Audio equipment and cars...enthusiast thread...

ahh, uhurit, my "fancy pants" M3 will eat your Viggen as a light snack. Enjoy your ride without insulting others, especially when your claims are laughable.

As far as the original thread topic, I simply appreciate elegant mechanical engineering and beauty. To design something of beauty is one thing...but to couple that with high function & performance is an achievement indeed!

Triode,
I didn't mean to insult your sensibilities. What is laughable,though, or rather, ironically sad, is grossly overspending money for the sake of prestige, be it a "fine german automobile" or a "giant killer" audio equipment.
But then, to each one his own...

You're making generalizations based on badges instead of looking at what the cars actually are. They are in no way comparable. Saab is a front wheel drive, touring car. M3 is a rear wheel drive sports car. Please point me to the sports car that Saab makes? How about the RWD car that Saab makes? Perhaps the reason I own my car is that it will run to 60 MPH in 4.7 seconds and the quarter mile in 13.3 at 107. Don't know anything about "prestige"; though I doubt you would be feeling any of you ran up against an E36 or E46 M3. (Disclaimer - I am in no way condoning road racing.)

The E46 M3 is one of the closest things to a street legal race car as it gets besides the new Corvette. The M3 sure has come along way since the E30 chassis and the E36. When I went to Skip Barber DS they were still using E30 instruction vehicles and those cars sure would take a beating.

Anyway, Viggens were cool for a SAAB but are definately not a match for most M cars even on a good day with a strong wind behind it..

(Disclaimer: Road Racing is fun!)

Matti,

I'm your huckleberry...

All in good fun!

Chris

I think the key here is the balance of power and practicality. While certainly the RWD and the stiffest chassis possible married to a gas-guzzler of an engine have an appeal in theory, and 0 to 60 digits impress the "little boys" inside of us, and sure make the girls swoon... your kidneys will beg for mercy, rear seat passengers(if you can squeeze any) will do the same and your wallet,unless its bottomless, will cry out loud due to sky-rocketing cost of maintenance.Tried to commute in a street legal race car? Carry your groceries? Go on a thousand mile trip with your family?
Unfortunately, it is just like an audio hobby where a lot of people over-emphasize one feature or purported advantage, throwing around some meaningless numbers while leaving out a bigger picture. Hence, I keep noticing the same "flavor of the day" and "giant-killer" items recirculating again and again while changing hands of those who bought into meaningless or one-sided hype.