A lot of cars in our scene–new or old–receive quite a bit of hype when it comes to how fast they are or how well they drive.
Unfortunately, it’s also just as common for such cars to be overhyped, leaving a bad first impression, or, even worse, giving praise to a car that never really deserved it to begin with.
However, …
Focus RS lived up to the hype personally. Test drove a used one with some tuning done to it and had the "feel" of what a street oriented rally car would be. Exhaust pops between shifts, sharp handling for backroads... many enjoyments were had.
Early Audi S4 Biturbo... in stock form was underwhelming.
Most recently for me, C8 Corvette lived up to the hype.
I'll go with BMW 3 series. They might not be the fastest thing on the road, but they're good for putting a grin on your face while being relatively practical.
I know I'm biased, but the Mazdaspeed 3. Absolute riot out of the box.
I test drove a Fiesta ST because every automotive journalist and blogger in the US and Europe raved about it, and several bought one. It also won 22 awards:
OK, I made that last one up. But the hype was large and the car did not disappoint.
For me, the 1990 Miata in 1990. The hype was huge with every car being sold at more than sticker. Dealerships were taking deposits for whatever came in next. This means that you would often have to accept whatever color or options (there weren't many) that arrived.
Veloster N? It seems to have lived up well to the hype.
I hate to say this, but Civic Hype R?
Out of the cars I've owned (not a long list, honestly) the one that most met the hype to me was my '88 Mazda 626 Turbo. Everything else basically met expectation or worse.
In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :
I have never owned a car that had "hype".
The MINI Cooper. Bought one brand new in '03 and could never wipe the grin off my face driving one. Funny enough, 13 years later, my son went from borrowing my Fiat 500 Turbo to a well worn '04 MINI and had the same grin. They are just that much fun to drive.
-Rob
Any Porsche wearing a GT badge. The amount of mechanical grip and what they're capable of under braking is simply mind altering. You literally have to change what you think is possible with regards to how to take a corner. Entry speed, braking point, how much input you can give without upsetting the chassis, throw it all out the window and get ready to be challenged to do more.
The 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII RS.
Three LSD
No ABS
Steering that will never be replicated.
It overperformed the hype in stock form.
Most recently for me was a 2020 Supra GR. I had a student with one that was 100% stock at Watkins Glen, and that car was just absolutely superb. If you have the disposable income, it's hard to imagine a better out of the box track weapon.
captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:Any Porsche wearing a GT badge. The amount of mechanical grip and what they're capable of under braking is simply mind altering. You literally have to change what you think is possible with regards to how to take a corner. Entry speed, braking point, how much input you can give without upsetting the chassis, throw it all out the window and get ready to be challenged to do more.
I would also add many of the non-GT cars. 981 Cayman S was absolutely everything promised and more.
In reply to Advan046 :
Came in to post this. Aesthetically, I was a WRX fanboi. Then I drove an Evo. If anyone is selling an Evo IX, holler at me
Personally owned?
6th gen ZL1 Camaro, not that there was a lot of hype, really.
And of course, Miata. There's a reason it's the Answer.
FD, Miata and Mini in my experience. Although the Mini sucked from a cost of ownership and repair perspective.
Audi R8. It was supposed to be a daily driver in a supercar suit and take on the 911. It did that in spades and got me away from Porsche.
911 GT3-RS because it's phenomenal.
bobzilla said:Veloster N? It seems to have lived up well to the hype.
I hate to say this, but Civic Hype R?
My PS on the Civic Type R. Yes, it's fast. It's quite fast. But what impresses me the most: It's also fairly civil, too.
rob_lewis said:The MINI Cooper. Bought one brand new in '03 and could never wipe the grin off my face driving one. Funny enough, 13 years later, my son went from borrowing my Fiat 500 Turbo to a well worn '04 MINI and had the same grin. They are just that much fun to drive.
-Rob
The original Mini--well, you know what I mean--is also a car that's more than the sum of its parts.
captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:Any Porsche wearing a GT badge. The amount of mechanical grip and what they're capable of under braking is simply mind altering. You literally have to change what you think is possible with regards to how to take a corner. Entry speed, braking point, how much input you can give without upsetting the chassis, throw it all out the window and get ready to be challenged to do more.
I was absolutely not a Pcar fan until I got to do a few autox runs in a 997 GT2. That experience left me looking for spare body parts I could sell off(my own), but sadly that still wouldn't cover the price.
I would say all three BMWs I've owned (excluding the F55 Mini): 2002, E30, E28. Each differently, but all awesome. I miss the E30 and E28, and look forward to the 2002 living again at some point. The Mini's perfectly competent, but I think this generation has neither the Mini joie de vivre, nor the full BMW experience.
VW Mk1 Rabbits. Just... whee!
Porsche 911 (964) Carrera 4. Just driving it home from a shop for a friend... It felt so special compared to so many cars. Not many cars have made that much impression that quickly.
The jury's still out on the MGB. It's too mechanically ratty to judge at the moment. But I'm really intrigued by the two ill-advised autocross runs on tires old enough to be in high school; it had no grip, but it didn't plow; you could still adjust its attitude at will. This may well be the first car I've ever owned that wasn't nose-heavy, and that might just be a big deal.
frootloop4 said:Going old-school: Lotus Elan S1-S4. Nothing compares with the directness of steering, gearbox and brakes except maybe a Super 7.
I have to second that. Lotus Elan S1-S4. I have owned a lot of cars over the last many decades, and the only one that stayed with me through it all is my Elan. Just so much fun everytime.
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