Re: '94 Q45 / '89 200q comparison...

[Chris Maresca <ckm@eainet.com>]

At 11:08 AM -0500 3/18/98, Sachelle Babbar wrote:

>BTW: a Porsche can outhandle an R-1 without all
>the harshness. It's more how a car feels than a Car and Driver
>handling,acceleration,etc rating. They don't reflect real life and what
>the driver feels. You seem to be defending the Japanese cars a little more
>than you should for a person on an Audi list that's supposed to love their
>car.

Er, I have quite a few friends who race SCCA with Porsches, and they tell
me that 944's get trounced by RX7's all day.

But, this is all a question of opinion.  When I was looking to buy a new
car, I drove many, many cars, including A4's, 90's, 911's, 968's, BMW
3-series (M3, 328, 323), Toyota MR2's, RX7's, Supras, etc.  The only cars
that even came close to the handling/feel of the RX7 were the Porsches and
the M3.  All others were easily trounced, hands down.

I agree, the Porsches had a nicer interior, so the M3, but they also cost
2-3x as much as an RX7.  Also, I found the Porsche less harsh, more
comfortable.

In then end, I bought an Audi Coupe Quattro.  It had come down to a Porsche
968, an A4 or the CQ.

Why did I buy the CQ?  I wanted a fun, quick, sporty car that could seat
four people, was two door & a hatchback.  I also love quattro.  Its also a
fast, practical, reliable car I can use all the time, for anything.

The CQ is my favorite car of all time.  I have been lusting after one ever
since they were new, but it was only recently that I could afford one
(after finding out they were actually sold in the US).   And, I have been
an Audi fanatic for +/- 15 years.  When I was a kid, I used to build models
of Audi rally cars, dreaming of someday owning one and watched all the
rallying I could (I was living in France...).  I am as close to a hardcore
Audi enthusiast as they come.

Yet, I call cars as I see them.  The RX7 was/is one of the most fun cars I
have ever driven.  Fast, stable, predictable, corners on rails, balanced,
capable of easily putting all its power to the ground.  I have driven most
Porsches, and the one I liked best is the 968, same as the RX7, but much
smoother & comfortable.   Hated the 911.  All that weight in the rear,
blech!  Not at all my preference.  Of course, all bets are off for these
cars if it rains.

Cars are just cars, I would hope that the people on this list are mature
enough to recognize that different cars are built for different reasons,
and that, performance modifications aside, the all have a distinct
personality that may or may not appeal to an individual.

"You seem to be defending the Japanese cars" is sort of like saying that I
am defending the fact that my favorite color is blue....  I like those
Japanese sports cars, they are very good competition to German sports cars,
both from a performance and a price point of view.  So shoot me.

But, I think most of the Japanese luxo-sedans really suck (I drove those
too)...  In fact, I think that in the last six months, I have driven most
>$20k <$50k new sport cars/sedans on the market, and a lot of used ones as
well.

Chris.



'90 CQ (looking for a dark '91 w/low miles)
'87 RX7 Tii (for sale soon)