Supercar (car classification)
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A supercar is type of high-performance automobile. The proper application of this term is disputed, especially among enthusiasts, but it is widely used in the automotive press. A list of supercars can help to define the term subjectively.
General criteria
The following criteria are often cited in determining if a particular sports car or exotic car deserves the supercar moniker:
- High performance — Most supercars are capable of extremely quick acceleration and have an especially high top speed compared to other cars of the time. To achieve this, most supercars have a high power to weight ratio — that is, high power and low weight.
- Styling — Supercars often feature groundbreaking styling elements. The Formula One-inspired Enzo Ferrari, for example, set a new styling direction for that company.
- Focused design — Supercars are not designed to be practical transportation devices, with functionality varying widely between different examples. Many car body styles (including 2+2 coupe, station wagon, and pickup truck) make inherent tradeoffs of performance potential for utility. By this measure, extreme vehicles like the Dodge Ram SRT-10 are not normally called supercars. Note however that one undisputed supercar, the McLaren F1, featured seating for three and had a number of useful storage spaces.
- Technology — All supercars feature cutting edge contemporary racing car technology. This has included the use of carbon fibre and ceramics, ground effects and wings, and novel layouts like mid-engine/rear wheel drive. The use of turbochargers has fallen out of favor in many recent supercars, though the Bugatti Veyron will use four.
- Production — Most commentators would not include one-off concept cars or self-built kit cars under this category. Although no objective metric has been agreed on, homologation often makes the case for a supercar. Similarly, the term is never applied to a pure racing car — supercars must be legal for use on the street. Although their makers often promise to produce dozens of examples, some supercars never reach these production targets.
- Spirit — An extremely difficult aspect to objectively discuss is the "spirit" or "soul" many supercar buyers search for. This is often more a reflection of the manufacturer's reputation, especially on the race track, than the absolute qualities of the vehicle in question. This factor is often cited in disqualifying cars like the Acura NSX and Dodge Viper.