Posted by: jbauer
Oh my god.
Posted by: SonicSnoop
Re: Oh my god. - 16/05/2005 21:50
I COMPLETELY agree! OH MY GAWD! I so want one!
Posted by: Ezekiel
Re: Oh my god. - 16/05/2005 21:52
Wow. Really. Wow.
-Zeke
-Zeke
Posted by: Robotic
Re: Oh my god. - 16/05/2005 22:46
YESYESYES!!
But where to put the empeg?
But where to put the empeg?
Posted by: Dignan
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 00:27
In the spacious boot! I think the real question is where to put the speakers, amp, and sub 
But yes, that thing is great! I'd love to drive that thing on the windy roads around here.
But yes, that thing is great! I'd love to drive that thing on the windy roads around here.
Posted by: tman
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 00:30
Quote:
In the spacious boot! I think the real question is where to put the speakers, amp, and sub
Dunno.. I think the roar of the engine will drown out any music
Posted by: gbeer
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 02:25
Buy a helmet with the sound built in.
Too bad it will never see the roads of the U.S.
Too bad it will never see the roads of the U.S.
Posted by: furtive
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 05:43
They sadly don't handle as well as they look
Posted by: frog51
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 07:19
The original Atom is an absolutely top track day machine though.
I'm not sure this is a logical direction for them to go - it can't be a practical road car unless you sacrifice some of the things that make it a great track car.
Reckon they should stick with what they excel at.
I'm not sure this is a logical direction for them to go - it can't be a practical road car unless you sacrifice some of the things that make it a great track car.
Reckon they should stick with what they excel at.
Posted by: Ezekiel
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 10:37
Quote:
They sadly don't handle as well as they look
Perhaps, (I have no personal idea, only thread posts to go on) but a low, open, insanely fast (for most individuals) car at the price they state? I don't think I'd pass if one came my way.
-Zeke
Posted by: Robotic
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 13:40
Quote:
They sadly don't handle as well as they look
That's surprising, given the TopGear review!
Looks are really a matter of personal taste- I'd have to say that they sadly don't look as good as they handle.
Even so, the car simply must handle better than any other $50,000 car to make it to #2 on the TopGear speed board- and that after a full season of reviews!
Posted by: andy
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 14:48
I do hope that in the new series (starts Sunday) that they will finally put a Ultima GTR round the track. Ultima have the new record breaking GTR 640 all ready to go...
http://www.ultimasports.co.uk/newrecord.html
0-100-0 mph, 9.8 seconds (and they hope with a "perfect" run they can manage 9.1 seconds). Not bad for a production car, on road tyres
It will be interesting to see whether the Ultima can really corner as well as owners claim.
http://www.ultimasports.co.uk/newrecord.html
0-100-0 mph, 9.8 seconds (and they hope with a "perfect" run they can manage 9.1 seconds). Not bad for a production car, on road tyres
It will be interesting to see whether the Ultima can really corner as well as owners claim.
Posted by: FireFox31
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 22:57
Quote:
Too bad it will never see the roads of the U.S.
Something like this really makes me want to brush up on auto import laws. There must be a way to buy this only for use at the race tracks and stuff. I saw my third ever Smart Car on the road in my state just last week, so there must be a way to import these tricky cars.
<edit>Hell, find a way to get it into the US and drive it on the roads all you want. Let's see a cop even TRY to catch that thing. The instant you saw a cop, even in bad traffic, you could out drive and out manuver even a fleet of police.
Quote:
They sadly don't handle as well as they look
Could I distort this by saying, "Well, they look pretty darn good, so they must not handle THAT badly."
Posted by: msaeger
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 23:13
I see people driving right hand drive cars on the street so I am guessing it's legal.
I thought I read that the smart cars are going to be for sale in the USA ?
I thought I read that the smart cars are going to be for sale in the USA ?
Posted by: robricc
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 23:22
Quote:
I thought I read that the smart cars are going to be for sale in the USA ?
I know someone who works for Mercedes USA. He said it doesn't look like it's going to happen.
Posted by: robricc
Re: Oh my god. - 17/05/2005 23:30
Quote:
Something like this really makes me want to brush up on auto import laws.
If you want it for a track car, there should be no problem importing it. Once you want to drive it on the roads, it gets a little tricky.
If a car is over 25 years old (at least in NY), anything goes. You can register it no problem (no emissions or safety inspections). If it's less than 25 years I have heard of a way to do it. It involves importing it into Canada and registering it there where the laws are more favorable as far as foreign-market cars are concerned. Then, Maine and New Hampshire (I think) are two states where importing a car with a previous Canadian registration is relatively easy. Then, once it's registered in the US in one of those states, you are free to register it elsewhere. This craziness means you have to have a residence in Canada and Maine/NH or have very good friends there since you would be selling the car to them on paper only to re-purchase later. Don't quote me on any of this. It's just what I can remember from a conversation a few months ago.
Posted by: furtive
Re: Oh my god. - 18/05/2005 04:59
Quote:
It will be interesting to see whether the Ultima can really corner as well as owners claim.
Every single Ultima I've seen on a trackday have crawled round corners before dumping all their oil on the racing line
Posted by: g_attrill
Re: Oh my god. - 18/05/2005 06:49
Quote:Quote:
I thought I read that the smart cars are going to be for sale in the USA ?
I know someone who works for Mercedes USA. He said it doesn't look like it's going to happen.
Apparently Zap now have all federal approvals and plenty of advanced orders:
http://www.zapworld.com/about/news/news_smartRegulatoryApproval.asp
...and the first "Americanized" version was officially sold yesterday:
http://www.zapworld.com/about/news/news_marenosmart.asp
Gareth
Posted by: andy
Re: Oh my god. - 18/05/2005 06:53
There used to be a website detailing the experience of a guy importing a TVR Cerbera direct to the US. Can't find it at the moment though.
If I remember correctly he managed to import it for use on the road without having to take it via Canada.
If I remember correctly he managed to import it for use on the road without having to take it via Canada.
Posted by: canuckInOR
Re: Oh my god. - 18/05/2005 07:53
Quote:
Hell, find a way to get it into the US and drive it on the roads all you want. Let's see a cop even TRY to catch that thing. The instant you saw a cop, even in bad traffic, you could out drive and out manuver even a fleet of police.
If they wanted to try, I'm sure radio waves and a spike belt would be sufficient. Not, of course, that cops would need to -- given that it'd be a one-of-a-kind vehicle in the US, I'm sure they'd already know who you are, and will drop by your house later in the evening.
Posted by: canuckInOR
Re: Oh my god. - 18/05/2005 07:56
Quote:
I see people driving right hand drive cars on the street so I am guessing it's legal.
Not sure if you're referring to the Atom, or the Smart car, here, but IIRC, the website said the former can be built to either right or left hand drive.
Posted by: robricc
Re: Oh my god. - 18/05/2005 11:29
Quote:Quote:Quote:
I thought I read that the smart cars are going to be for sale in the USA ?
I know someone who works for Mercedes USA. He said it doesn't look like it's going to happen.
Apparently Zap now have all federal approvals and plenty of advanced orders:
http://www.zapworld.com/about/news/news_smartRegulatoryApproval.asp
...and the first "Americanized" version was officially sold yesterday:
http://www.zapworld.com/about/news/news_marenosmart.asp
Gareth
That's different than buying a Smart at a Smart dealer. I can buy a GT-R in the US, but not from a Nissan dealer.
Posted by: andy
Re: Oh my god. - 29/06/2005 14:33
Quote:
There used to be a website detailing the experience of a guy importing a TVR Cerbera direct to the US. Can't find it at the moment though.
Found it:
http://www.pistonheads.com/tvr/features/usa/
It was a non-US citizen, importing temporarily for 12 months, so it isn't going to help.
Posted by: boxer
Re: Oh my god. - 29/06/2005 18:07
This idea of the road going racing car gets regurgitated about every five years, and has done so throughout my adult life, for me, if you want a thrill go to a race track, it's way too many years since it's been practical on the road.
I spent last thursday night in the Scottish Highlands with the Dutch super-seven club, around 20 immaculate cars driven by around 20 real enthusiasts/fun people (The fact that I had a friend in Holland with a Morgan and had assembled and driven a Europa was a considerable ice-breaker), I hadn't realised that they were also made in Germany: Now that's about as good as it gets, on the road.
I spent last thursday night in the Scottish Highlands with the Dutch super-seven club, around 20 immaculate cars driven by around 20 real enthusiasts/fun people (The fact that I had a friend in Holland with a Morgan and had assembled and driven a Europa was a considerable ice-breaker), I hadn't realised that they were also made in Germany: Now that's about as good as it gets, on the road.