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Registered
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Linn County, Oregon
Posts: 48,537
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As fast as a Maserati
A theory of mine was proven yesterday. On our weekly Bullitt Mustang drive to our favorite pool hall, I merged onto I-5 North to find myself behind a Maserati Gran Turismo. This is not one of their hotter mid engine cars, rather a classy looking understated coupe. This one was in a dark silver gray color and was absolutely gorgeous. Low? Man, it couldn't have had more than 6" clearance from the road, yet I could see that it's suspension was working well at absorbing surface irregularities. Just a drop dead gorgeous car. Very subtle in it's beauty, I doubt that many of the non car aware around us had a clue what it was.
This is Maserati's "entry level" car, base price $132,835...but I'm sure most sell for $150K or more with a few options added. It runs a Ferrari built 4.7 V-8 boasting 434 horsepower, with an advertised top end of around 180. Not extremely fast by today's standards, but plenty fast for street and highway driving. It's driver was good. Driving rapidly but not stupidly. Always aware. No tailgating, but moving out well to pass whenever slower traffic pulled over. I followed at a respectable distance for about 30 miles....until my exit showed up. My point being...the Maserati couldn't drive that stretch any faster than I could in a lowly cheap Mustang. Traffic simply wouldn't allow anything faster than we were cruising. Just as well, I suppose, since my V-1 told me we were both painted with radar at one point, and with Laser a few miles further on. Dense population, crowded roads, onerous traffic laws...all now combine to make driving a pain in the ass instead of the pleasure it should be. Oh well...it indeed was a pleasure to witness a fine automobile being driven well.
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"Now, to put a water-cooled engine in the rear and to have a radiator in the front, that's not very intelligent." -Ferry Porsche (PANO, Oct. '73) (I, Paul D. have loved this quote since 1973. It will remain as long as I post here.) |
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11-11-2016, 09:46 AM
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Non Compos Mentis
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Off the grid- Almost
Posts: 10,598
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I'm fortunate to live in an area with hilly, curvy roads, light traffic, and extremely rare law enforcement.
The perfect car is my early Mazda Miata. With only 115 hp. I can drive it hard and have a ball. With 400+ horsepower, one can step on the gas for only a few seconds before being silly dangerous. Way more fun to drive a slow car fast than drive a fast car slowly. |
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11-11-2016, 10:07 AM
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White and Nerdy
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When it comes to comparisons on the road, I really don't care.
My XK lacks the raw white knuckled feeling that you should hang onto the wheel and buckle up as the dern thing is about to explode impression that my beat up 944 has. The 944 is far more engaging to drive. However, my XK is FAR FAR more comfortable and less fatiguing to drive. I think the Porsche wins in braking as its not ABS, for some reason the Jaguar, even full pedal travel, just feels castrated in stopping power. Cornering the Jaguar is probably faster, but the Porsche will be more fun doing it. Straight line, the XK wallops it. But yet I own and enjoy both.  The Jaguar has a clear advantage at the old folks home when it comes to the little old ladies. 
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Shadilay. Last edited by Tervuren; 11-11-2016 at 11:32 AM.. |
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11-11-2016, 10:17 AM
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White and Nerdy
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 And my experience from karting, most drivers are pretty darn cruddy. If you want to talk as fast as, its got to be relevant by having the same poor or good driver on the same day in the same conditions. Once you get two different drivers, with two different risk tolerances, on public roads, forget comparisons. You'll only look dumb.
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Shadilay. Last edited by Tervuren; 11-11-2016 at 11:33 AM.. |
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11-11-2016, 10:22 AM
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drunk and stupid
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,619
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Maserati doesn't sell a mid-engine car and their 'low-end' is the Ghibli that starts in the 70k range
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11-11-2016, 11:24 AM
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Band.
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 13,333
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Nice car! Ms gogars XK-R totally walks my buddy's 997, all day long. Never had to turn very fast because I'm always so far ahead by the time we get to a turn. But, like Paul mentioned, there's never really an opportunity to use it. If there were an opportunity I'm certainly not good enough to use it.
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1983 SC Coupe 1963 BMW R60/2 1972 Triumph Tiger 1995 Triumph Daytona SuperIII Last edited by Gogar; 11-11-2016 at 11:30 AM.. |
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11-11-2016, 11:27 AM
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Slackerous Maximus
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 18,185
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I love my Mach 1. Absolute joy to drive. Would it follow a P-car through the twisties? No. But that's not its raison d'etre. Pulls like a train off the line, and it's a joy to drop it into 4th on the hwy. The sound of the V-8 is fantastic. Mine has cherry bombs on it, nice deep sound, not barking or harsh. When you get off the throttle, you get great pops and crackles from the exhaust.
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2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor. 2012 Harley Davidson Road King 2014 Triumph Bonneville T100. 2014 Cayman S, PDK. Mercedes E350 family truckster. |
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11-11-2016, 11:27 AM
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White and Nerdy
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Quote:
The 911 was *far* better handling, and won in a lot of points and places. Ultimately, the Porsche dealer is an hour away across some of the highest wreck density roads in the area. I pass 2-3 wrecks, even at non peak times, getting there. Also had the person in charge pass away, and things went downhill in service badly. My 944 left after an alignment with about a 2 degree steering wheel tilt to the right to drive straight. If I can't trust them with a cheap car, how could I trust them with a nice car? A XKR and a 911 Turbo would be an interesting comparison. My only real ding about the Jaguar is the lack of manual transmission. Its the only modern car that gives me my 2+2 and an open reach to a hatch back that my 944 does. Because of my karting, I'd favor the 911 just for the rear biased weight balance closer matches the natural feel of a kart. The 911 and XK are both great models, I would love to have a 911 too, but the dealer situation is not favorable to that. The Jaguar has absolutely amazing magnetism with opposite sex. I've never driven a car, mine or borrowed, that has equaled it in that respect. Is her XKR a 5.0, or 4.2? If its that darn fast to drive away, I'm leaning 5.0.
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Shadilay. Last edited by Tervuren; 11-11-2016 at 11:42 AM.. |
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11-11-2016, 11:39 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Linn County, Oregon
Posts: 48,537
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Quote:
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"Now, to put a water-cooled engine in the rear and to have a radiator in the front, that's not very intelligent." -Ferry Porsche (PANO, Oct. '73) (I, Paul D. have loved this quote since 1973. It will remain as long as I post here.) |
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11-11-2016, 12:24 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Seattle
Posts: 8,943
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Quote:
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1982 911 Targa, 3.0L ROW with Webers |
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11-11-2016, 12:48 PM
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Band.
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 13,333
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Quote:
It's the 510 hp 5 liter.
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1983 SC Coupe 1963 BMW R60/2 1972 Triumph Tiger 1995 Triumph Daytona SuperIII |
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11-11-2016, 01:29 PM
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Monkey+Football
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Quote:
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<Insert witty comment> 85 Targa Wong Chip Fabspeed M&K Bilsteins and a bunch of other stuff. |
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11-11-2016, 02:22 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 11,758
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It's not always about having what you want, it's about wanting what you have.
I'd happily drive a Moosetang. 
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11-12-2016, 03:05 AM
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?
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,497
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My Maserati does...
Now I don't drive  I don't see the point in these 500+ hp cars myself, but I'd gladly drive one until... Nothankyouverymuch...  . |
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11-12-2016, 03:13 AM
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Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 32,538
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You could also substitute a rental spec Chevy Aveo into that story and it would be just as relevant. I don't think most enthusiasts buy cars because they are infinitely superior at 70 MPH on the highway.
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‘07 Mazda RX8-8 Past: 911T, 911SC, Carrera, 951s, 955, 996s, 987s, 986s, 997s, BMW 5x, C36, C63, XJR, S8, Maserati Coupe, GT500, etc |
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11-12-2016, 04:41 AM
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Recreational Mechanic
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It's fun to lap and/or pull away from those 500+HP monsters on the track in my 245HP Lotus. Drivers are often dumbfounded as they fishtail out of every corner. Tons of fun in a straight line I'm sure but that's not my thing.
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P Cars: 2022 Macan GTS / One empty garage space ---- Other cars: 2019 Golf R 6MT / 2021 F-250 Diesel / 2024 Toyota GR86 6MT ---- Gone: 1997 Spec Boxster Race Car, 2020 GT4, 2004 GT3, 2003 Carrera, 1982 911SC, 2005 Lotus Elise and lots of other non-Porsches PCA National DE Instructor #202106053 / PCA Club Racing / WRL Endurance Racing Last edited by Nickshu; 11-12-2016 at 04:52 AM.. |
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11-12-2016, 04:46 AM
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Banned
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: St Paul MN
Posts: 19,428
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fast street cars are pointless
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11-12-2016, 07:38 AM
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Slackerous Maximus
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 18,185
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Quote:
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2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor. 2012 Harley Davidson Road King 2014 Triumph Bonneville T100. 2014 Cayman S, PDK. Mercedes E350 family truckster. |
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11-12-2016, 08:38 AM
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least common denominator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Pedro,CA
Posts: 22,506
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Quote:
Or for a better perspective there are probably guys on the Miata boards chatting about those guys in their silly wasteful V8 American cars.
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Gary Fisher 29er 2019 Kia Stinger 2.0t gone 1995 Miata Sold 1984 944 Sold I am not lost for I know where I am, however where I am is lost. - Winnie the poo. |
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11-12-2016, 09:00 AM
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....
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,821
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Quote:
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dolor et pavor Copyright |
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11-12-2016, 09:06 AM
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Copenhagen Blue
911SC 3.0
