What makes a real sports car?
Now let's leave the purely electric cars aside for a moment and ask ourselves what a sports car (inevitably) looks like. We should actually come to almost only one conclusion.
But first the question: what is a real sports car? Perhaps surprising, but we'll start with the fact that it has no luggage compartment. There is also a second seat on which a briefcase or even a backpack can be placed
instead of a passenger.
So, in addition to the trip on Saturday afternoon, longer trips are also possible, but only for two people if the luggage is sent by post. These require a certain level of fitness, because the car simply cannot be quiet for
reasons that will become clear later.
There are adjustable chassis, but the pure sports car does not have them, because of course the possible adjustability requires compromises, e.g. in terms of the free space inside the wheel arches. The presence of air
conditioning would still have to be discussed.
The picture is slowly becoming clearer, but mainly in the direction of things that you might have to do without. With the seats, lateral support would probably be more important than sufficient padding. Of course, a special
belt is part of that.
In the past, you would have always guessed that the gearshift would have five or six gears by hand, for example. However, certain automatic systems have crept in. This means the dual-clutch transmission or, alternatively,
the precise operation of a more normal manual transmission.
Where should the drive go? Definitely not at the front, because we want to do everything we can to ensure good aerodynamics and still have enough visibility. Nevertheless, the engine should be relatively flat and located
within the wheelbase due to weight distribution.
So it's a mid-engine, although the decision as to whether it's a boxer or V-engine hasn't been made yet because of the exhaust system. But it's definitely a small-diameter multi-disk clutch. The transmission could be
arranged transversely behind the rear axle.
The only decision we don't have to make is where the tank should go. Ferdinand Porsche probably attached great importance to its position because it is the only component whose weight changes significantly while
driving, especially with the high consumption of the sports car.
It would also be possible in two parts, but if it would make an accident worse at the front or on the sides, or change the weight distribution at the back, we are at a loss. Porsche would probably have mercilessly increased
the wheelbase and placed it behind the seats.
Is there anything missing? Yes, large wheels are definitely in, which means the diameter rather than the width. Because that costs steering angle and therefore a certain degree of maneuverability. However, neither of them
is particularly helpful for visibility to the front.
The overhang at the front cannot be quite that short. Larges glass sight gauges hide the main headlights as high up as possible and the light in fog lower down. Of course, with today's lighting technology, it might be
possible to make these smaller.
However, we are basically basing this entire text on a Porsche 917 and therefore apologize for the outdated lighting
technology. No, convertibles are out of the question due to the weight disadvantages, and neither are glass panes in the roof.
There are two bulges from front to back, because the car must be able to be driven with a helmet. You've probably guessed it, there are normal doors that even cover the lower crossbeam so that you don't get your clothes
dirty when you get out the car in the rain.
Yes, the rear is a problem. We are thinking of a compromise between a short and a long rear. That means enough stability, but also being able to park somewhere. The space there is lost because it is too hot for a
luggage compartment.
No, we wouldn't recommend too many cylinders given the advanced turbo technology. Eight seems to be a good number, six is only enjoyable as a real boxer engine. No, we didn't want to go electric in this chapter this
time.
| As a racing car a completely different category . . . |
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