A Scientific Formula that defines a Sports Car

[imcarthur]

I found it. A scientific formula that defines and relates sports cars. This will be very useful to those that need to justify their personal automotive vice to loved ones or to increase your sneer factor for those with lesser vehicles.



The formula was developed by a “well-known’ Belgium Grand Prix driver in 1971 for the insurance industry to define ‘sports car’. You will note that price is not a factor. This formula has since been updated, but the complexity of the new formula is daunting. This beauty of this one is its simplicity. Just ignore the <17 part as you'll see below.

The numbers:

Toyota TF-105 (2005 F1 Car) 0.76
Ferrari Enzo 3.71
Porsche CGT 4.38
Corvette Z06 4.4
Ferrari F430 5.3
Lamborghini Gallardo 5.39
Porsche Cayman S 7.68
Porsche 911 S 8.76
Mustang Cobra SVT 9.78
Porsche 911 (1987) 12.23
Honda Accord V6 14.23

Lookie, lookie, Porsche better watch out. The Cayman S rates higher than a 911 S.

BTW I know it is a pointless exercise, but it’s winter here & I was bored . . .

Link to a pdf of the formula (and successor) Here

Ian

[kach22i]

Originally posted by imcarthur
Just ignore the <17

The Accord is less than 17, is it a sports car, or is the new threshold number lower for today standards?

[Hugh R]

My DB4 gets a 13.2. Kind of handles like a pickup truck compared to the 911, so I guess that makes sense.

[imcarthur]

Originally posted by kach22i
The Accord is less than 17, is it a sports car, or is the new threshold number lower for today standards?

By 1971 standards, in Belgium it would have been a sports car. That's why I called the <17 fuzzy today. Let's call the cutoff 13.2 for Hugh.

The new method (or proposed method?) involved scatter graphs & trig calculations.

Ian

[Dantilla]

All you need is a pickup with a big engine. What about weight distribution, or center of gravity?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

What are some numbers for NON sports cars (like minivans, Honda Civics, Toyota Priuses, etc.) to test the validity of this?

[kaisen]

Quite a few people on this forum see a sports car as one that handles curves and brakes well. Using this formula, even a Top Fuel Dragster would be a sports car.... even better than the F1 car. Come on, people on Pelican even dispute that the C6 Z06 is a sports car.

E

[yellowline]

My 944 got 15.76...I don't know what to say.

[M.D. Holloway]

I like the concept but not the methodology. I think that he maybe on the right track but different variables are needed.

Horse power is not really a very good indicator of performance nor is engine cc, number of seats or weight. The final determination should be performance.

The line and shape is so subjective that it really shouldn't be considered.


Lets try this:

a = speed from 0 to 80 in mph
b = speed from 80 to 160 mph
c = deceleration from 80 to 0mph
d = controlled deceleration (no loss of control) from 80 to 40mph on a specified arc
e = specified slalom acceleration
f = specified slalom deceleration

no fancy algorythm needed, add then all up and the lowest number wins? I guess I could chug some numbers and see if weighting certain variables would make better sense but its a start.

[Tervuren]

Whats a sportscar? Its a car designed with competing in sports in mind, namely motorsports.

Doesn't need any sort of complex formula to figure that out!

[imcarthur]

Toyota 4 Runner SR5 4L 19.77
Toyota Prius 32.29
Ford F150 Regular Cab 5.4 L 21.86

Ian

[Victor]

When in the hell did Belguim ever contribute anything meaningfull to notion of "sports car"?

They should stick to wearing dumb pants and melting chocolate into interesting edible shapes.....

[imcarthur]

Originally posted by Victor
When in the hell did Belguim ever contribute anything meaningfull to notion of "sports car"?

They make beer - a mandatory tool for man & auto mechanics.

Originally posted by Victor
They should stick to wearing dumb pants and melting chocolate into interesting edible shapes.....

Some nearby countries are even better known for these traits.

Ian

[Victor]

Good point about the beer, however over here blokes who work on cars drink VB, Fosters or XXXX.

Belgian beer is for ladies at end of year office parties when the sparkling runs dry...........or men that wear foundation. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[imcarthur]

Gee. I'm glad I don't drink Belgium beer . . .

Ian

[RWebb]

Miata??

[GH85Carrera]

A MG-B is a sports car. It is likely low on the scale. Like a 914 2.0. Not a fast car, but a real sports car.

[Bill Douglas]

Just like a Austin Healey sprite. Certainly a sports car but doesn't stand a chance against an old lady in a Honda civic.

[smadsen]

To paraphrase U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart's definition of pornography. I can't define a sport's car, but I know one when I see it.

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, that formula needs a variable for how old the car is. Virtually no cars from the 50s or 60s had a lot of HP. The 356 Speedster is certainly a sports car, and would score very low due to lack of HP.