Automotive Exceptionalism

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Have you driven the Yaris GR?

We don't get fun Toyotas in the US 🙁 (only warmed-over versions of BMWs and Subarus)

I’m just glad my $60k economy car is even in the conversation battling with $130k+ Porsche GT cars.

Not trying to start a fight or anything, but yours is a $60k luxury performance car, not really an economy car (as economical as it may be) 😉
 
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We don't get fun Toyotas in the US 🙁 (only warmed-over versions of BMWs and Subarus)

oh 😵‍💫

well at least you get the cool muscle cars that we can't get in Europe... and the trucks 😁
 
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No fun wagons either. I'd kindly trade a Mustang for an S4 Wagon.
Though Mercedes has graced us with the E63 wagon and Audi of America was kind enough to offer the RS6 variant.
Too bad I can't afford a $100k+ USD vehicle lol.
 
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If your wife said she wants a truck, you know how it will end...


Time to negotiate a Ram TRX 😁
 
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This, previously featured, went by as I was walking down the street today. Engine sounded rougher than a builder's truck and there were good clouds of blue smoke on each gear change 👎



I think the owner is learning the meaning of "money pit", still maybe to keep it running he'll have to sell the Viking Severn Valley he has hanging in his garage. I'll be in!
 
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If your wife said she wants a truck, you know how it will end...


Time to negotiate a Ram TRX 😁

Lol Those things are selling for $100k right now.
I already told her if I'm buying a truck I'm buying a Raptor hah.
 
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210534431_10165656184155078_2613721896828871853_n.jpg

Corvette Racing's first Le Mans win, 2001, via the Pratt & Miller social media channels
 
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I want a yellow C6 Z06 specifically because of those cars...

Corvette_C6R_Road_America_3.jpg
I remember seeing the success of those Corvettes against the Europeans and being sort of blown away by it as the earlier versions always seemed like a really poorly slapped together turd but it really changed things and made me stop looking down on all American cars as junk (which was a hard thing to walk away from after the dreary 90s).
 
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I want a yellow C6 Z06 specifically because of those cars...

Someone in my area back then had one of those 2003 (?) Z06s with the blue/silver/red commemorative paint job, with a wing and a wrap making it look like the '03 car. Was pretty cool at the time
 
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I remember seeing the success of those Corvettes against the Europeans and being sort of blown away by it as the earlier versions always seemed like a really poorly slapped together turd but it really changed things and made me stop looking down on all American cars as junk (which was a hard thing to walk away from after the dreary 90s).

That was kind of the point; the early Corvettes were really renowned for their racing success and by midway through the C5's lifecycle GM realized they had a pretty good platform for what was then FIA GTS-class racing
 
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....a really poorly slapped together turd....

This sums up pretty much how I feel about American car companies lol.
Although I will say they are doing better.
For those of you have seen, I;ve been quite vocal about replacing my '15 GTI. Just having a hard time deciding what the replacement will be.
I LOVE the idea of the widebody Scat Pack Challenger. But the interior is just so...bleh.
If I'm spending $60k on a car I don't want it to have the same interior finishes as the version that cost half of that.

maxresdefault.jpg

But how can you argue with 11" wide wheels up front a glorious V8 noises...at that point it may be easy to overlook the interior lol.
 
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I LOVE the idea of the widebody Scat Pack Challenger. But the interior is just so...bleh.

It's also a one-trick pony, only good for going fast in a straight line loudly. They've got style, but only on the surface really
 
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It's also a one-trick pony, only good for going fast in a straight line loudly. They've got style, but only on the surface really

I've watched a couple of YouTube reviews whose presenters have said it actually is not so bad in the twisties.
But define "not so bad", and also, compared to what? lol
No doubt you could stiffen them up to an extent...but to what extent?
It is definitely not a car to buy if you are after more than straight line performance.
Still...glorious V8 noises and huge wheels lol. Call me a sucker...
 
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Talking about twisties, these two kept me sane while things were adrift. I'll forgo the V8 noises for the sheer bonkers grip on the pair of them.
 
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I remember seeing the success of those Corvettes against the Europeans and being sort of blown away by it as the earlier versions always seemed like a really poorly slapped together turd but it really changed things and made me stop looking down on all American cars as junk (which was a hard thing to walk away from after the dreary 90s).
For me, those yellow Corvette and the Oreca Vipers are the most iconic Le Mans GT (*). And I am French! The C5 was the one I liked the most: maybe not as good looking as the C6 or C7, but it had that "je ne sais quoi"
I also saw C2 racing during a Le Mans Classic edition: it was oversteering as hell in the Dunlop Curve but it still looked quite fast


(*) I am obviously excluding the GT-One and 911-GT1 from the GT category, even if from a regulation POV they were GT 😁
The GT-One is one the best-looking race car that ever existed. I do not know if it will translate well but the GT-One was sleek madness on 4 wheels 🥰
 
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Talking about twisties, these two kept me sane while things were adrift. I'll forgo the V8 noises for the sheer bonkers grip on the pair of them.

Still have not decided on any wheels yet? lol
 
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While waiting for an oil change…..
My C2S is going into the shop Monday, lots of coolant loss so thinking a water pump is kaput and hopefully nothing else 🙁