What Car Could've Been Good But Ended Up "Neutered" 

"S65" (granthp) 12/22/2016 at 22:13 • Filed to: Corvette, Bored, Questions

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My vote goes to the smogged C3 Corvette, the one that got hit hard by safety and emissions regulations. That said it still looks good, unlike the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:18

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Hot take: the C3 is the best-looking post-C2 Corvette.

smobgirl > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:19

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The C3 was the dream car of my childhood and I don’t care what anyone else says about it, I think it’s damn sexy and I will always want one.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > smobgirl 12/22/2016 at 22:23

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Get an early c3. They weren’t neutered yet

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:24

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The BMW 2002. When debuted in 1968 it was great. but at its end in 1976 it was bastardized.

Urambo Tauro > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 12/22/2016 at 22:24

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Dude, that’s not even a hot take. C3 FTW.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Urambo Tauro 12/22/2016 at 22:24

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Don’t even try to take down my takes. Because you may require medical assistance. From the burns.

gmctavish needs more space > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:25

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North American E36 M3

smobgirl > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 12/22/2016 at 22:27

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True, but they still don’t have the reputation I’ve imagined for them. I was very excited when a neighbor had one in the driveway and called my Dad to share. He’s the one who first took me to a Corvette rally around 1990 and knew that I’ve adored them ever since, but I got a half hour lecture on why I shouldn’t want one.

cbell04 > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:30

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Second Gen firebirds. Started off with 345hp ended it’s run with 150ish..

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:31

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The Merkur XR4ti. Based on the European performance versions of the Sierra this had the potential to be a solid performance option but Ford couldn’t have that because they need to protect the Mustang. So they brought over the top of the line Sierra and dropped in the 2.3 Turbo that was also used in the Mustang SVO and the Thunderbird turbo coupe but neutered by the removal of the intercooler and a weaker tune (205hp in the ‘stang vs 175hp in the Merkur). Then make up a new brand that most people can’t even pronounce properly and sell them through a small selection of Mercury dealerships where the salesmen don’t know how to sell a performance car and few people would go to to buy a performance car. Still good cars but they had the potential to be even better.

wafflesnfalafel > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:38

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standard model, US market Toyota Celicas from the late 80's through 2000s - good looking little sport coupes that could have been a lot more fun, (and more successful,) if they had a decent motor.

Land_Yacht_225 > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:42

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Every 500cid powered Cadillac made after 1970? Seriously, look at what happened after that compression went from 10:1 in the 1970 Eldorado to 8.5:1 after. There’s smogged, then castrated, then whatever happened to the Caddy 500 by 1976.

Can you imagine how a 1976 Fleetwood Brougham would drive with 400hp and 550 lb-ft of torque?

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:42

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The late C3 with the bubble rear is still a very attractive car.

And an LS swap is relatively cheap and easy to do. So it’s a win win...

InFierority Complex > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:52

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The Lancia Scorpion got hit hard by US regulations. The Montecarlo weighed a couple hundred lbs less and had 40 more hp. A 2100lbs car with 120hp would have been a lot more fun probably.

Mine is still awesome, though.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > S65 12/22/2016 at 22:55

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I want one badly, but the answer according to most publications is the XJ220. It was supposed to be a V12 like the dominating “Silk Cut” LeMans racers but got a turbo six instead.

Don’t care, still want it.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 12/22/2016 at 22:58

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Or buy a later car, drop in a 350/290 crate motor for $3400, throw on some long tubes, a 670 CFM holley carb, and enjoy a 300 HP C3 with a brand new motor for less than the cost of a Versa.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > S65 12/22/2016 at 23:06

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Bruh. It had to be built and sold as a “commuter car” because GM was so terrified of the Corvette not being Top Dawg. As such the base engine made 90hp and the suspension and brakes were taken directly out of such cars as the Chevette and Citation. Handling received such praises as “Decent” and “On par with other sporty (note: sport y , not sports) coupes” Mmmm, such performance.

Wacko > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/22/2016 at 23:20

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Dude.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Wacko 12/22/2016 at 23:21

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And then it was killed after one year.

Wacko > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/22/2016 at 23:29

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The 88 gt’s are still good looking cars today.

Just the interior that really didn’t age well

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > S65 12/22/2016 at 23:32

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The CRZ. They tried ed to make a CRX and an Insight and endeded up with a car that wasn’t as fun as a CRX and nowhere near as efficient as an Insight. It needed an Si maybe even a Type R. A non Hybrid K20 powered version would have been a few houndred pounds lighter, and much more fun.

IanZ - limited-slip indifferential > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 12/22/2016 at 23:35

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If every other Corvette didn’t exist I would agree with you.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Wacko 12/22/2016 at 23:47

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I never said they looked bad, just that the go very much did not match the show.

wiffleballtony > S65 12/23/2016 at 00:23

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Wacko > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 12/23/2016 at 00:25

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I’m not saying you did, I just really like 88 gt’s

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > smobgirl 12/23/2016 at 00:52

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I picked up a good condition ‘74 with a freshly built-up engine and a recent paint job for just under $10k Canadian... the driving dynamics are laughably terrible and I love every minute of it!

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 12/23/2016 at 00:55

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Especially in blue ;)

InFierority Complex > Wacko 12/23/2016 at 01:00

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That body style actually started in 86. It has definitely held up over the years IMHO

190octane > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 12/23/2016 at 02:30

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Until the C7 is the correct answer.

jimz > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 12/23/2016 at 04:20

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didn’t help that the car was fugly and oddly-proportioned.

smobgirl > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 12/23/2016 at 09:13

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Beautiful!

CaptDale - is secretly British > S65 12/23/2016 at 13:04

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The Jeep YJ, specifically with the I6. Produced from 1987-1995 the YJ is one of the most unloved Jeeps of the cult due to the square headlamps and such. Though they have a small, very furious following (myself included) I do concided that they were bogged down. There were 3 engines through the years; 2.5 I4, 4.2 I6, and 4.0 I6. Lets use a 1989 spec list for comparison.

The 2.5L was fuel injected and rated at 117 hp and 138 lb-ft tq

The 4.2L was carbureted and rated at 112 hp and 210 lb-ft tq

The 4.oL was both carb and FI, but carbed early on and rated at 177 hp and 224 ft-lb tq.

I loved my 2.5 Wrangler, but it was riddled with vacuum lines that were all brittle and 1-7 would break every other repair, but at least I didn’t have to deal with carb issues, which at the time wasn’t something I wanted. But all these motors were bogged down and far underpowered for their application.... Huh reminds me of the current Jeeps....

NJAnon > S65 12/23/2016 at 19:57

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Well aside from every car in the late 1970's?

I’d have to nominate the last Toyota Celica model. It had nice looks but they messed up the drivetrain (FWD) and the performance numbers were economy car weaksauce.

RT > S65 12/25/2016 at 05:16

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Triumph Staaag.

If only it had the Rover V8, then it would be an amazing car.

Shame two Dolly-sourced engines got glued together instead.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > CaptDale - is secretly British 12/25/2016 at 11:13

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I drove a 4 banger Wrangler once. I have no urge to do so again. It was a manual,but a 4speed I think. It was also laughably sloooow. I drove a manual 1st gen RAV4 the same day and compared to the Wrangler it was a damn bullet train. Not to mention how much better it handled. 

CaptDale - is secretly British > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 12/26/2016 at 12:04

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My Wrangler was a 4 banger with a 5 speed. It wasn’t fast, but handled the freeway fine. I even drove it to Vegas a couple times from LA. That was a blast.

RT > S65 12/28/2016 at 20:07

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Actually, just about any of these: