GT3 Vs. GT40 Vs. F360 Stradale

Really? Interesting. In any case, I found several websites selling very reasonablly priced GTX parts including turbo systems good for around 300Hp. CXonsidering it's size and weight, that should be a very competitive car, even aganist STIs.

It's funny...when I was 13 or so, I thought the 2.5RS coupe was one of the coolist cars around, and I *really* wanted one. By the time I got my car at 18, the WRX was out, the 2.5RS had been updated, and the coupe was gone. When I found out about the 2.5s anemic performance, I dropped it from my list and test drove a WRX instead. I was so umipressed by it's interior and so irritated by the ridiculous dealer markup, I walked out on the sales guy and never looked back. My GTi is awesome, comfy, fun to drive, and quick, only about .03 slower to 60 than a WRX in performance tests. Sure, I gave up AWD, and yea, I wish I'd held out to get the new Anniversary Edition of my car, but what the hell...

Have you heard about the new Saab 9-2? It's a WRX with a Saab badge on it, we can thank(?) GM for that. I've heard it's supposed to have a much nicer interior than Subaru's version, though, and will likely cost more. Tonyrama

Yea, I've heared about it and would be interested in seeing/driving one. The average Saab interior is certainly nicer than the average Subaru, although the ergonomics are sort of weird. In fact, I find Saab interiors to be strange all togethor, kind of like "this is the best you'll ever get from a company owned by an American automaker". But nicer than a Subaru IMHO.

I honestly doubt it, because if it was true - you would see a lot of them running around in Club and Pro rallies and beat the Evos and STi's that seem to dominate it - since I do follow the SCCA's rally scene - this is not the case. I have no doubt that it would be a quick car and fun - but the AWD system on these things is rather primitive by modern standards, they do not have the stiffest chassis and despite the "reasonable" prices you might see for some systems - they are old cars that have not been driven by grandmas, and a lot of the parts are hard to find.

The reason I tell you that is that I was offered one 6 months ago by a friend that runs one (He bought the second one because the guy that owned it needed the money fast and it was a deal). He put some work into it, and the price was reasonable ($4,500 IIRC). The car (even in stock form) is very entertaining to drive off-road (I do rallycrosses about 4 or 5 times a year). However this friend did tell me what it takes to maintain one and what it takes to find parts for them - and I decided to pass. (I already have one very "unique" car that requires a fare share of maintenance, I do not need two).

Last thing - from my experience - until you are a very experienced rally driver - the biggest problem you have is traction and control of the car in very slippery conditions - extra power is not your friend nor is turbo lag - that's one of the reasons RS's are still succesful despite their power deficit against WRXs that run in the same class. Once again - I am talking about amateur drivers that just do it for fun. I know many people might think that they are god's gift to rally driving - but the reallity is that most of us are not. I sure am not (and I never was among the slowest in the rallycrosses I ran even with my wife's 2.2L Impreza Outback Sport wagon) and have seen many people coming in being sure they will spank whoever just because they drive a fancy car (Saw it when the RS's came out, saw it again when the WRX's came out and yet again with the STi and Evo). Most of these people learn quickly that this is not the case. In every event I ran I was always faster than at least a couple of WRX's and RS's - and as I said - there are a lot of drivers that are much better than me. More than on-road races - driver capability and ease of competing is important in rally, 0-60 and top speeds are not really that important (at the amateur level).

Ron.