What's the point of buying super high-powered sports cars?

[daniel0731ex]

Seriously, I don't get the point of buying super high-powered sports cars.
I mean, we all know that it's about the driver, not the car.
Getting a Ferrari isn't gonna improve your lap times if you have no skills.
All the pros says that you could only be fast if you are smooth, right?
If you drive a 500-hp race car sloppily crashing out of every corner, you'd probably be outran by a 100-hp family car that maxmizes its speed by driving smoothly. It's not like you could cut-corners at 45 degrees.


So what's the point of developing cars with 1000-hp that goes to 400 km/h anyway?
You don't need 500-hp, to me 200-hp is already enough, anything above it is just impractical,
it's not like you would go to the top speed very often on a track.

I think those guys are just wasting money developing things that people don't really use.



So what's the point? Because it's cool?


================================================
EDIT:

out of all the replies, only one person actually caught the overtones of my message; while everyone else didn't seem to even notice it
(and out of that, a confused moderator changing my title inadequetly).

I guess I didn't do a very good job in conveying my message then :fp But kudos to those of you who got it though.

anyway, my point is not really about the cars, but rather a response to the people exclaiming that "45-degree corner cutting is pointless".

I am well aware of the reasons why people buy exotic cars; in fact, my own opinion is actually the opposite of what was expressed origianlly. Why buy expensive sport cars? Because it's a joy to drive them (disregarding the status symbol function). It's not like you buy a car just to RACE it, it is the driving pleasure that you are looking for.
(And yes, the cars may make you faster to some extent, but it is only part of the reason)

Same thing goes for cubes. It is the enjoyment you get from solving good cubes, not necessarily because it makes you faster. For those saying that 45-degree corner-cutting is pointless, just think: what's the point of high-powered engine? It doesn't make you faster in corners.

Well yeah, but powersliding in corners is fun though, you don't really need a point to have fun.

And that's exactly the point of cubing too; some people might do it competitively, but ultimately it's about having fun.

 

[Meep]

Seriously, I don't get the point of buying super high-powered sports cars. I mean, we all know that it's about the driver, not the car. Getting a Ferrari isn't gonna improve your lap times if you have no skills. All the pros says that you could only be fast if you drive smooth, right? If you drive a 500-hp race car sloppily crashing out of every corner, you'd probably be outran by a 100-hp family car that maxmizes its speed by driving smoothly. It's not like you're allowed to cut-corners 45 degrees.

So what's the point of developing cars with 1000-hp that goes to 400 km/h anyway? You don't need 500-hp, to me anything above 200-hp is just impractical, it's not like you would go to the top speed very often on a track. I think those guys are just wasting money developing things that people don't really use.



So what's the point? Because it's fun?

You might not think so, but some people like what things can potentially do (as opposed to what they actually do with it). As someone who does mechanical design, I've sometimes planned for things to be able to withstand a crane operator randomly deciding to drive the crane into it. Will the machine ever take loadings that high? Unlikely. Did I think it was awesome (Despite spending more of the company's dollars)? Definitely.

 

[Hershey]

I was about to make a thread on this, except I was going to talk about cubing directly (I see what you did there in the tags).

I bet people just buy Lubix Elites because "cool" cubers like Anthony Brooks or Rowe Hessler have them. The only thing someone needs in a speedcube is decent speed (most cubes already have this), durability/stability, and a low possibility of locking up.

tl;dr: get a cube that is stable and doesn't lock up like all the time. You do NOT need to buy cubes all the time.

 

[Godmil]

I was thinking the exact same thing Daniel the top sports cars are just a waste of money. Race drivers should just stick with what they have... And in the rare occation when they need to go faster they could get a slightly better car, then when they max that out they should buy another slightly better car. Its much cheaper to buy a dozen incrementally better cars than one fast one.

 

[chicken9290]

I was about to make a thread on this, except I was going to talk about cubing directly (I see what you did there in the tags).

I bet people just buy Lubix Elites because "cool" cubers like Anthony Brooks or Rowe Hessler have them. The only thing someone needs in a speedcube is decent speed (most cubes already have this), durability/stability, and a low possibility of locking up.

tl;dr: get a cube that is stable and doesn't lock up like all the time. You do NOT need to buy cubes all the time.

thats why it was so easy for me to trade my elite for three cubes, cause everyone wants it just because certain people use it and they get good results

 

[Hershey]

thats why it was so easy for me to trade my elite for three cubes, cause everyone wants it just because certain people use it and they get good results

It seems like in this case, Lubix is just a fashion company and Anthony Brooks and Rowe Hessler are fashion models. Don't get me wrong though, Anthony and Rowe are great cubers.

 

[waffle=ijm]

engineering a better machine for the sake of engineering.

 

[SpacePanda15]

It seems like in this case, Lubix is just a fashion company and Anthony Brooks and Rowe Hessler are fashion models. Don't get me wrong though, Anthony and Rowe are great cubers.

No, no, no, no, no, not at all. Not even close.

 

[Anthony]

I feel inclined to point out that the new Lubix Zhanchis really do kick some serious ass.

 

[qqwref]

Wait, are you talking about the rich people who buy sports cars, or actual racers? For racers, it certainly doesn't hurt to have an overpowered car, but I agree it's pointless if you don't know how to use it. And for rich people, well, a lot of it is just for show, and the expense is part of that.

 

[daniel0731ex]

Wait, are you talking about the rich people who buy sports cars, or actual racers? For racers, it certainly doesn't hurt to have an overpowered car, but I agree it's pointless if you don't know how to use it. And for rich people, well, a lot of it is just for show, and the expense is part of that.

Rich people.

But that's not the point though, I'm not really talking about cars, but rather making an analogy for cubing.

I am well aware of the reasons why people buy these kinds of cars; in fact, my own opinion is actually the opposite of what was expressed in the OP.
Why buy expensive sport cars? Because it's a joy to drive them (disregarding the status symbol function). It's not like you buy a car just to RACE it, it is the driving pleasure that you are looking for.

Same thing goes for cubes. It is the enjoyment you get from solving good cubes, not necessarily because it makes you faster. For those saying that 45-degree corner-cutting is pointless, just think: what's the point of high-powered engine? It doesn't make you faster in corners.
Well yeah, but powersliding in corners is fun though, you don't really need a point to amuse yourself.

If sport cars are all about racing, Jeremy Clarkson would be out of work.

 

[chris410]

Wait, are you talking about the rich people who buy sports cars, or actual racers? For racers, it certainly doesn't hurt to have an overpowered car, but I agree it's pointless if you don't know how to use it. And for rich people, well, a lot of it is just for show, and the expense is part of that.

Exactly...being a licensed motorcycle racer and previously owning a 97 Supra that I built up to 720HP to the rear wheels if I'm in a 200HP car I can pretty much out run most people in much faster cars (yes I have done this on countless occasions/have race car schooling experience as well)...but put me in that more powerful car and I'm that much faster. Same goes with motorcycles...that's why they are made, if you do not push the boundaries how do you expect to improve?

I raced an 05 R6 in 2008 and went top 20 in over 6 classes on a bone stock bike against newer/faster motorcycles. When I had the chance to ride one of the newer bikes with upgrades I was not only faster but actually able to put times to qualify for an AMA race. So really, it comes down to the purpose and the skill of the rider/driver.

Hope this clears it up a bit!

Now, why would someone with little to no skills buy such a powerful car or motorcycle? Either they think it will help OR because they can.

 

[qqwref]

Rich people.

So yeah, then it's basically just to show off. An expensive, overpowered car is pretty much just used to look good and show off how much money they can spend. Some people even collect cars, and have entire squads of some of the most expensive cars in production, without even driving most of them (and definitely not driving them to their engineered limits). And again, that's mostly to show off how rich they are.

 

[chrissyD]

I mean, we all know that it's about the driver, not the car.

You wont believe some of the tech put into modern day cars, all modern supercars will have traction control because without it the car will just spin if you try and floor it or exit a corner too fast. Turn it off then it does come down to the driver . I can tell you driving an F1 car on a simulator with no traction is very hard to get used to but driving with it on is **** easy. I can imagine the real thing is alot worse.

So what's the point of developing cars with 1000-hp that goes to 400 km/h anyway?

If you're referring to cars like the veyron then IMO the veyron is an absolutely amazing peace of engineering, To have space for shopping and cupholders and still go 260+ mph is amazing. Of course it will never go 250-260 on any public road but that's not the point.
This is just the industry of making the fastest production car in the world it's a status that every car company would love to have

I think people buy nice cars just to show off but I can see why. i mean who wouldn't want to drive round in Ferrari? But you'll also see most supercars in the motorsport industry which is where the ideas for most supercars come from.
If you ask me though i seriously don't see the point in buying an ugly energy saving car, I don't care about the earth melting all I care about is a good looking and sounding car.

Meh i start motorsport at college soon and this is the sorta stuff i might be talking about all the time :|

 

[daniel0731ex]

Guys, my point is not really about the cars.

 

[chrissyD]

So what's the point? Because it's cool?

to answer the question.

well yea the more power the cooler. But i guess it's just showing off unless you're good at driving it round a track. I'd agree that a top racing driver (excluding any nascar drivers) could outrun a 500hp car driven by a noob with a family car. But id rather be the driver in the 500hp car anyday

also noticed you have a stig styled sig i thought all top gear viewers were into powerful cars

 

[Jorghi]

Its life lol. Rich people do what ever they want.

 

[Bryan]

So what's the point of developing cars with 1000-hp that goes to 400 km/h anyway?

It's kind of like allowing longer titles on a forum so people don't need to use ellipses that makes a topic vague. Some people will use it to its potential, just not you.

 

[Mike Hughey]

It's kind of like allowing longer titles on a forum so people don't need to use ellipses that makes a topic vague. Some people will use it to its potential, just not you.

Good point. Fixed. (This example, not the overall situation.)

 

[Thompson]

they look really cool