Re: daily driver - ironic twist?

[Chris Poore <caspo@domain.elided>]

Just a little reply to Joe Garcia's post:
"Hell, *I* want a toy as a daily driver. And since the big guys
apparently
are reading AD, here are two hints to get me to buy one off the boat,
sight
unseen.
1- Pininfarina/ItalDesign/Bertone and
2- DeDion
And if they want a deposit TODAY, here's a bonus hint:
3- GTA version (all I need is 4 seats and a/c and sound system)
- -Joe in reasonably sunny SoFla"

Ok guys, I'm probably going to catch hell for this, but I feel the need
to say it.
#1 Yes I agree it must look good. (pininfarina-yes, Bertone
maybe-ItalDesign
- Hope not)
#2 DeDion- Come on guys, the design was good in it's day, but no TO-day.

The production cost and weight penalty is too great. The good weight
balance
is a good idea, but not at the expense of making the over all car
heavier. Give
me a nose heavy car that weighs 2300 lbs anyday.

OK now lets talk front vs rear drive. If a car has less that about 250
hp, (which
most Alfas will have) and are not being drag raced (traction at launch)
my
opinion is that a properly driven front drive car can produce lap times
and/or
cornering speeds which are similar. If you want proof, just watch
Speedvision's
Touring Car Championship and see the front drive Acuras and the rear
drive BMWs battle. The Acuras are giving up some HPs on the BMWs
and are still keeping up. Another example is to compare my Milano and my

New Beetle Turbo. Similar HP, Similar weight, yes the Beetle is modern,
and has
a little more torque, but lap times at a track like Roabling Road is a
difference of
almost 5 seconds. And that is with front drive, McPherson struts up
front, and
a rear set up similar to a 1975 Rabbit. All things being EQUAL, give me
rear
wheel drive, and 300 HPs, but the penalties for the rear drive is ,for
me, not worth
it. Do you really want to pay an extra $5000 to $8000 extra, add about
300 lbs and
have to worry about rebuilding drive shafts and the like just to say you
have rear
wheel drive? I DON'T!
Give me a 147 GTA with 150 to 175 HP, with nothing extra, (maybe AC).
I want manual everything. I want it to weigh no more that 2500 lbs. I
want
superb brakes, and I want to pay no more than $22,000. That is my idea
of
a perfect car

Chris
87 Milano
00 New Beetle Turbo

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