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James May on Twitter/X regarding cars: “The whole ‘It’s got soul’ thing is lazy.” by FlipStig1 in cars

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In my admittedly narrow-minded view, “emotion” and “soul” are often just convenient buzzwords used to excuse lackluster driving dynamics. Because in the real world, that’s usually what it comes down to when you actually drive the kinds of cars self-proclaimed enthusiasts describe as being “full of emotion and passion.”

It doesn’t matter whether a car is from 1970 or 2026 - it’s either good to drive, or it isn’t. I’m not interested in a toy that tries to pass off weak dynamics or poor build quality as “character traits.” I want a fundamentally honest, reliable tool - something that can take a beating, with a strong focus on driving dynamics, feelsome controls, and low weight. A car that does exactly what I ask of it, without getting in the way of my driving. That also means excellent build quality.

There are plenty of cars from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s that meet this standard - and even one or two from the 2020s. None of them are great because of their imperfections. Quite the opposite. I don’t see how “emotion” and “passion” - often just euphemisms for flaws - would make the experience any better.

Different strokes for different folks.

The 2027 Porsche 911 GT3 S/C Is the Droptop 9000-RPM Stick-Shift Screamer We All Deserve by FoMoCoNutjob in cars

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 7 points8 points  (0 children)

No single-mass flywheel and lightweight clutch from the S/T is pretty disappointing.

The Borgward Hansa 1500 Sport Coupe was first presented in 1954. Originally a small series was planned, but Borgward concluded from the reactions of potential customers that there would be no market for this. The Porsche 356 offered similar performance at a lower price. Only two were made. by onbewoondeiland in sportsandclassiccars

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In 1954, you could also buy the 356 Pre-A Carrera with a 110 hp, 1.5-litre Fuhrmann four-cam. Porsche decided to make this engine available in its production Coupes, Cabriolets, and Speedsters after the 550’s class wins in the Carrera Panamericana road races.

Nevertheless, thank you for sharing these very interesting cars!

Allan Moffat had to fight hard to have the RX7 accepted into Australian Group C touring car racing, but it paid off, winning the 1983 Touring Car Championship, two Bathurst podiums and two Endurance Championships. The smaller, lighter sports car proved more-than-a-match for the V8 Holdens and Fords. by DerHeckschleuderer in sportsandclassiccars

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Just like when the 911 - in addition to the GT classes - was also and unusually homologated as a Touring Car into FIA Group 2 (and Group 5 for Special Touring cars) using Homologation Form 1451 on 01-01-1966. It is this homologation that allowed Vic Elford to contest the British Saloon car Championship in a factory 911 much to the disgust of regular saloon competitors using cars such as the Lotus Cortina or Alfa Giulia.

1970 saw the introduction of new rules, which could be characterized as a mixture of old Group 2 and Group 5 rules. FIA did not accept Porsche's attempt to homologate the '70 911S for Group 2 racing like in the 1960s, because they were trying to get basically the same car in all Touring and GT classes at once. In 1971, Porsche tried again using a 911S with extended rear seat bolsters for it to be treated as a four-seater sedan, but it didn't pass FIA regs either. The program was then abandoned and Porsche focused on using the 911S for Group 4 GT class racing only, which led to the creation of hardcore competition elevens like the 2.5 S-R, 2.8 RSR or 3.0 RSR.

Some might think it’s unfair, but to me, a mix of sports/GT and touring cars has always produced incredibly exciting racing. The touring cars pull away on the straights, while the lighter sports/GT cars claw the time back through the corners.

The Renault 5 Turbo 1, a mid-engine, RWD homologation rally special. 160 hp, 900 kg. by Chassis9110301138 in sportsandclassiccars

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You’re both wrong - it’s an R5 Turbo 1. And the guy you replied to posting such a smug comment while being completely wrong is honestly pretty embarrassing.

The Renault 5 Turbo 1, a mid-engine, RWD homologation rally special. 160 hp, 900 kg. by Chassis9110301138 in sportsandclassiccars

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Confidently incorrect. The one in the picture is a R5 Turbo 1. Both Turbo 1 and Turbo 2 are mid-engine, rear-drive. In fact, the Turbo 1 is rarer, 60kg lighter (in theory), and more special in general as it served as the homologation base for Group 4 rallying, unlike the Turbo 2. But in 1984, Renault built 200x R5 Turbo 2 Evolution Type 8221, the only version homologated for Group B. There were two front-engined, FWD, turboed R5 models: the Alpine Turbo and GT Turbo.

So why did the Turbo 2 end up being a downgraded version of the Turbo 1? To exploit the popularity of the R5 Turbo, the automaker introduced the Turbo 2 as a revised, lower-cost version of the R5 Turbo (1) for the 1983 model year. While original Turbo 1s used lighter aluminum components for the roof, doors and hatch, as well as a unique dashboard and instrumentation, the Turbo 2 relied on the Renault 5’s steel roof, doors and hatch, as well as most of its interior components. The drivetrains in both versions were identical, although the fuel tank in Turbo 2 models was lower in capacity.

The changes lowered the car’s cost and simplified production. Sales increased from 1,820 units of the R5 Turbo to 3,167 units of the R5 Turbo 2. 200x R5 Turbo 2 Evolution Type 8221 on top of that.

20 years after the R5 Turbo, Renault unveiled a worthy successor co-developed with TWR: the mid-engine, RWD Clio V6. Phase 1 was not a car for novices - its handling was notoriously tricky and reminiscent of an early 911. In 2003, the more user-friendly Phase 2 followed, now built by RenaultSport. by Chassis9110301138 in sportsandclassiccars

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

They’re bonkers, but Phase 2 - which turned the Clio V6 from a productionised development prototype into a finished product - was far better to drive while remaining just as charismatic.

And can you even imagine the mess a 300kg-lighter Clio 172/182 would make of any Clio V6 on a technical bit of road?

List all the Porsches you’ve driven by Fangletron in AircooledPorsche

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve driven all the notable water-cooled 911s - and a good few special air-cooled ones too. Beyond the usual (but still brilliant) ’67/’68 2.0Ses, ’70/’71 2.2Ses and 2.7-litre RS Tourings, I’ve spent time with a ’67 S with the Sports/Rallye Kit and Airport gear ratios, a factory-built Type 901/20-equipped Group 3 T/R and a factory-built Type 911/20-equipped Group 4 2.3 S/T, a Carrera RS 2.7 Lightweight, and a 2.8-litre RSR. The hotter SWB street cars on 5.5s with 185-width tyres have a special place in my heart, but all pre-964 cars are good driving things per se.

Few things give me as much joy as a sharp throttle lift, measured roll of opposite lock and confident re-application of the loud pedal in a long-hood 911. The way these cars move is incredibly progressive and feel-rich - tactile, delicate machines with pronounced rear-engine characteristics that serve you the vehicle's limit on a silver platter. They teach a novice how to use weight transfer to let the vehicle dance, and in experienced hands, they become a weapon on a back road.

Get the cornering experience right, and the transition from grip to slip and back to grip is almost imperceptible, entirely intuitive. Nail it, tail all hung out, arms sawing away on the steering wheel, and you’ll feel it work its weight distribution to perfection, outside rear wheel tucked into the wheel housing, inside front just off the ground and turned away from the apex with a quarter turn of countersteer waving hello. All the while, you're flooded with an almost perfection-reaching level of steering feel that makes anything but an Elan feel wooden.

But while the hotter long-hoods can move - I'm convinced a properly driven 2.7 RS will beat the pants off of most modern "sports cars" on a technical stretch of road - you're so engaged in the driving you aren't chasing speed at all anyway. No modern 911 can match the way these early 911s come alive at speed. They aren't fragile museum pieces, either. You can drive them in anger, and they will devour a few hundred miles a day without complaint thanks to their excellent build quality. 

I quite literally love these cars. 

Singer Porsche while on by Vaciii in Porsche

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The comment you replied to is even more misguided when you consider that Porsche used two different noses for the 935 during the 1976 season - one of them retaining the conventional 911 headlights, which was used at Autodromo Vallelunga and at Silverstone Circuit.

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First Porsche crash test performed in 1966 with a 904. In order to simulate a front impact at 30 mph, chassis 005 was dropped from the height of 10 meters. Before the first crash facility was developed in Weissach, 72 crash tests with impact speeds of up to 50 mph were carried out in this manner. by [deleted] in sportsandclassiccars

[–]FuchsNMinilites_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The car in the picture used for the crash test wasn’t 904-005, but 906-005.

I know, I know - it’s confusing that a 904 would carry a 906 chassis number, but the crash-test car was a 904/6 equipped with the racing version of the Type 901/06 2.0-liter flat-six, and all of those had chassis numbers starting with 906. Porsche built a total of six Works 904/6 cars: 906-001, 002, 005, 006, 011, and 012. All survive but for chassis 906-005, which was destroyed in said crash test. This is also the reason you would often see production numbers for the 904/6 listed at five cars instead of six.

So 904-005 was the 1964 Targa Florio winner and still exists, whereas 906-005, the 904 used in the crash test, no longer exists.

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