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So What Makes a British Sports Car British?

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Interesting.

Whenever we go out in the MGB, there are people who will remark that they or their parents had one and they have (mostly) fond memories of their times in it. With the Elan, it's usually: "What is it?"
 
An interesting take.

These cars have character...something which is utterly lacking in the antiseptic gumdrops being foisted off on the public now. The purity of the driving experience just can't be replicated. Manual steering, manual brakes, manual transmission -- the car responds directly to your inputs without any outside assist. Some would think such a car would be primitive, but in a world where nearly everything is done for you, having this kind of control is actually quite liberating.

Lately, I've been finding that even driving top-up in the colder weather, I'm still getting a lot of smiles and waves.
 
SaxMan said:
...

These cars have character...something which is utterly lacking in the antiseptic gumdrops being foisted off on the public now. The purity of the driving experience just can't be replicated. Manual steering, manual brakes, manual transmission -- the car responds directly to your inputs without any outside assist. Some would think such a car would be primitive, but in a world where nearly everything is done for you, having this kind of control is actually quite liberating.

...
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Amen!
 
SaxMan said:
An interesting take.

These cars have character...something which is utterly lacking in the antiseptic gumdrops being foisted off on the public now. The purity of the driving experience just can't be replicated. Manual steering, manual brakes, manual transmission -- the car responds directly to your inputs without any outside assist. Some would think such a car would be primitive, but in a world where nearly everything is done for you, having this kind of control is actually quite liberating.

Lately, I've been finding that even driving top-up in the colder weather, I'm still getting a lot of smiles and waves.
Click to expand...

Interesting article indeed - but IMHO it is important to compare apples to apples. For the most part I still have very little interest in old American iron (though a GTO in the garage or a few others would not break my heart.) I am increasingly enamoured by Italian - there is something so delicate about them - And, then there is old French and old German and even old Swedish. But, the key similarity is "OLD"

That said, give me an antiseptic gumdrop all day long to drive to work. I love that I don't even need to check the oil before I leave for Florida - or that the AC works and it starts every time. Not that I love antiseptic gumdrops (though they aren't all bad) but, different horses for different courses.
 
JPSmit said:
Interesting article indeed - but IMHO it is important to compare apples to apples. For the most part I still have very little interest in old American iron (though a GTO in the garage or a few others would not break my heart.) I am increasingly enamoured by Italian - there is something so delicate about them - And, then there is old French and old German and even old Swedish. But, the key similarity is "OLD"

That said, give me an antiseptic gumdrop all day long to drive to work. I love that I don't even need to check the oil before I leave for Florida - or that the AC works and it starts every time. Not that I love antiseptic gumdrops (though they aren't all bad) but, different horses for different courses.
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Well I wouldn't want to drive my Healey to work, although I drive it more than I drive my Japanese gumdrop to the office (I only go to the office once every two months or so). It takes about an hour to get to or from the office on the freeway at an average speed of ~19.5 mph.
 
What makes it British! It leaks oil! :highly_amused:
 
It's not leaking oil, its marking its territory.
 
ALL the ROT! :wink-new:
 
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