Most underrated car(s)?

[nbw]

So, what do you guys think the most underrated car for all around(ie not just drag racing) performance and its potential after a little bit of hotrodding?

[3000ways]

Originally Posted by nbw

So, what do you guys think the most underrated car for all around(ie not just drag racing) performance and its potential after a little bit of hotrodding?

There is a lot, but one of the most is the 3000GT VR4. I mean the 300ZX Twin Turbo, Supra Twin Turbo, and RX-7 Twin Turbo all get a lot of attention on the import tuning scene, and rightfully so, but people tend to forget that there is another Twin Turbo out there that has awesome performance too. Sure the main gripe is the weight, but who ever said the Supra and 300ZX were light weights, and even with it's weight the VR4 is still an awesome performance car.

[NISSANSPDR]

Before everyone knew what a Silvia, 180SX, Sil-eighty....the 240SX was underrated...but it was light, RWD, cheap (relatively), and nimble.

[Joseph1082]

I have to second that notion... so many people, even die-hard importers seem to neglect or discount this car... I don't see Y, / AWD and AW-steering I would think that this car can be made to be the Japanese King, yes, I said it, even dethrown the Skyline.

[NISSANSPDR]

Originally Posted by Joseph1082

even dethrown the Skyline.

If it was meant to "dethrone" the Skyline...why didnt it dominate the JGTC and Australian TCC for so long they had to ban it since it was just too good/kicking everyone's tail?

[3kgt8]

hey joseph are you talking about the VR4?

[3kgt8]

Oh yea and by the way for the first time i will have to agree with 3000ways. the 3000gt VR4 is very underrated because they dont get as much attention as the other tt cars do? in my opinion its got the best looks of all those cars. they deserve to be on as many covers of import magazines as other cars. im never going to understand why its always the weight issue on this car, when the car competes and even beats many of the supposedly import kings. and by the way i would rather own a VR4 than a skyline. skylines miight be you guys's import king but for me the VR4 takes it all. SKYLINES are ugly square cars. just my 2 cents

[nbw]

well, I agree with you the VR4 doesnt get the attenion it deserves... but I find it extremely suprising the Dodge Stealth r/t turbo(or what the name name is) isnt even mentioned. That is an underrated car!
a few years ago I would agree the 240sx was underrated, but now its quite the opposite. Still a great car that you can get for not too much money though.

Other underrated cars...
Subaru Impreza 2.5RS: It has the old school wrx look, its lighter, you can get it as a coup. heck all of the awd impreza's rock and are great platforms imo.
Pontiac Fiero: These cars have a horrible reputation. They where underpowered becuase GM didnt wanted them to be a cheap echono car rather then a sports car but people have been doing some amazing things with these, allot of v8 swaps.
Toyota MK1 Mr2( aw11 ): Super lightweight mid-engine car. What kills me is now that the ae86 is getting all this attenion lately(thanks in part to Initial D and Best Motoring) but absolutly nothing about the aw11. *shrugs
Toyota mk3 Mr2/MR-S: Well I just personaly love this car exept for the fact its a convert. These cars are just simply amazying imo. Its a shame toyota didnt give them abit more power from the factory. This is an interesting vid from BMI. NA vs. turbo. The guy in the mr-s is does very well. Its kinda funny actualy, mr-s is a good ways ahead and slows down and gets behind the silvia to show the differences between na and turbo. then catches back up and passes him... just go loose on the strait... but hey, 320hp vs 190 and the mr-s did get the fastest lap time..
(since all cars where extremely modified it really isnt a great basis for an arguement, i just wanted to post the vid becuase it was interesting)

[edit: oops, i ment other underrated cars]

[Jimster]

Mazda MX5- 'nuff said. 50/50 weight distribution, RWD, light and cheap. Yet somehow seen as a girls car. WTF?

[nbw]

yeah I agree with you 100percent but it really depends on who you go to. Very few autocrossers underrate this car.. but then there is the rest of the world.. I really hate it when people ignore and mock great cars with such piss poor excuses such as "chicks car". (what makes a car a chicks car btw?) Same can be said for the mr-s as well.

[BP2K2Max]

Originally Posted by Jimster

Mazda MX5- 'nuff said. 50/50 weight distribution, RWD, light and cheap. Yet somehow seen as a girls car. WTF?

i think it's cuz the carry the connotation of a "girls car". i agree with you though. miata's can be made very fast and are easily turbo ready and as you said handle very well.

i'd also say the Toyota mr2 is underrated.

[Lakehaze]

Miatta - True
Scoob 2.5 - Prolly true.
280sx - True
Fierro - Got spanked by the aw11- Boo, ponticrap
Aw11 - Hell yeah, just sold mine tho
MK3 Mr2 - I'm very hesitant, Its just so 'Hello Kitty'
Ae86 - Yeah, it drowns out the aw11, but to be honest, aw11 had some handling issues, It was very nimble and out handled most carsm but not the ae86. The aw11 was a good bit tail heavy and it understeers in the twisties until it violently snaps around. The ae86 was a better car *sigh* four passenger with beatiful weight distrubution... it deserves the attention. (in fact i bought my aw11 from a guy who needed his garage for his ae86, and this was before Initial D )
VR4- I don't know, It deserves its place on the road, its a great car, but 'underated' i think not. True sports cars are supposed to be light and simple, I think the VR4 gets plenty of attention for being so fat and complicated...
-If i could pick one, it would be... it kinda sucks, you guys pointed mine out already, aw11,ae86,280sx,miata.. ahwell.

[91300zxtt]

golf gti, audi a4 1.8 t, miata for sure, and yes even the civic. people think that because they can beat ricers that all civics are gonna be slow. not a huge civic fan but they are very underrated

[Polygon]

I would have to agree that the 3000GT VR-4/Stealth RT/TT were very underrated cars. Another Mitsubishi that wasn't too bad, which was also the father of the FTO and the 3000GT/Stealth was the Starion/Conquest. It wasn't too bad for it's time.

I think most of you can hear this coming, but I'm going to have to say the cars like mine, The Turbo Chryslers/Dodges. They have to be some of the most underrated cars of all time. The majority of people think they are slow, can't handle, can't stop, and will fall apart after a few weeks. This couldn't be further from the truth. However, I don't mind, people can think that if they want. It makes it all the more fun to see the look on their faces when you blow their doors off, and not just in drag racing either.

[kman10587]

Heh, I was just about to mention the LeBaron. It's a cheap, older domestic that's turbocharged from the factory and fairly lightweight.

But I think one of the most underrated cars, and best sleepers, is the Buick Regal GS. On the outside, it looks like a grandma car, but under the hood is a supercharged 3800 Series II V6. With very few mods, the car can actually run low 13's. And it's a freakin' Buick sedan :P