Which Car is the MOST deserving a better drivetrain?

"Sweet Trav" (thespunbearing) 09/23/2014 at 18:40 • Filed to: None

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What Car looks fantastic, but the engine, transmission or differential was lacking for it's style? What car would go from good to great if they just made a change from the factory? What would YOU replace it with?

My nomination?

The 1989 Buick Reatta.

Imagine a world where Buick followed up the exit of the GNX with a Turbocharged and Intercooled LC2 V6 Powered Reatta mated the ZF Six speed found in the contemporary contemporary Corvette putting the power down at the rear wheels through a bespoke IRS, and black GNX style wheels.

I know I'd want one. Wouldn't you?

Textured Soy Protein > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:42

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The DeLorean DMC-12 and its crap Peugeot/Renault/Volvo V6 putting out a whopping 130 hp.

Sweet Trav > Textured Soy Protein 09/23/2014 at 18:43

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What would you replace it with?

bob and john > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:44

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anything that isnt RWD/AWD and manual.

jks aside, any non quatrro (true quattro) audi should have it.

Kailand09 > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:46

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Dodge 392 Hemi, or the hellcat. Because Delorean worked at Pontiac, and 'murica.

Sweet Trav > Kailand09 09/23/2014 at 18:47

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C'mon be year appropriate. I think a Turbo Buick V6 would be a good choice. Maybe an Alfa V6 for a little Italian flair?

camaroboy68ss > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:47

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a iroc camaro that had a 350 TPI and a 5 speed stick. All stick camaros in the 80s were 305 cars. Not even 1LEs were exempt.

Sweet Trav > bob and john 09/23/2014 at 18:48

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Drive a VW Corrado, Honda Prelude, and a Real Mini Cooper, and you'll see some cars are just fine with FWD.

My citroen won't start > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:48

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My car.

4 speed auto and 145HP Inline4.

Kailand09 > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:49

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Oh the hemi wouldn't make any sense really at all. But why not haha. I don't know enough about the 80's engines to comment on year appropriate, not a big fan of many 80's cars.

Sweet Trav > camaroboy68ss 09/23/2014 at 18:50

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They didn't even put a manual in the 80's Monte Carlo SS, except for the 84 Mexican Monte Carlo SS it got a Goodwrecnch 350 and Muncie 4spd.

Be glad the Camaro at least got a stick, replacing the 305 is easy enough...

bob and john > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:50

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I was kidding on that. I know FWD is just fine.

The AWD audi thing, i was being serious about

Textured Soy Protein > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:50

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In keeping with the unreliable European V6 theme...

Sweet Trav > My citroen won't start 09/23/2014 at 18:50

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What would you replace it with?

LappingLuke > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:51

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One of the more obvious choices given there literally was a better drivetrain that we just weren't cool enough to have.

My citroen won't start > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:52

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7 speed auto and the Biturbo I6 from Volvo.

camaroboy68ss > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:57

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I think the 305 is better than the goodwrench 350 those things were junk.

Honestly the 5 speed they used in the camaro was junk and barley able to hold the 305.

syaieya > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 18:58

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The US spec Mercedes 190

This is a car that always got the short end of the stick for power options here in the US.

Where Europe got the high strung 2.3 and even 2.5 16 valve models, ours was gimped to make exactly the same horsepower as the 2.6 inline 6.

Which that in itself was the gimped version of the 3.0 103 engine you could get in basically everything else.

And when 1989 came around for the midlife refresh, they did absolutely nothing with the power options even though the M104 was already heading for production. It's basically plug n play with a new harness and some fiddling.

Mercedes held back this car for whatever reason, and it's not like it would have cost them anything to just leave it be.

Sweet Trav > camaroboy68ss 09/23/2014 at 19:00

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260 Hp vs 180? Ill take the 350.

camaroboy68ss > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 19:13

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besides the better hp, those 350s had the worst metal used in the blocks. They are extremely weak. They would spit pistons and rods stock.

Mattbob > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 19:18

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you might need a v8 with all that weight.

ranwhenparked > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 19:36

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Throw in the Cadillac Allante along with the Reatta. Sexy looking car and the Italianate body still looked pretty modern 10 years after it ended production. But, the early ones were saddled with Cadillac's HT-Series engines in either 4.5 or 4.9L variants, that, although more reliable than the earlier 4.1, still didn't deliver on promise of its appearance.

It got the Northstar eventually, but that had its own problems and the car was still FWD.

Sweet Trav > ranwhenparked 09/23/2014 at 19:42

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Personally I think the Allante is the worst car Pininfarina ever styled.

Its a car I wouldn't waste a good powertrain on.

Vimto > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 19:46

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Since it was technically still in production when the new 5.0 released, I'd like a Coyote V8 in the Grand Marquis please.

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 20:48

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The current-gen Volkswagen Touareg. Even though it has great engines and a smooth-as-butter 8 speed automatic, I feel as if it needs more power to compete with the likes of the X5 xDrive50i or even the Porsche Cayenne S. I think that the Audi 4.0 Twin-Turbo V8 from the S6/S7 would do it justice. With 420 hp, it would certainly give the big boys a run for their money. While I like the 3.6 VR6 and the 3.0 TDI, the V8 would suit it perfectly.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 22:40

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My nomination would have to be the Bricklin SV-1. Whether it be the AMC 360 from '74 or the 351W from '75-'76, it was always underpowered as hell. Not to mention, in '75 and '76, there was no manual option.

Sweet Trav > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 09/23/2014 at 22:41

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Needs a Terminator Motor. Maybe Even a hellcat, dont you think?

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 22:58

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Oh, that would be insanely cool. I really hope someone does that one day. Hell, if I had the cash, I'd definitely do it.

Vicente Esteve > BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo 09/24/2014 at 00:10

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They sell it just like that in Mexico. I need one.

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > Vicente Esteve 09/24/2014 at 00:38

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Doesn't the Mexican Touareg have the 4.2 V8? I'd still buy that. It sounds amazing.

Wurrwulf > Sweet Trav 09/24/2014 at 02:48

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Subaru XV Crosstrek needs a detuned turbo 2.0 making about 230hp.

Civic Si needs a turbo 4 making about 230hp.

Mazda3 needs a turbo 4 making about 230hp.

Vicente Esteve > BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo 09/24/2014 at 07:31

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Woops, yeah, I was pretty tired yesterday so my answers werent 100% accurate.

alloy304 > Mattbob 09/24/2014 at 09:47

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It's not that heavy: 2800 pounds, about the same as a 911, a 944, or a 280Z. The K-Jetronic version in the Delorean was a bit wheezy at 135 hp, but the base engine is solid. In Solex-carbureted, non-cat form it was making 150+ HP, 190+ with Webers.

There have been turbo Buick swaps, a 2JZ, and at least one LS1.