Automotive Exceptionalism

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So I take it you don't like the new Land Cruiser or GX?

2024-toyota-land-cruiser-exterior-front-quarter.jpg
2024-lexus-gx-550-prototype-front-quarter.jpg

::stirthepot::
 
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So I take it you don't like the new Land Cruiser or GX?

2024-toyota-land-cruiser-exterior-front-quarter.jpg
2024-lexus-gx-550-prototype-front-quarter.jpg

::stirthepot::
I’d take a Miata over either any day of the week. My Mrs is 5’2 and loves the idea of a G63 or a lifted gladiator because it’s a fun novelty for her being big and looking down on people. I’m 6’2 and built like a prison toilet so for me the fun novelty is being 3 inches off the ground in a small manoeuvrable sports car.

Btw nothing against the short kings in their big trucks, @Trev is one after all but that ain’t for me.
 
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What is it with the ladies wanting to have big cars? Like you, I could never do it. At least not every day.
I do love our Bronco though...

Last one @Pastorbottle lol

img_8195-jpeg.590954
 
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yeah.... its sorta sick....


too many wheels for a bike, not enough for a car.... doesn't quite qualify for wheelchair parking.....

but it'll waste most cars off the line and that's what makes it so damn much fun!
Love a three wheeler!
mtPYxDgC.jpg

fSub4u5K.jpg
 
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I dislike any modern SUV garbage, I can tolerate classics like old Broncos, Rangies etc, but all this modern shit has very little off-road capability with their stupid street tyres and softcock suspension. Most lack a transfer case and those that do have an awful chain drive arrangement. So they are too compromised to be of any use off road and because of their high stance are too top heavy to be of any use as a sports car, ( which so many pose as ) so the whole Sports aspect of the name SUV is utter bullshit most of them are very poorly laid out and don’t over much real room inside so they are compromised as a proper family car, so what use are they?
On top of that they are not in anyway exceptional as there are so many of them, they are the automotive opiate of the masses.
 
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I’d take a Miata over either any day of the week. My Mrs is 5’2 and loves the idea of a G63 or a lifted gladiator because it’s a fun novelty for her being big and looking down on people. I’m 6’2 and built like a prison toilet so for me the fun novelty is being 3 inches off the ground in a small manoeuvrable sports car.

Btw nothing against the short kings in their big trucks, @Trev is one after all but that ain’t for me.
Here ya go! My ‘97 Miata NA at an Audrain Museum event. And yes, that’s Jay Leno working his way down the line of cars. Super nice guy; huge car nut!

Of course he stopped at my car - he loves Miatas! Here’s Jay with my co-driver ~
Edited:
 
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Pretty meaty wheel setup on that NA.
What is the width of those RPF1's? My guess was at least 8" since it has a bit of a lip.
 
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I dislike any modern SUV garbage, I can tolerate classics like old Broncos, Rangies etc, but all this modern shit has very little off-road capability with their stupid street tyres and softcock suspension. Most lack a transfer case and those that do have an awful chain drive arrangement. So they are too compromised to be of any use off road and because of their high stance are too top heavy to be of any use as a sports car, ( which so many pose as ) so the whole Sports aspect of the name SUV is utter bullshit most of them are very poorly laid out and don’t over much real room inside so they are compromised as a proper family car, so what use are they?
On top of that they are not in anyway exceptional as there are so many of them, they are the automotive opiate of the masses.

I don't have much of an argument with you here because I do agree with you for the most part.
I will defend my modern Bronco though. It is plenty capable.
4wd in high, low and auto. Front and rear lockers. It has something called trail turn assist which locks up the inside rear wheel so you have a pretty good turning radius for tight areas. Thought it was sort of gimmicky till I actually used it. Mine does not have it but the sway bar disconnect is a pretty slick feature.
Sure, it is my wife's daily driver for car line, starbucks, and grocery store. But I abuse it when I have it lol.
 
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Pretty meaty wheel setup on that NA.
What is the width of those RPF1's? My guess was at least 8" since it has a bit of a lip.
I couldn’t find any high performance tires that fit the stock 14” rims, so I went to a 15x7 Enkie RPF1 wheel. The tires pictured are Bridgestone Potenza 205/50R15, but the car is now riding on Continental Extreme Contact Sports. Hopefully they’ll last a bit longer - the Potenzas wore out pretty fast.
 
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Believe me they look even weirder in person...

I saw one coming north on I-91 with the herd of eclipse nuts last Monday….very strange.
 
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I couldn’t find any high performance tires that fit the stock 14” rims, so I went to a 15x7 Enkie RPF1 wheel. The tires pictured are Bridgestone Potenza 205/50R15, but the car is now riding on Continental Extreme Contact Sports. Hopefully they’ll last a bit longer - the Potenzas wore out pretty fast.

Jeez didn't know you could get that face/lip profile on that wheel under 8", nice!
 
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I dislike any modern SUV garbage, I can tolerate classics like old Broncos, Rangies etc, but all this modern shit has very little off-road capability with their stupid street tyres and softcock suspension. Most lack a transfer case and those that do have an awful chain drive arrangement. So they are too compromised to be of any use off road and because of their high stance are too top heavy to be of any use as a sports car, ( which so many pose as ) so the whole Sports aspect of the name SUV is utter bullshit most of them are very poorly laid out and don’t over much real room inside so they are compromised as a proper family car, so what use are they?
On top of that they are not in anyway exceptional as there are so many of them, they are the automotive opiate of the masses.

I have buddy who has a jeep set up for rock crawling. That thing is a frikin beast! I've gone out with him a few times. All of that cutesy plastic trim, fenders, and doodads on the modern vehicles gets eaten on a trail. The first time he let me drive it I buckled in and started the motor. It was in 4W Low in the granny gear. There was a very stout tree was a good 6 feet in front of us. The front wheels were turned to clear the tree but this didn't matter... I gave it a little gas and dropped the clutch. The frikin thing popped up off the front wheels and bashed into the tree. My buddy busted out laughing. It didn't hurt the jeep one bit. That was ages ago. He still gives me shit about it.
 
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Jeez didn't know you could get that face/lip profile on that wheel under 8", nice!
Are you talking about the car, my wife, or Jay Leno?
 
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Def not an SUV
Well at least it qualifies as “Sports” and as a “Vehilcle” the “Utility” part could be open to interpretation and the intention of the role it is to be used in.
 
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Well at least it qualifies as “Sports” and as a “Vehilcle” the “Utility” part could be open to interpretation and the intention of the role it is to be used in.

As 911s are wont to be, it is surprisingly useful for quite a few things 😜
 
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As 911s are wont to be, it is surprisingly useful for quite a few things 😜
Indeed, I’ve moved house with a 991. Definitely fits a lot more than most would expect.

Here’s the last move:
https://imgur.com/a/60TmRk5
 
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You wouldn’t be able to carry a wardrobe with it or pull a 28’ boat with it, but anything capable of those feats would not qualify on the sports badge either. But as I said it would be dependent upon the interpretation of Utility
 
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You wouldn’t be able to carry a wardrobe with it or pull a 28’ boat with it, but anything capable of those feats would not qualify on the sports badge either. But as I said it would be dependent upon the interpretation of Utility
That’s what the 928 is for.
 
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You wouldn’t be able to carry a wardrobe with it or pull a 28’ boat with it, but anything capable of those feats would not qualify on the sports badge either. But as I said it would be dependent upon the interpretation of Utility
I’ve seen an E34 535i touring pull a ridiculously large and rotten old wooden keelboat hull a fair ways in a pinch but those things are pretty incredible old tanks