Most liked posts in thread: Sports Car Videos

(raises hand) I'll watch them.

Meanwhile, time for the beautiful E-Type!

The gorgeous example in this video is my favorite so far.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CHPm07ioTA]Jaguar E Type Design explained - YouTube[/ame]

That's right, I love the coupe.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apy7cALseB8]1965 Jaguar E-type - YouTube[/ame]

This event had to be like a wet dream for XK-E fans. Apparently over 800 E-Types on Silverstone at the same time. This is the short version, you can easily find the long version (and others) if you like. (plenty of rag tops in this one for the rest of you):

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_s8QV9-YJg]E-Type Parade at Silverstone (short version) - YouTube[/ame]

Racing versions :drool I think I actually like the look of the convertibles with the hard cap better than some of the coupes.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AcxV3XyxEI]Jaguar E-type Low Drag Coupe - Le Mans Classic 2010 - YouTube[/ame]

 

There are others on my list but before moving on here are a couple more E-Type videos, more documentary style.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmNJ6RkKmEo]Jaguar E Type - Greatest Ever Sports Cars Nº4 - YouTube[/ame]

The Car's the Star, 2 parts:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfcsEbMqRMY]JAGUAR E-TYPE ('The Car's the Star') 1 of 2 - YouTube[/ame]

I love the line "like a racing car in a mini skirt."

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obne3vrPm94]JAGUAR E-TYPE ('The Car's the Star') 2 of 2 - YouTube[/ame]

 

Okay Jag fans, E-Type or Eagle Speedster? :ihih:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66owXqZaexs]E-type and Eagle Speedster - Top Gear - BBC - YouTube[/ame]

 

I think these guys make the best possible case for why the Lotus Elise is a real sports car.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkKXJ6cq30c]Lotus Elise Review - Everyday Driver - YouTube[/ame]

See also the video in this thread at post #10 <click it>.

 

I have a tough time drawing the line between sports cars and others but I'm sure were at least a few at this event that qualify these videos for inclusion in this thread. :wink:

Ferrari recently (yesterday?) managed to get together 964 Ferraris to lap Silverstone together. That's a lot of red on the track at one time.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrH9Z06bx0Q]Ferrari Racing Days at Silverstone Guinness world record - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1MNl2vn9JI]â–º Ferrari World Record - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUxW8bqAtwg]WORLD RECORD: 964 Ferrari Cars Parade Around Silverstone F1 Circuit - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSUHJMTtKpk]Ferrari Racing Days Guinness World Record Ferraris on track, in car, Silverstone 15 September 2012 - YouTube[/ame]

 

While trying to decide what to post next in this thread I started thinking about how we characterize vehicles under the "sports car" umbrella. Since I'm sitting here by myself I had to do a bit of Google-ing to substitute for brainstorming with others. Though there's a wide range of definition and inclusion, I'd boil down all the most consistent points like this:

1) Good (and fun) on the road is more important than comfort, 2) reasonably good (and fun) on a track (road course) even without modifications, and 3) functionally impractical. That last part (3) is where the arguments start these days. Traditionalists tend to insist a sports car seats 2 or less and can't carry a suit case or golf clubs. Oh, and you can't wear a top hat (rather ye olde time-y but still used to make the point) without a chin strap, meaning it must be either topless all the time or at least a convertible with little head room when the top is up.

Pretty restrictive, eh? I'm starting to think when the term was coined it was based on utility or, more likely, lack thereof. A sports car was defined by its lack of other use, i.e., not useful or practical for anything other than sporty fun. Though another car might be "sporty," if it had any practical use at all other than a quick drive from A to B it would fall into a different category, like sports coupe or sporty ______ (fill in the blank).

I think today the only people who stick to that limited characterization are those who already own impractical cars and want to feel like they're in an exclusive group. I think that's out-of-date but on the other hand I personally have a tough time including '60s muscle cars, though today some do. Is a super car a sports car? What about a hyper car? Where is the line?

IMHO a perfect definition is no more important than it is possible, but we all have our line of exclusion. My guess is few of us can define that line -- I can't -- we just look at a car and decide whether it feels like a sports car. Like that Lamborghini Espada in post #31.

Is my MINI Justacooper a sports car? Well, it's been a 2-seater most of its life :biggrin5: but that's not why I took the rear seat out. It was great on the road and fun on the track before I modified anything but it's very practical to drive daily or cross-county. When I tell someone what sort of mileage I get they usually look confused like they're wondering why such a small car doesn't do better. I'll say some version of "It wasn't built to be an econo-box, it's a sports car." And then I start to wonder again about whether I should call it a sports ... something else.

 

The beautiful (IMHO) De Tomaso Pantera.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Brz5cYTbANg]Old Top Gear - DeTomaso Pantera review - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-GiX7DxBBs]DeTomaso Pantera in Spa-Francorchamps - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig75zwb3b6M]Detomaso Pantera gt5s - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyY5dXFPD2I]De Tomaso Pantera - Exhaust Sounds on the Track!! - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUjehWztZTE]Race Pantera Nürburgring 2006 - YouTube[/ame]

Interesting American perspective "Ford's Pantera":

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KqriNXdHeI]De Tomaso Pantera - Car & Driver Classic Report - YouTube[/ame]

 

Here's a little known entry from Japan, the Toyota 2000GT. Some call it a Japanese E-Type with better running gear.







Though it's a good looking car I'd say the E-Type has a slight edge on looks (can you see the resemblance?) but I don't know anything about the engine, etc, other than what Google and YouTube vids tell me.

Only a few hundred ever produced and not a lot of those were exported so it's no wonder that there isn't a lot of info out there.

Looking into this car I learned that the Toyota - Lotus connection goes back a long way. The first I heard of it was the Toyota engine in the Elise. According to the unfortunately dry, but thankfully somewhat informational first video, the 2000GT had a Lotus chassis.

Yes, it's a bit dry, but if you're interested in the car hang in there. If not, move on to the next.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO2k6rloTIg]Toyota 2000GT - YouTube[/ame]

Another long-ish video that may seem dry if you can't understand Japanese but plenty of imagery and at least it shows that there's a convertible version.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpHmLJ8s9uY]トヨタ2000GT（FR/5MT）ã€Âå‹•çâ€Â»Ã¨Â©Â¦Ã¤Â¹â€”記】 toyota 2000GT - YouTube[/ame]

This guy is obviously a design type but he explains how the 2000GT inspired the new Toyota GT86 / Subaru BRZ.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Vlrtj8oI4]Designing the Toyota GT86: 2000GT Heritage - Video Exclusive (Part 1/4) - YouTube[/ame]

This one starts with the 2000GT and then strays away for a couple minutes but hang in there, the other stuff is good too and the 2000GT comes back for a couple more minutes of great video.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1cX7YNu5WQ]Classic Day´s 2010 Toyota Spezial - YouTube[/ame]

Quick clip of a racing version:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq96SXIxaW8]TOYOTA 2000GT Racing - YouTube[/ame]

 

Great video!

Not much rear visibility apparently. Love watching him backing the car into the garage with the door open so he can pop his head out above the roof to see where he's going. :biggrin5:

 

All the sudden I'm in the mood for a Karmann Ghia. Not a normal Ghia -- which the guy in the 3rd video below says isn't really a sports car anyway -- but one of these first two.

Looks like it's a good project car for a conversion.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oFf4RtFP_4]Karmann Ghia - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XFG8FCVESo]Karmann Ghia - Clássicos de Competição - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcAgv8u8fjc]vintage! The Karmann Ghia | drive it! - YouTube[/ame]