Follow us on TwitterOn The Lightweight Sportscar
Car Throttle writer James responded to my post about the suspension of the X-Bow by pointing out that “there are a few more than 4 lightweight sports cars.” He gave a rather nice list that I’ll go over in a moment, but this whole notion of what is and is not a sportscar (one word) is something that has long plagued us.
For example, does adding a back seat to a car demote it from being a sportscar? To me, the answer is yes (and yeah I know that 911s have those notional seats back there, and no I’m not taking them out – exceptions can be made). And even further, the whole notion of a “lightweight” sports car is kind of redundant.
There’s no such thing really as a heavyweight sportscar. If you weigh in at much more than two tons, that’s too much. And if you ask me, far too many cars are already nudging up against that figure. How much does the Veyron weigh? Pretty close to that, if not over. And the same can be said for various top of the line Astons, Mercs and what not (especially the Germans).
But being lightweight is the real key. To me, 2000 or 2200 pounds is the upper limit for what drops into the “lightweight” category. That’s why I love-love-love Lotus 7s of whatever stripe: You can get those little guys down to 1000 pounds! Now were talking.
Anyway, James said that these counted, and were more than four:
Lotus Elise/Exige
Lotus Europa/S
Lotus Evora
Cateram 7/SV (widebody)
Westfields (really good Cateram knockoffs)
Ariel Atom
Donkervoort (Swedish Cateram 7 knockoff)
Radical
I might take issue with the Europa and the Evora, great as they are. They tip the scales at more than 2200 as I recall, so I’d scratch them from the list.
Now the sublime Elise on the other hand … that’s an omission that was entirely my fault, and to say that the Elise does not count is just stupid. Those cars are essentially the benchmark of what a modern lightweight is
And I got no problem with Caterams, Westfields and Donkervoorts (which are Dutch, I think), wince those are all 7s. Although those Donkervoorts can have some aggressively ugly bodies now and again.
The Radical falls into the lightweight end of things too, but are those road legal? Last time I checked, and I’m always checking on these things, they weren’t – at least not over here. If you can get a license plate hung off the things, than so much the better. One of these days I’ll realize my ideal of a street legal Formula Ford.
Now, the Ariel Atom … if the Elise is not essential the benchmark of what a modern lightweight is, the Atom must be. From the get go, they struck as what the Lotus 7 would be if Colin Chapman had been born a few decades later … and had done a lot of mescaline. There’s a delicious insanity to the Atom that I just can’t let go of. The only thing against them for me, really, is that they’re about twice the cost of a Seven … so I’ll stick with my Seven fantasies for now.
Photos from Flickr users emdot, exfordy, The Pug Father and FulviaFiend.
Tony, I do also write here :)
Yeah,I know …
The Cateram demonstrates that a sound design focusing on power-to-weight can only get better over time, as the amount of power capable of being produced from the same weight (or less) increases. The car is smaller, lighter, and pleasantly simple. For these reasons, it will always be a winner.
Of course, now that the industrial revolution has come and gone and many of us are able to afford such discretionary purchases as meat and pie, the average waistline is increasing. As man evolves, so too do the cars.
The Elise might be larger than the 7, but it defines the segment, I think. What it gives up in terms of weight, it more than makes up for style and appointment. We’ve all seen pictures of the die hards in their 7s, driving along in a downpour, with their hats and their goggles. We like to believe they enjoy that part of the ownership experience – the purity, if you will – but it’s times like that when the Elise plays Lucy to their Neanderthal ways.
What, then, is the Atom? Is it a 7 for the 21st century? Is it merely a study in form following function? The X-bow looked great, but I have always felt the Atom appeals to purists because it is so pure. Perhaps this is why the Atom will live on, while the is-it-an-Audi-or-is-it-an-ATV X-bow is shelved?
To me, there is one trait unique to these super lightweights – that is, they inspire. They prove, time and again, that if you keep the weight of the car down, you don’t need sixteen cylinders, four turbos, all wheel drive, traction control, alcantara, carbon fiber, or any of that pricey, over-the-top madness. Sometimes they inspire people to build their own cars…
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/09/z59_incredible_homebuilt.html
I am distraught at the thinning of decent light sports cars, especially when considering the eco-implications. Now, Gordon Murray’s design outfit have done a fine ELECTRIC midget sports for someone like ‘Tea Party’? the Smart Roadster’s death was a disgrace, and Lotus never produced in quantity that abbreviated Elise which was horribly expensive and low-run. Forget the name, great little cycle-winged bomb, no rear body. Check GMD’s electric thing, though. Cheers.