I've been flipping though my old magazines as of late due to the lack of cool/interesting articles in new mags and started bench racing with the USSC of Sport Compact Car Magazine.

I loved those contests. The idea that a REAL street car could compete with race cars. However, it seems that most fast cars are either not streetable, or not practicle.

So here's my thought. If you (MotoIQ visitors) could make a real street car that could compete at the track, what would it be? Does it already exist? What about just upgrading a few things on an already great production car? What about designing something from the ground up?

The catch is, it must still follow the USSC standards of being a street car. It must pass emissions, be liveable (if not comfortable) on the street, be fast and fun to drive. Price is of little concern, but is a factor.

Can we as a community design such a car? Can we make something cool and fun to drive that we can live with on the streets?

All thoughts and commets are appreciated.

I've always liked this analogy. 'Hot hatch' road car, very fast and $$$ road car, and real race car on the track at the same time.

www.youtube.com/watch

Posted By jeffball610 on 07-31-2011 08:09 PM
Big J, I think my initial statement was a little gray. A "real" race car to me, are cars that run La Mans and such. A cage and stripped interior is not my idea of a race car. Even dry sump oiling systems and huge 6-piston calipers are found on production vehicles now days. Also, does the Ultima really count as a street car? I'll never know because I'll never fit in one.

Jeffball, I don't understand what type of car you are looking for.... was there a misplaced word in there?  I thought all Le Mans cars are purpose-built race cars, caged and gutted.  The 2011 Le Mans had so many high speed crashes between the prototypes and sports cars I'd be worried if they DIDN'T have roll cages.  Even 24hr Nurburgring (spelling?) cars, where you get more of the "street" cars, have cages (to my knowledge).

I thought Corvettes only used leaf springs for an odd type of anti-sway bar effect?  I vaguely remember reading some article about that, but I don't have the motivation to track it down.  Still, I think it would be a worthy candidate for any sports-car competition and leaf springs or not, it handles pretty good.  I think a Corvette is a great "dual-purpose" car, since that's what we seem to be talking about, though it would lose if real practicality is involved (ie driving around more than 2 people).

Anyway for a streetable, practical dual purpose car, my favorite candidates are (in no particular order):

IS-F, M3, STI, Evo, GTR, 911 (anything but convertible or automatic), Mustang, Panamera Turbo

Slightly less practical (aka 2 seaters):

NSX, Lotus Elise/Exige, Cayman, Miata (not really fast, but prob really fun), LFA, nearly any Aston/Ferrari/Lambo, McLaren F1

I'm working towards it with Project S2000.  If anyone wants to lend me about $20k, it'll get there a lot faster   I even upgraded the stereo, but I can't quite bring myself to put a sub in it..... though I do miss my low-end bass.  The components in the doors will just have to suffice for now.

Posted By Mike Kojima on 08-02-2011 09:45 AM
I think the event has to have real street driven cars. Just two classes RWD/AWD and FWD. Full interiors, no lexan, no R compound tires and no race compound brake pads on pump gas. Keep it simple. Lap time around SOW or some other course.

I would totally enter my car in the contest in a few years after I have more suspension mods done.

This:  http://turbohightechperformance.automotive.com/58462/0604-turbo-acura-nsx/index.html

Or

This: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3611/3572304882_820c34453f_z.jpg?zz=1