22 <strong>FORZA</strong> <strong>NATION</strong> SEPTEMBER 2012 SUPER CAR SYNDROME BY SJD KEMURI It seems as though the ultimate expression of a car has been sucked into the vortex of spec-sheet top trumps and the obsession with speed. Fret not, though, I have a solution. It seems that in this day and age, super car manufacturers have a minor obsession with speed and power. Now this isn’t necessarily a bad thing; the Ferrari 458 Italia is undoubtedly one of Ferrari’s greatest creations, and the McLaren MP4-12C, whilst sounding like a WiFi access password, is a technical and innovative marvel. Currently, I don’t think we have anything to worry about, but, in the future, what will the standard super car be? To see into the automotive crystal ball, lets take a look at the Lamborghini Murcielago. When it was released in 2001, it produced 572bhp, more than enough for the average Joe, even now 11 years on. Even so, by the end of the Murcielago’s life span, it had 661bhp, found in the LP670-4 SV. Now there’s nothing wrong with having such atomic power in the greatest derivative of one of Lamborghini’s arguably greatest cars. Here comes the problem however. The Lamborghini Aventador, the next incarnation of the V12 Lamborghini herd, has 691bhp. This begs the question of just how much power the next editions of the Aventador will have. 750bhp? 800bhp? 850bhp? To me, it just seems like too much to actually enjoy on the road, maybe even on the track as well. Don’t worry I do have a point with this. It seems to me that the prerequisite for modern super car manufacture is to have an impressive stats sheet. This also applies to the actual performance stats too. I mean, take the Nissan GT-R. The 2012 version goes from 0-60 in 2.7 seconds, and completes a ¼ mile in 10.67 seconds at 125mph. Incredible numbers for a car that’s power to weight ratio is nothing special, at 310bhp/ton. Now this is very impressive, but is it really necessary to implant vulgar amounts of technology to gain these numbers? Because, after all, they are just that. Numbers. This isn’t to say that the GT-R isn’t fun to drive. Many critics have praised it’s ‘hoonability’ around a race track. But there is a kind of unsettling feeling about the GT-R, like it could be more fun if it were a little simpler. This leads me to my solution to the festering super car issue. What made the Ferrari F40 an immediate member of the super car monarchy? I’d like to argue that it was its simplicity that gave it greatness. The recipe included; a twin turbo-charged V8 producing 471bhp, mounted in the middle and sending power to the rear, a carbon fibre shell with paint from an Airfix Spitfire model assembly kit, a manual gearbox and a weight similar to that of a feather in a vacuum. Now, doesn’t this list for achieving greatness seem rather sparse? Ok, so in 1987 there wasn’t a great deal of technologically revolutionary kit available. But in comparison to the Porsche 959 of the same era, its kit list is considerably Spartan. What’s also worrying is that this quest for spec sheet one-upmanship is being implemented into hot-hatches. Take the Clio 200. It’s arguably one of the most fun cars you can purchase today, yet its recipe is similar to the F40. Low-weight, manual gearbox, sparse cabin and yellow seat belts. Critically, it’s already got a place on the hot hatch hall of fame, the hall where the Clio Williams and 205 GTI sit. But, the announcement of the new Clio and Renualt Sport model included a strictly DSG-esque gearbox only. This makes me a little sad, as the visceral sensation of swapping cogs and timing your foot movements is part of the thrill of driving, in my eyes. My little 2001 Clio with a 1.2 engine, whilst only producing a mere 60hp, is more than exciting on famed British B-roads. It’s vimmy little engine, notchy gearbox and excellent pedal feel all adhere to this. It’s a simple concoction. I fear now that I may sound a little morbid and foreboding about the fate of super cars, but honestly I’m not trying to be. There is hope, found in the Toyota GT86. Whilst it may not be a super car by any stretch, it does show how modern automotive industry still has awareness for old-school methods. It has low-weight, and admittedly low power too but that just gives you an excuse to thrash it, a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. Et voila. And it costs £25K ($25K for the Scion FR-S due to cheaper imports to the States). So, super car manufacturers of the world, take heed in the conceptual design of the GT86/FR-S/BRZ, and apply it to your cars. Ignore who has the biggest numbers, ignore the fact that it may not be as fast as the next supercar, but take pride in the fact that you’ll be providing impossible amounts of fun on the road, wherever you go.
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