Best Handling American Cars

[Liquid]

Ford Escort of the late 80s/early 90s is the one you want.

The Marks IV and V I believe. Then again, the RS2000 Mk. II wasn't too shabby.

 

[Tornado]

The European Escort was barely anything like the American Escort even in the first generation. SRV2LOW4ME was referring to the Escort ZX2.

 

[ZohsixGT5]

No one mentioned the Plymouth Prowler yet? Shame.

 

[Liquid]

The European Escort was barely anything like the American Escort even in the first generation. SRV2LOW4ME was referring to the Escort ZX2.

Mine was more of a swipe at Ford Europe merely being a division of an American company.

Ford has major presences in Britain and Germany; Ford of Britain and Ford Werke merging to form Ford Europe. Even though the cars themselves are European market, the marque is still American. I don't think people in Germany would consider Ford particularly 'German', despite their presence. 'Ford' is American, no matter the market. In my opinion.

But back on topic.

 

[Roger the Horse]

What do y'all think are the best handling american cars?

Ford Fiesta ST

If you're going to include this, how about the Opel Speedster?

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

If you're going to include this, how about the Opel Speedster?

Opel is German because it wasn't always part of GM.

 

[Badasp5.0]

No one mentioned the Plymouth Prowler yet? Shame.

Do they handle well? I have never seen one on a track and figured that they were just "cool" looking and couldnt back up the looks.

If you're going to include this, how about the Opel Speedster?

The Opel Speedster was NOT available in the US and Opels havent been sold since 1975. (There are some cars that are Opels that have be rebadged other GM brands for sale in the US but not the speedster)

 

[xXKingJoshXx]

Do they handle well?

Noooo...

 

[GTMail]

If you're going to include this, how about the Opel Speedster?

Open Speedsters are(or were) Saturn Skys and Pontiac Solstices (Solsticei?) in America.

Do they handle well?

The better question is if they do anything well. And no, like Kingjosh said, they don't.

 

[xXKingJoshXx]

Open Speedsters are(or were) Saturn Skys and Pontiac Solstices (Solsticei?) in America.

This:



Is the same as:



?


The Opel GT is the Solstice/Sky rebadge, not the Speedster.

 

[YSSMAN]

Open Speedsters are(or were) Saturn Skys and Pontiac Solstices (Solsticei?) in America.

Absolutely not.

The Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220 were GM modifications of the Lotus Elise chassis, using turbocharged ECOTEC I4s.

The Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice/Opel GT was actually based on a brand-new chassis that was heavily influenced by the Corvette's X-body, and used a wide variety of off-the-shelf mechanical and trim pieces to keep production costs to a bare minimum. Still, even then, GM couldn't turn a profit off of them, and axed the program altogether.

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Best handling American cars?

I'd like to fire up the way-back machine and mention these rediculous vehicles from the '90s:

Two extremely capable GM, front-drive sports cars, the Chevrolet Beretta GTZ/GTU and the Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais 442 W-40 (and W-41). Both used the rather interesting GM Quad-4, which put down similar power figures to BMW's own 2.3L I4 from the E30 M3. The Chevrolet and Oldsmobile both had pretty serious sporting credentials as well, both on the street and track, and were capable of putting down skidpad figures that met or exceeded some of the best from Japan and Germany as well.

But, as soon as things got good, like so many other vehicles around the same time, GM killed them all off in one big swoop.

 

[GTMail]

Sorry, I thought the GT was the Speedster. I knew the Sky/Solstice was based off some sort of Opel. I really don't care or know about for Opel much.

The Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice/Opel GT was actually based on a brand-new chassis that was heavily influenced by the Corvette's X-body, and used a wide variety of off-the-shelf mechanical and trim pieces to keep production costs to a bare minimum. Still, even then, GM couldn't turn a profit off of them, and axed the program altogether.

I know this. I own one.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Pics or didn't happen.

 

[GranTurismo916]

Edit: Tree'd

 

[GTMail]

Pics or didn't happen.

Sorry I didn't get back to you ASAP, you're not to high on my priority list.

 

[RDF97]

I agree with the CTS-V and the Neon SRT-4. Camaro Z/28 and the Viper ACR make cases for themselves as well.

Question is the '78 T/A regarded a good handling car for its time or is it regarded an overall good handling car?

 

[Badasp5.0]

Question is the '78 T/A regarded a good handling car for its time or is it regarded an overall good handling car?

For thier time I think they were ok but not a world beater. I know there were some modified 2nd gen Fbodies that did well in racing.

 

[Tornado]

Do they handle well?

They had absolutely massive tires, extremely lightweight construction, wonderful suspension all around and fantastic weight distribution (once the iron V6 was ditched).




And none of those things were put together with any regard for the others; so no.

Question is the '78 T/A regarded a good handling car for its time or is it regarded an overall good handling car?

For their time, they were basically the best of America (and the F-Body in general was a very well sorted chassis the second go around). But that was 35 years ago.

 

[Wolfe]

The Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220 were GM modifications of the Lotus Elise chassis, using turbocharged ECOTEC I4s.

The Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice/Opel GT was actually based on a brand-new chassis that was heavily influenced by the Corvette's X-body, and used a wide variety of off-the-shelf mechanical and trim pieces to keep production costs to a bare minimum. Still, even then, GM couldn't turn a profit off of them, and axed the program altogether.

I know the confusion's been cleared already but I found it amusing how you explained all of this and forgot to point out their engines are mounted at opposite ends.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

The Opel Speedster was NOT available in the US and Opels havent been sold since 1975. (There are some cars that are Opels that have be rebadged other GM brands for sale in the US but not the speedster)

I believe he's more referring to the fact the Ford Fiesta ST started life in Germany. Though I believe the USDM Fiesta ST is actually built in Mexico.

 

[YSSMAN]

Sorry, I thought the GT was the Speedster. I knew the Sky/Solstice was based off some sort of Opel. I really don't care or know about for Opel much.

Flip that around. The Solstice kicked the whole thing off as the first of the Kappa cars. As a concept, it was partnered with a Saturn variant that was quite popular, and was approved for production as well.

Both were well-received enough, and based on enough international parts that GM thought it'd be a good idea to sell the two internationally under different brands. At the time, Opel and Saturn were supposed to be synonymous, thus, the Opel GT only swapped badges when compared to the Saturn Sky.

There was also a Daewoo version sold in Korea, a model that quite a few people forget about as well.

The only real Opel thing in the Kappa cars were the engine. Everything else was off the shelf from the CTS, Envoy, Cobalt, and others.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Very, very well played sir. 👍

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Indeed. If only others were even half as swift in their responses as you are.

 

[Badasp5.0]

For their time, they were basically the best of America (and the F-Body in general was a very well sorted chassis the second go around). But that was 35 years ago.

Wasnt there a Hopped up Vega in the '70s that was a good handler too? I cannot recall if it was a factory option or a tuner tho.

 

[playnthru]

Wasnt there a Hopped up Vega in the '70s that was a good handler too? I cannot recall if it was a factory option or a tuner tho.

It's mentioned in the OP.

 

[GTV0819]

Aren't both of the Chaparrals American? Haha. The 2J looks very weird, though.

 

[xXKingJoshXx]

Aren't both of the Chaparrals American? Haha. The 2J looks very weird, though.

Both of the Chaparrals? There's more than two...

 

[GTV0819]

Both of the Chaparrals? There's more than two...

LOL. You're gonna have to show the proof if there's more than 2 in the game.

 

[Dennisch]

LOL. You're gonna have to show the proof if there's more than 2 in the game.

Be aware that you have ventured outside of the Gran Turismo sub forums.

Welcome to reality.

 

[GranTurismo916]

LOL. You're gonna have to show the proof if there's more than 2 in the game.

The game of life?