What is an "Enthusiast's Car"? #BlogPost

This is a shorter post based on a concept that was brought up in the comments in my last blog post (https://www.carthrottle.com/post/ajv9o4g/), and that comments section is just a complete mess… I guess that’s the cost of having an opinion on the internet! But anyways, onto the main topic.

At a fundamental level that lacks much complexity, a car for an enthusiast is sporty. This of course excludes show cars and other oddballs so you can see why this is a spotty definition. I’m pretty sure we all know what a sports car is, so I’ll hold off listing the usual suspects. But to be clear, it’s a car with an above “average” level of performance or styling.

Now, if we go beyond this definition, we come to the actual feel of cars: the chassis, suspension, and engine. Generally speaking, a sports car will have an emphasis in one or more of these areas, and the categories that can be covered expands as you go up in price. For instance, a toyobaru has all the work in the chassis and suspension feel, with the engine left as a de tuned turbo-less WRX motor in crude terms. It’s limited in this because it’s quite a cheap sports car. A corvette on the other hand has power and a great chassis, yet compared to an alpha Romeo 4C it’s a brute. The BRZ in particular moves us into the more critical labeling process for enthusiast cars.

There’s a popularity contest in what makes a “cool” enthusiasts car, and what grants a car that label in the first place. Cars are judged by what they “are” in the grand scheme of things. This is where neglect plays in. A base model golf would be neglected as an enthusiasts car because it’s a low end placeholder in a model range with an intentionally sporty counterpart. The same goes for base model imprezas, and non WRX or STI subaru sedans.

The cars with “street cred” are often the model toppers, or are lazily the only model in the range. So, the Toyobaru is popular. Why? Well, it has a strong aftermarket (and cheap parts), it has a good chassis, and looks the part. It also happens to be the only model in its lineup, so by default the top (excluding the premium trim option). In other words, it is “the” BRZ. There’s no lower model.

Some of these cars are the oddballs I mentioned earlier. Wagons, sleeper cars, and more have a level of “street cred” that makes having a non sports oriented car “acceptable”. This is entirely dependent on the brand and model. These oddballs can also include big Mercedes or BMW sedans with crazy power, and similar “sleepers”. They have an element of performance that makes them appealing.

But, now onto my opinion on this subject. I believe that any car can be for an enthusiast if it’s fun to drive. Just think of the name we all have: “Car Enthusiasts”. We’re defined as being “enthusiastic” about cars. Does it really matter what car you drive if you enjoy it? That’s really all that matters at the end of the day.

I have no doubt that this post will generate some sort of hate, and before you march into the comments just remember, it’s my opinion. My word is not the law, and this breakdown is my analysis.
Thanks for reading, and happy new year!