should be grounds for going to jail), but that is what is fast in
>today's world.


Yes...  cars today are teaching people how to NOT know how to 
drive.  Their car thinks for them...

I'll pass, thanks.   I like to think I know how to drive a car 
without having to argue with an onboard computer.   I still get a bit 
of a cold-blooded chuckle remembering the issues Toyota had of late 
with their electronics.   I want nothing to do with drive-by-wire or 
anti-lock brakes working in conjunction with the throttle.

Maybe I WANT the car to spin tires on occasion...


>Corvairs are fun because they are old and funky and cool.


And, to exploit them to their best, the driver needs to KNOW HOW TO 
DRIVE.   Cars today seem to be designed to remove that 
responsibility.   Today's car owner has become a vehicle operator 
instead of a driver.   Hell, cars today parallel-park 
themselves.   How worthless is the "driver" who can't parallel 
park??    THAT is one of the requirements in Virginia that a driver 
MUST know how to do before the commonwealth will issue them a 
driver's license.   They check for it in the parking lot at the DMV 
and grade you on it.

Manufacturers today are removing the requirement for drivers to know 
how to drive their own cars.


It is my humble opinion that this is our loss...



tony..