Bring on the Blue Devil!!

 

The only thing that bothers me about this car is the fact that people who usually have the money for these super cars do not respect cars nor the power they are capable of.

There have been and their will be more of older folks who get their hands on a Ferrari, S7, etc. That have split them in half or shredded them. I have heard of big shot business men killing themselves in their Ferrari cause they though they were capable of handling a car at 200+ mph. I know of one that lived near to me. I worry for the innocent people that may get hurt or even killed cause these guys don’t understand or respect his car under given circumstances.

I think a driving school would be a great idea, however, I don't see it happening realistically.

I really wish that they would teach people better in drivers’ education period. Most of the people on the road drive like they have half a year of experience.

Sorry little long winded,

~Jim~

 

well here are my thoughs. i was against the driving school at first but now im all for it and to be honest if they require it for the blue devil it should at least be offered for the z06. but where would it be? would you have to fly some where to go to a driving school? will there only be one or a few?

and last but not least as great as an idea as it is to require this driving school when the car get sold as a privet party sale no one will be able to chase the 2nd 3rd or 4th owner down to say hey budy you didnt go to the driving school you cant own that.

 

Talk about resurrection.

 

Now THAT'S a great point!

That's the fear I have with this new age of 400+ horsepower cars. If they are made in any volume, sooner or later they are going to be cheap enough for anyone saving up with an afterschool and summer job to buy.

At least supercharged Cobras are rare enough that they are still keeping prices above "tenager" range.

 

BassPro, now why would the rich guy be concerned with us simpletons, when he's busy getting his kicks. That's rediculous!

 

That's why I posed the question "How Much Horsepower is Too Much?" in a thread a week or so ago...I don't think I'm being an alarmist when I say that if the industry doesn't step in of its own accord to help ensure drivers buying these cars can handle them then I believe either State or the Federal government will.

We all know that "Driver's Education" courses are a joke and it's fair to say that most people are far less capable drivers than they think they are and that includes the driving skills of most "enthusiasts".

Personally, I'd much rather see the manufacturers who make the cars step in than any government involvement.

What happens to cars like the Camaro and Mustang and Corvette and others if insurance companies decided they are just too risky to insure or makes the insurance so expensive that most people won’t be able to afford it?

 

I read all 3 pages and saw no mention of SVT's policy on Cobra R models anywhere.
Are there no SVT peeps on this board at all!?!?

Ford/SVT REQUIRED an SCCA license or equivalent (could be a higher sanctioning body or race forum like IMSA, NASCAR, F1, etc) before they would sell you a Cobra R model.
They refused to sell to common public - and were praised for it.

"SVT de-contented and added items from their parts bins and built race-only versions of the Cobra (as Shelby had done with the Shelby-R) to compete in IMSA and SCCA. In '93 only about 100 were produced and they were mostly bought up by collectors rather than racers. In '95 250 were built and sold only to those having a racing license."
Ford's Special Vehicle Teams

I'm not sure, but I think the same applies to the current "Boy-Racer" Mustangs that are being sold for $120k to the GT-series teams.

The 2000 Cobra R IS STILL faster than any subsequent Mustang from Ford - including the 2003/2004 Cobras and the GT500.
They were street-legal race cars... no radio, rear seat delete no spare, etc.
They MSRP'ed for $55,000 so they were not exotic in price, but their performance was incredible (for 7 years ago).
It was realized that "everyone" that gets behind a wheel today thinks you can simply stomp on the gas pedal at any time to go as fast as possible... not so in these 400-500 hp cars, you'll go round and round unless traction control is on in which case you simply get going faster than you can get stopped so you end up plowing somebody. It takes skill and understanding of basic laws of physics to control such power on the streets. Nevermind the unexpected things that jump out like deer, kids, and unattentive drivers doing stupid things.

As for the 600hp... I'm out.
Enough is enough.
I'm not even a huge fan of the GT500, but the next Viper and this Blue Devil are pushing us into a window best left untouched IMO.
Like in the C&D article in another thread... the Lotus Elise at 190hp and a mere 1980lbs put the hurts on 400-500hp cars, at a $44k base and a $54k "as-tested" price. It's time we stop the gas-burning persuit of stratospheric HP figures, and start looking at the economical (as well as performance-enhancing ) virtues of weight reduction.

The end is near my friends... someone or something will bring down this glass house of hp... maybe when one of these rockets gets plowed through a crowded mall or when a congressman's son is killed by one... it's coming.

 

Proud,

If any car can make the case that it has aggressively pursued weight reduction to enhance performance, that car is Corvette. They're lighter, by a good long ways, than their direct competition (Viper, 911, etc...).

Now, I don't think a 4000 lbs. Camaro would be a good statement relative to your point, just like the heavy GT500 and the Chrysler RWD SRT cars, but I think arguing that Corvette is unnecessarily porky is spurious.

 

Here's my comment on 600hp:

Let 'em hang

 

They might hang lower than that...

 

Never said the vette was porky - not in any way!!!
The vette rocks solidly IMO, and GM's effort to keep weight down is magnificent. It's gains and the benefit are PRECISELY why it pounds on the GT500 so bad - we all know this.

I'z making a statement that more HP is not as necessary as weight management.

And you have to admit, even at a very slim 3000lbs, the (regular C6) vette got handed it's buttoxes by the 190hp Lotus at 1980lbs. (at roughly equal pricing too BTW)
Even worse to think about how the Lotus stacks up against the 500hp GT500.

 

I'm with you on not wanting cars to get crazy heavy (and then needing stratospheric power to overcome it), but as Pacer said, that isn't really the case with the Vette (or even the Viper). The Vette/Z06 are simply beautifully engineered high performance cars. Making a 600 hp version would simply be to elevate to another performance stratosphere, not to overcome some deficiencies in weight.

As for the Lotus Elise, that is indeed a great car if one can afford to have a car purely as a 30 minute blast car, purely as a toy. Sadly, newer cars are getting heavier and heavier (as we all know) because people want all the the luxo goodies, and people want safety. I know I'd much rather be in a Vette (or new Camaro) than an Elise if the idiot in the Ram or Expedition decided to run the light and t-bone me. The Elise is surely a wonderful car in its own right, but it is very nearly a track only car. A Vette (yes, even the firebreathing Z06) can be driven daily in comfort and relative safety. One would hope that a 600+ hp version would be relegated to joydriving status though...

As an aside, I'd like to have seen how the Elise did against the Vette with both on the same real street tires, or both on the same barely legal gumballs that were on that Elise (referring to the Car and Driver Lightning Lap article). I'd also like to know if the Vette they drove included the Z51 package.

 

We agree then!

***GASP***

Anyhoo, we also have to realize where a LOT of weight comes from - creature comforts, the need to keep costs down, powertrain doo-dads to help with emisions and fuel economy, and safety.

The Lotus is a really nifty little car, but I surely don't fit in one. The closest thing GM having being Kappa - but Kappa has a WHOLE BUNCH of stuff on it that the Lotus really doesn't. The target market being a large part of the reasoning behind that content - Kappas, although very performance oriented in the turbocharged variants, are going to have a high percentage of female buyers or males buyers that merely want a "sporty" ride and style, and not a 10/10ths performance car like the Lotus.

 

I agree about the Lotus, sweet ride, kind of ugly, but enough unique to really set it off. But I also could not fit in one well. I was barely fitting in the Kappa's.

I am waiting for these car companies to hit the ceiling as well. I still can't imagine a 600+ HP Corvette weighing less than the current Z06 though.