American Top Gear: What should their "track car" be?

[cawimmer430]

Even funnier would be if it were a decommissioned cop car.

Oh I've got just the cars in mind!   

This:



and this:

[Laconian]

Civilians don't drive cop cars, either. Might as well toodle around inside Truckasaurus.

[Vinsanity]

Toyota Sienna. 2.7-liter inline-4.

[68_427]

Uh they have one.  Not sure if anyone told you...

[NomisR]

Toyota Sienna. 2.7-liter inline-4.

Ford F150 is more American.. 

[Vinsanity]

Ford F150 is more American.. 

yeah, I just think it'd be kinda funny to see Tim Allen and Kid Rock toss a minivan around a technical course with questionably slippery surfaces. A pickup truck would be pretty funny, too, though.

[Tave]

Gag cars would be funny for a few episodes but would quickly grow tiresome. It would also sap the competitive spirit from the segment, which is the whole reason it works in the first place.

[Raza]

Gag cars would be funny for a few episodes but would quickly grow tiresome. It would also sap the competitive spirit from the segment, which is the whole reason it works in the first place.

[Soup DeVille]

The think my '73 Chrysler New Yorker will outperform and outhandle them!

You've never actually driven a full size early '70s American anything, have you?

[cawimmer430]

You've never actually driven a full size early '70s American anything, have you?

Sadly no. How do they drive? I'm guessing they're all floaty, the steering feedback is zero and the V8 engine up front growls all the time. 

And I was joking when I said the '73 New Yorker will outhandle and outperform them. 

[cawimmer430]

Uh they have one.  Not sure if anyone told you...

Nobody told me.

[VTEC_Inside]

Sadly no. How do they drive? I'm guessing they're all floaty, the steering feedback is zero and the V8 engine up front growls all the time. 

And I was joking when I said the '73 New Yorker will outhandle and outperform them. 

Well, and this is based on a '78 Mercury Cougar XR-7, take your BMW:
- remove all steering feedback and replace with a very light drag that some may interpret as resistance
- remove the sway bars and soften the springs to within an inch of being able to support the weight of the vehicle.
- double the brake pedal travel and triple the boost.
- strap a sponge to the top of the gas pedal to simulate the lack of initial response
- tape cardboard over 1/4 of each window

For full effect drive from the back seat to simulate the hood length.

:)

[Soup DeVille]

Sadly no. How do they drive? I'm guessing they're all floaty, the steering feedback is zero and the V8 engine up front growls all the time. 

And I was joking when I said the '73 New Yorker will outhandle and outperform them. 

Put it this way: most will experience more body roll than you've ever experienced in your life before ANY actual turning occurs.

[SVT666]

Put it this way: most will experience more body roll than you've ever experienced in your life before ANY actual turning occurs.

There is a reason they are called boats.  They pitch and roll like a boat on the sea.

[JWC]

Those big ole sedans did exactly what they were designed to do...."float" down a freeway.  Myself and others always dismissed the idiocy of the auto magazines 30+years ago who always cried about no feed back and no suspension.  Shit, that wasn't why you bought the car...so why complain?

The old land yachts were great for road trips to L.A., Las Vegas, or Tahoe.  A lot of families owned them for that purpose only.  I had a friend who commuted in a BMW, owned a few sports cars including a Lambo Miura, but took road trips in his old Caddy.  He claimed it was what it was meant to do....go all day at 75-80mph and you don't feel like you've been beat when you arrive at the casino.

[2o6]

THEY ALREADY HAVE ONE.


It's a FWD SX4.





Honestly, I think it should be something that accurately represents the masses: A beige 4-cylinder Camry.

[ifcar]

Those big ole sedans did exactly what they were designed to do...."float" down a freeway.  Myself and others always dismissed the idiocy of the auto magazines 30+years ago who always cried about no feed back and no suspension.  Shit, that wasn't why you bought the car...so why complain?

Because, as it happened, automakers were able to build cars that are nice to drive on the highway without being lousy at everything else.

[Byteme]

Those big ole sedans did exactly what they were designed to do...."float" down a freeway.  Myself and others always dismissed the idiocy of the auto magazines 30+years ago who always cried about no feed back and no suspension.  Shit, that wasn't why you bought the car...so why complain?

The old land yachts were great for road trips to L.A., Las Vegas, or Tahoe.  A lot of families owned them for that purpose only.  I had a friend who commuted in a BMW, owned a few sports cars including a Lambo Miura, but took road trips in his old Caddy.  He claimed it was what it was meant to do....go all day at 75-80mph and you don't feel like you've been beat when you arrive at the casino.

Yup, just ask Peter Egan.

There is something to be said for blowing down the interstate at 10 over the limit in two plus tons of steel and fabric and the loudest sound you hear is the distant thump of tires over tar strips.  And most of those old full size cars were perfectly capable of decent driving dynamics as long as you didn't try to flog the hell out of them.

[cawimmer430]

Thanks for the info. I kind of like that "feeling" in cars. 

I'm more of a comfort-seeker than sporty driver so that kind of comfort and floaty suspension appeals to me. Ideally I'd want a mix of comfort and sport and most modern BMWs or Mercedes' do that very well.

However, if I ever get hold of my 1970s American dream cars (Plymouth Volare, Chrysler New Yorker, Plymouth Gran Fury, '74 Dodge Monaco (it has to be a '74), Ford LTD etc.), I know what they were built for and I'll accept that. It's part of the driving experience. 

[Tave]

Because, as it happened, automakers were able to build cars that are nice to drive on the highway without being lousy at everything else.

Today's cars do a pretty good job of striking the right ride/handling balance, but nothing available today beats the old boats in terms of pure highway comfort.

[Tave]

However, if I ever get hold of my 1970s American dream cars (Plymouth Volare, Chrysler New Yorker, Plymouth Gran Fury, '74 Dodge Monaco (it has to be a '74), Ford LTD etc.), I know what they were built for and I'll accept that. It's part of the driving experience.  

I'm not so sure you would be able to stand it. In your review of the Challenger, you didn't like the suspension or the handling. Those old-timers would be infinitely worse. The SRT-8 might as well be a Lotus Elise next to a '74 Monaco.

[cawimmer430]

I'm not so sure you would be able to stand it. In your review of the Challenger, you didn't like the suspension or the handling. Those old-timers would be infinitely worse. The SRT-8 might as well be a Lotus Elise next to a '74 Monaco.

But in those cars I expect that kind of handling and suspension. Our ex-1985 Mercedes 300SE W126 also rode like a boat. It was awesome for long Autobahn journeys across Germany and Europe but it was terrible to drive in a sporty way in the tight and twisty roads of provincial Bavaria.

[Atomic]

Oh they do have a track!

But where's the '73 Chrysler New Yorker!?

hmm... wasn't there an even more powerful chrysler newport and newport custom in '73? a marque i actually miss. i recall my aunt and uncle owning a gorgeous white newport sedan with a fancy contrasting maroon vinyl roof and unusual, but quite attractive plaid interior that as a child thought was far cooler in looks and feel than actual leather or their imperials before and after the more "youthful" (to a youngster) newport custom they drove in the 1970s.

[cawimmer430]

hmm... wasn't there an even more powerful chrysler newport and newport custom in '73? a marque i actually miss. i recall my aunt and uncle owning a gorgeous white newport sedan with a fancy contrasting maroon vinyl roof and unusual, but quite attractive plaid interior that as a child thought was far cooler in looks and feel than actual leather or their imperials before and after the more "youthful" (to a youngster) newport custom they drove in the 1970s.

I'd be happy with any of them!   

I once saw a 1970s Chrysler wagon here in Munich. I believe it was Town & Country with wood on the side. It looked so hot. I completely ignored the Ferrari passing it on the opposite side of the road. What a sexy car - and so huge. It's like a little house. 

You got any family photos of the older Chryslers and Imperials your parents owned? Scan and share them with me! I order you to! 

[Atomic]

I'd be happy with any of them!   

I once saw a 1970s Chrysler wagon here in Munich. I believe it was Town & Country with wood on the side. It looked so hot. I completely ignored the Ferrari passing it on the opposite side of the road. What a sexy car - and so huge. It's like a little house. 

You got any family photos of the older Chryslers and Imperials your parents owned? Scan and share them with me! I order you to! 

my aunt/uncle owned the nicer imperials, but my folks had large chrysler/plymouths... i will check for photos, but gotta go to those old style photo albums and scan. i will take a look. i did find that interior that was just like my childhood PJs! take a look...

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chrysler/newport/1141539.html?refer=rss

[cawimmer430]

my aunt/uncle owned the nicer imperials, but my folks had large chrysler/plymouths... i will check for photos, but gotta go to those old style photo albums and scan. i will take a look. i did find that interior that was just like my childhood PJs! take a look...

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chrysler/newport/1141539.html?refer=rss

That is pure sex on wheels! That red color looks classy! It's not to saturated but almost maroonish in color. Nice. Love it!

[Atomic]

That is pure sex on wheels! That red color looks classy! It's not to saturated but almost maroonish in color. Nice. Love it!

that was just foreplay... hehehe... now...

here is the upgraded chrysler new yorker brougham st. regis edition... damn! a hell of a lot nicer sounding than lincoln MKS

http://www.flickr.com/photos/that_chrysler_guy/5884634304/

[cawimmer430]

that was just foreplay... hehehe... now...

here is the upgraded chrysler new yorker brougham st. regis edition... damn! a hell of a lot nicer sounding than lincoln MKS

http://www.flickr.com/photos/that_chrysler_guy/5884634304/

Nice. I love the front of that car in particular. Very majestic. 

Speaking of St. Regis, I guess I am one of five people on Earth who love the Dodge St. Regis. Everyone tells me it's a POS, but it looks so cool. 

[VWAG]

I will never ever ever ever ever understand cars from the '70's and early '80's. Like ifcar said, it's not that they couldn't build better cars then, they just didn't need to. That cars as impossibly bad as most of those were sold at all is proof that America isn't a "car culture", we're just a "can't be bothered to walk or live in places where I can...culture".

And simultaneously a bit more on and off-topic, but doesn't Top Gear U.S. still kind of suck? Of am I missing something?

[Atomic]

I will never ever ever ever ever understand cars from the '70's and early '80's. Like ifcar said, it's not that they couldn't build better cars then, they just didn't need to. That cars as impossibly bad as most of those were sold at all is proof that America isn't a "car culture", we're just a "can't be bothered to walk or live in places where I can...culture".

And simultaneously a bit more on and off-topic, but doesn't Top Gear U.S. still kind of suck? Of am I missing something?

yes. i do not like the U.S. version as much.

the 70's era of large cars provided lots of style, room and very cushy seats. the small cars had few, if any redeeming qualities, imo. thinking of the ford pinto/mercury bobcat and chevrolet vega, others. the midsize cars were kinda cool: plymouth duster/valiant/scamp, chevrolet nova... even better were the plymouth satellite/dodge coronet (with slant 6 engines, particularly), chevrolet chevelle malibu, ford torino, etc.

if not for inspiration from germany... and later japan, i doubt the "big 3" would have so of the far more decent vehicles sold today, i.e., buick lacrosse, ford fusion, chrysler 300/300c and dodge charger/challenger...