The future of hot rodding

[GT40FIED]

So let's hear what you guys have to say. Obviously this is an import site but you're all aware of the auto industry and where it's headed no doubt. Who do you think will have the future of hot rodding locked down...domestics or imports? Please note that this is NOT an import vs. domestic thread save for the respect that I'm speaking of cars that will be factory made. I'm hoping you guys have a different take than me. I see a fairly domesticly dominated high performance market. Of course, most of the cool Japanese cars stay in Japan (like many type R models and cars like the Skylines) but with Ford's 390hp '03 Cobra and the upcoming 500+hp GT40 plus a 400hp Z06 it seems like imports are having a hard time keeping up. I've often been impressed with foreign car's technology (things like VTEC) but it seems like they've rested on their laurels these past few years. Hell, even Ford put out a concept for a 300hp 2.0L turbo'ed Focus. I'll be the first to admit that I'd love to see a factory turbo Accord or Civic but I just don't see it happening. And I'm sure no one wants to bring up the NSX....quite possibly the worst bang-for-the-buck car out there. 290hp for...what was it...close to $90K new? Those new WRX's are cool too but they have incredibly brittle axles that just aren't suited for any hi-po application. So what do you guys foresee? I'm really hoping I eat my words on this cuz I'd love to see some real import competition.

[a96710]

The WRX's are nice....I think the new 350z's are gonna be big. RX-8 out soon, I've always liked S2000's.

[GT40FIED]

Yeah...the 350Z are definitely cool. As far as bang-for-the-buck goes they'll be hard to beat. I think we'll see many more in the future. As for the S2000, I like the look and the performance, but I think people may shy away largely due to the fact that many people are wimps and don't want to rev them as high as they need to go to make their real power potential.

[ShagginJet]

The problem in the world is that people are stupid. Why buy a 16k honda civic that gets 30 mpg, when there are minu-bus SUV's available that get 10mpg for only 35k. Ok, maybe step upto an accord or similar model. But does every rich ****ing soccer mom in california really need a saburban/yukon/expedition/escalade??

So as you can see people don't use there brain. To many rish guys have expensive, i want this type of wifes and that ****s things up. Next thing you know, dad had a Porsche and may, just maybe they'll get a high end TEG for little billy if the local dealer is out of salem mustangs.

No i'm not bitter.. yeah right. People just don't make sense. Yeah I like power and looks, but beyond a certain car it's not reasonable anymore, above a TEG, WRX, Lude, you really don't need much more power.

did that make sense?

[ebpda9]

i really don't know what to say. i think 240 hp in a car like an accord is more than enough for a car that is on the street. Honda also has a 300 hp accord NA (concept) and a 340 hp supercharged Acura CL. Do we really need that power ? i don't think so. Plus a 500 hp car like the gt40 is fast enough, and ppl won't mod them to make them faster. i think modding is the fun in having a fast car, but that might be just me.

I think that the strength of import cars is in their aftermarket. I don't think we are going to see a whole lot of improvements in the base cars , but rather continued improvement in the aftermarket for them. But I think that that will lead to a constant battle between imports and domestics, I don't there will ever be a 'winner'. Domestics have great power stock, imports have great power after some work. And like hondamaniac said, that work is half the fun. I would much rather have an import and do all the work to make it faster myself than to buy a domestic, look at it and say, "wow, its done".

However, I do think that the base market for import cars will increase over the next few years. The WRX was a great addition to the market, adding some power to the selection. Now we have the Evo 8 coming out along with the new Rx8. It seems like every generation of cars has a model to appeal to the tuners, and I don't think it will come to a standstill any time soon.

But as far as which type of cars will have higher base HP, I think it will always be domestics. Until imports start dropping in V8s (not likely) domestics will reign in straight NA horsepower. Or at least until the Skyline makes it here!

Its always a back and forth between the two (NA vs imports) maybe right now you are noticing a shift from import to NA. In time the imports will be back with something new (like when vtec was lunched) and then it will shift back. Dont worry too much about it, there are some nice powerful cars from both sides. It just comes down to the refinement you would like out of the car.

hmmm, I am going to have to say the Domestic vehicle will always rule in the torque and power area, but probably not in the aftermarket area. Even though im seeing a bit more now.

[Racing Rice]

Stock vs. Stock.. I think domestics will rule the hot-rodding arena for years just as they have. They are a totally different class. When you say "hot-rod" The first thing that comes to my mind is balls to the wall V8 power. I have a hard time associating Imports with hot-rodding. Maybe its just me though. I dont see any import automakers making something that can put of the power of a vette. Im sure its possible, but I just dont see it.

Other then things like the Supras and the Skylines.. But even those arent that close stock.

[AzCivic]

Well since japenese cars can't make more than 290hp, I dont think Japanese cars will match american cars when it comes to stock HP #'s, luckily they(manufacturers) make it easy(with turbo's) to make a crap load of power after you buy the car.

[ebpda9]

Originally posted by AzCivic
Well since japenese cars can't make more than 290hp, I dont think Japanese cars will match american cars when it comes to stock HP #'s, luckily they(manufacturers) make it easy(with turbo's) to make a crap load of power after you buy the car.

they can, but they just imposed themselves a limit. a while back it was 260 hp for the N/A cars, now it's 290. I think there is a lexus with a lot of hp, not sure which, and the IS 400 is supposed to have more than 300 hp when it comes to showrooms.

[ChrisCantSkate]

Originally posted by AzCivic
Well since japenese cars can't make more than 290hp, I dont think Japanese cars will match american cars when it comes to stock HP #'s, luckily they(manufacturers) make it easy(with turbo's) to make a crap load of power after you buy the car.

supras and 3000gt's came with 320hp in america? the new nsx is projected over 300 i thought... when the 350z twin turbos and GTR g35 coupes get over here... look for over 350hp.. that was the gentelmans agreement of the mid 90's to not make a car with over 280ps(276hp) but the thing was... the rb26dett, 2jz-gte, and 20b(triple rotor) may have been rated at 280ps, but throw it on an engine dyno, and it cranked out major hp.

as far as the future of hot-roding i see people looking for more than strait line speed, that is why i think the s2k is selling well, because, quite frankly they arnt fun to drive strait. i drove one, and its a toy below 5000 rpms. i dont think that hondas have much of any chance in the real world of performance, because honda overprices their good cars, and wont make a low end(price) potential car. also honda will not build torquey engines for some reason, they are still stuck on vtec is better than tq.

i see the 350z doing very well in performance, nissan is bilding larger engines(more tq) and still plans on turbocharging them, which they have proven their dominance in. im glad to see mazda back on the scene with the rx8. the rotory engine is an wonderful design, and i just hope they got it right this time.(FD's had cooling probelms to say the least)

america is starting to cater to the fwd sport compact scene too... the focus SVT, the neon turbo, i think that the lancer evo8 in the states with 276hp and more tq will be a huge hit. it is kinda a hefty little car at 3300lbs i believe, but with the evo8, and the wrx sti (also around 280hp) that if any manufature wants to be in the game, they have to start offering bang for buck. cause honestly, theres no way in hell im going to choose a 240hp n/a rwd 9000rpm car for 35k over a 280hp turboed awd, 3 lsd's, badass brakes, and a legend of a car for 28k.

an idea car that someone needs to develope would be a rwd coupe much like the prelude(not to heavy, but not too light, so you can toss and turn well), but rwd, that had power(maybe 220-240hp) throughout the rpm band for around 20-25k that has potential for working on and making a monster.

any word on the 04 supra?

part of the reason Honda has gone all HP is because to the average person HP is all that matters and is what sells the cars.

And Chris when you make that car or whenever someone does it'll be the last car i'd buy.

[ChrisCantSkate]

Originally posted by mt.biker
part of the reason Honda has gone all HP is because to the average person HP is all that matters and is what sells the cars.

And Chris when you make that car or whenever someone does it'll be the last car i'd buy.

*cough* silvia *cough*

not to mention chris that car also has to have more TQ then HP to make her even more fun....

[ChrisCantSkate]

Originally posted by mt.biker
not to mention chris that car also has to have more TQ then HP to make her even more fun....

or at least be close.... 158tq..190hp.. numbers are too far apart
s13 sr20det - 203tq 205hp
s14 sr20det - 203tq 220hp(Variable valve timing system and a different turbo(trim) are the significant changes from the S13 SR20DET engines. S14 uses 'low port' intake design vs. S13 'high port' design)
s15 sr20det - ???tq 250hp(Additions: 6 speed manual transmission and a t28 instead of the t-25 the s13 and s14 used)

[sohc_vtec 2NR]

Originally posted by hondaman-iac
i really don't know what to say. i think 240 hp in a car like an accord is more than enough for a car that is on the street. Honda also has a 300 hp accord NA (concept) and a 340 hp supercharged Acura CL. Do we really need that power ? i don't think so. Plus a 500 hp car like the gt40 is fast enough, and ppl won't mod them to make them faster. i think modding is the fun in having a fast car, but that might be just me.

i couldn't have said it any better...

[sohc_vtec 2NR]

Originally posted by sc0rch
any word on the 04 supra?

the last thing i read about the reviving of the supra is that it'll be called 5000GT and it'll have a big V8 as a powerplant...i think that's right..

:o I know this isn't quite what we were goin for here, but what about green cars? It seems to me that Japanese automakers might be focusing a little bit more on hybrids, fuel economy, and 'saving the earth'.

I mean, none of us want to putt putt up a hill in a 67 horsepower hybrid while the mustangs idle past us, but...I think we've reached a point where maybe we oughta lookit that sorta thing.

Or at least you all should.

I'm going to burn off the ozone layer now.

Well, at least I think the idea is good...when they have power to boot I'll start eyeballin these gas-electric freaks. I almost bought one, actually. Glad I didn't!

[AzCivic]

Originally posted by ChrisCantSkate
supras and 3000gt's came with 320hp in america? the new nsx is projected over 300 i thought... when the 350z twin turbos and GTR g35 coupes get over here... look for over 350hp.. that was the gentelmans agreement of the mid 90's to not make a car with over 280ps(276hp) but the thing was... the rb26dett, 2jz-gte, and 20b(triple rotor) may have been rated at 280ps, but throw it on an engine dyno, and it cranked out major hp.

Oh yeah, I forgot about those, while i was writing my post I couldnt think of any that were actually rated at more than 300hp.
Whoops, my apologies.

[Kyle]

yeah...most import guys are set on making more economic cars...and i doubt that'll ever change...