Ultimate Q Car
20 May 2003, 08:27 PM
#1
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Remember years ago the humble Scoob was the "Q car"....moderate looking japanese saloon with a big sting in the tail. So folks what car carries that badge these days - my money is on the Clio 172 CS...
20 May 2003, 08:57 PM
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Lancia Thema - god I remember those...my mad Italian Uncle had an Lancia HP Volumex gorgeous looking car, went well, bits fell off it....always thought the Thema 8.32 would have been interesting - guess they are all rust now....
20 May 2003, 08:57 PM
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Drove one years ago... not nice... great engine in a crock of **** to be 'onest... detuned ferrari motor felt nice but odd... heavily detuned but sounded better than the F328 don't ask why... very complex...
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20 May 2003, 09:02 PM
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Full marks to Lancia for producing the Thema 8.32 
MyCroft's right though, it's a badly flawed car. A chap I know has one, quick in a straight line once moving and sounds nice, but that really is it.
MyCroft's right though, it's a badly flawed car. A chap I know has one, quick in a straight line once moving and sounds nice, but that really is it.
20 May 2003, 11:13 PM
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The Ferrari engine ruins the Thema (IMHO of course!), hanging a V8 out the front wrecks the handling. The best Thema produced was the Thema Turbo LS, 205bhp as standard (detuned version of the Integrale engine - good for 250lbft of torque as standard!) - nearly as quick as the 8.32 in a straight line, and they come for disposable car prices these days, whereas a decent ferrari engined one will still set you back a fair wedge. Just don't rely on it for regular transport, remember it has fiat electrics 
Thema bodies survive well (they are Saab based) but the subframes are pure Lancia and rust like $h!t off a shovel.
Thema bodies survive well (they are Saab based) but the subframes are pure Lancia and rust like $h!t off a shovel.
21 May 2003, 12:05 AM
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Drove one years ago... not nice... great engine in a crock of **** to be 'onest... detuned ferrari motor felt nice but odd... heavily detuned but sounded better than the F328 don't ask why... very complex...
I'd be interested to know why you think it sounds better than the 328.
[Edited by MooseRacer - 5/21/2003 12:05:54 AM]
21 May 2003, 08:45 AM
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Indeed mik, but is that better?
But I'm prepared to accept that subjective individual opinion may consider this "better"
(actually (assuming this is the reason it sounds "better") I'd go along with that ~ IMHO 90deg V8's make flat-plane V8's sound like w**k
21 May 2003, 08:47 AM
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The V8 Thema motor is indeed an multi-throw unit unlike the 'flat plane' of its brother... but it also contra-rotates in comparison to the 'flat plane' motor.
That was needed to 'compact' the exhaust for FWD... flat planes are very fussy over tuned length exhausts... multi-throw are not... so the exhaust is also quite odd in that it is compromised even more due to the FWD configuration.
This lead to Lancia using a system derived from an Ansa/Abarth hybrid... it makes a lovely noise due to the peculiar design.
That was needed to 'compact' the exhaust for FWD... flat planes are very fussy over tuned length exhausts... multi-throw are not... so the exhaust is also quite odd in that it is compromised even more due to the FWD configuration.
This lead to Lancia using a system derived from an Ansa/Abarth hybrid... it makes a lovely noise due to the peculiar design.
21 May 2003, 08:47 AM
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Best Q car has to be the original M5. E28 i think the model was.
Hardly any visual difference from the rest of the range, and even more subtle than the M535i which had a dull looking bodykit.
286bhp..great fun for it's age.
Hardly any visual difference from the rest of the range, and even more subtle than the M535i which had a dull looking bodykit.
286bhp..great fun for it's age.
21 May 2003, 08:58 AM
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Racing Dynamics K55 BMW Compact
Lets take a 1.8 budget BM hatch and shoe horn in a 5.5 litre V12 from the 850Ci. Is that adequate though? Nope. Bore the sucker out from 5379cc to 5486cc, tweak it all over (ECU, cams and zorst) and end up with 427bhp and 404lb/ft
Ever since Performance Car reviewed it, I've wanted one of these. Keep the 318 badge, no body kit and wait for some unsuspecting fodder at the lights
[Edited by ChrisB - 5/21/2003 8:58:46 AM]
Lets take a 1.8 budget BM hatch and shoe horn in a 5.5 litre V12 from the 850Ci. Is that adequate though? Nope. Bore the sucker out from 5379cc to 5486cc, tweak it all over (ECU, cams and zorst) and end up with 427bhp and 404lb/ft
Ever since Performance Car reviewed it, I've wanted one of these. Keep the 318 badge, no body kit and wait for some unsuspecting fodder at the lights
[Edited by ChrisB - 5/21/2003 8:58:46 AM]
21 May 2003, 09:14 AM
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Could you post a link?
That can only be a 'traffic light' car... big V12, flimsy monocoque, weight bias... everything would conspire against it handling the power... probably stress fracture the monocoque in a year...
That can only be a 'traffic light' car... big V12, flimsy monocoque, weight bias... everything would conspire against it handling the power... probably stress fracture the monocoque in a year...
21 May 2003, 09:21 AM
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I knew I forgot something in my post up there ^
http://www.theautochannel.com/public...dynamics.frame
[Edited by ChrisB - 5/21/2003 9:21:27 AM]
http://www.theautochannel.com/public...dynamics.frame
[Edited by ChrisB - 5/21/2003 9:21:27 AM]
21 May 2003, 04:43 PM
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Alpina B10 Bi - Turbo........................awesome
Or
Cav Turbo
Or
The VTec engined Mini for sale on this site,,,0-60 around 3 sec..........or more impressively 0-100 in under 7secs!!!!!!!
22 May 2003, 12:07 PM
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Modified RICA T5 Volvo Estate with 300bhp and a diesel badge, and TRACS T/C also maybe NoS.
22 May 2003, 12:10 PM
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Has to be the latest Audi S4.
4.2 V8 and not even a hint of a spoiler
4.2 V8 and not even a hint of a spoiler
I'll have to back up the 4x4 Octy voters here. Not even a hint of a body kit, fat exhaust or anything like that. Chipped up, it's a very rapid motor.