Miuras of the POTD

[henk4]

Take a good look at today's POTD. It gives a nice insight in where modern car design has gone wrong. While the Ford GT managed to present a carbon copy of the original, the new Miura, although representing the classic looks of the original, looks like being on steroids, with greatly oversized wheels and just lacking all the elegance of its famous predecessor. I haven't not heard any weight being quoted for the new one, (which in its current condition might not even have an engine...) but 30% more than the real thing would probably be an underestimate. It is all this "bigger is better" thing that has destroyed car design these days...

[McReis]

It is all this "bigger is better" thing that has destroyed car design these days...

That's why they still call the FWD BMW a Mini.
One of the points that annoys me most on modern cars, is the obsession with bigger wheels. 5 years ago I bought my 206 with 14'' alloys. I then bought 15'' wheels to reduce the tire wall, but still the wheelarches seemed to big for them. Nowadays, even the smallest cars have 16'' wheels as standard and the gain comes in the shape of stiffer ride, more expensive tires, more noises, more violent reactions when you go above the limit, etc..
15 years ago, even the sportiest of hatchbacks came with 14'' wheels as standard and they handled great. Take Renault 5 GT Turbo or 205 GTi for example.
NA Miatas came with skinny 14'' tires. Now the NC comes with 16'' as standard, and though it's still fun, it lost part of that progressive sliding behaviour that made it so enjoyable and fun.

[john14]

I have to disagree with Henk and McReis, while I love many old cars or classic cars from the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's and early to middle/mid 1980's such as the classic Lamborghini Miura and the BMW 1200... I also love some very large modern cars. For example, I love the 2005 Bentley Continental GT and I love the Porsche Cayenne Turbo (and S) which are big cars that have big wheels. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For example, Henk hates the Porsche Cayenne and believes the Cayenne is ugly and I love the Cayenne and I think the Porsche Cayenne is a beautiful car.

[McReis]

I have to disagree with Henk and McReis, while I love many old cars or classic cars from the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's and early to middle/mid 1980's such as the classic Lamborghini Miura and the BMW 1200... I also love some very large modern cars. For example, I love the 2005 Bentley Continental GT and I love the Porsche Cayenne Turbo (and S) which are big cars that have big wheels. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For example, Henk hates the Porsche Cayenne and believes the Cayenne is ugly and I love the Cayenne and I think the Porsche Cayenne is a beautiful car.

Loving big cars, isn't exactly disagreing with our point. Cayenne is big for a reason and Bentleys were always huge and never so agile has today.
What we defend is that on what comes to sports cars, every unnecessary weight or size only contributes to take away the pleasure and efficiency. And what do you gain with them?

PS: I'm yet to know what a BMW 1200 is and, if you think the Cayenne is beautiful and claim that the beauty is on the eye of the beholder, let me quote Miss Piggy when she says:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.

[henk4]

for the purpose of this discussion we might also want to have a look at the kerb weights of the original Lotus Elan and the current Miata, clearly inspired from that classic.

[drakkie]

for the purpose of this discussion we might also want to have a look at the kerb weights of the original Lotus Elan and the current Miata, clearly inspired from that classic.

dont forget though that without big crumpling zones,airbags,roll-over protection etcetera the miata would probably weigh much less too. There is simply no way to compare the both, although looks might be the same. Modern and classic car cannot be compared. End of thread.

[john14]

Originally Posted by Miss Piggy
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.

Miss Piggy is wrong.

[henk4]

dont forget though that without big crumpling zones,airbags,roll-over protection etcetera the miata would probably weigh much less too. There is simply no way to compare the both, although looks might be the same. Modern and classic car cannot be compared. End of thread.

why? do safety issues need oversized wheels?????

[john14]

Many people enjoy and like oversized wheels or big wheels, big wheels are very popular. A car company usually will put big wheels or oversized wheels on their cars because many customers will then want... and will buy their cars.

[drakkie]

why? do safety issues need oversized wheels?????

no fuel consumption issues do count for manufacturers i have been told

[McReis]

dont forget though that without big crumpling zones,airbags,roll-over protection etcetera the miata would probably weigh much less too. There is simply no way to compare the both, although looks might be the same. Modern and classic car cannot be compared. End of thread.

Who are you to proclame and end of thread?
The Miata is not even a good example for this case, as after 17 years of production through 3 generations, it kept nearly the same weight and length.
However, I remind you that except for the NC model, the Miatas had absolutely no roll-over protection. It's a car conceived to make you lose your head.

[henk4]

no fuel consumption issues do count for manufacturers i have been told

fuel consumption and weight are related, which I surely don't have to tell you....

[drakkie]

fuel consumption and weight are related, which I surely don't have to tell you....

no but tire size and fuel consumption are. Try biking on your cycle with tiny wheels then with bigger wheels.You will notice that using the bigger takes less of an effort. The same principle goes for cars.

A Automotive engineer told me this when visiting my new school a few months ago.

[McReis]

no but tire size and fuel consumption are. Try biking on your cycle with tiny wheels then with bigger wheels.You will notice that using the bigger takes less of an effort. The same principle goes for cars.

A Automotive engineer told me this when visiting my new school a few months ago.

That automotive engineer is a fraud, then. Do you really believe that bigger wheels can low your fuel comsumption? Then I guess you only take on account top gear, optimum power band comsumption. Because on every other situation, bigger wheels just make things much worst.

[drakkie]

That automotive engineer is a fraud, then. Do you really believe that bigger wheels can low your fuel comsumption? Then I guess you only take on account top gear, optimum power band comsumption. Because on every other situation, bigger wheels just make things much worst.

Once rolling the wheels it takes less effort to maintain the speed and you can reach higher speeds. Go on your bike and test the principle out.