Crotch rockets are fast.  Harleys, hogs, and choppers with the retardedly long front end and the 4ft high ape hangers are not.  Factory harleys are rocking 14 and 15 quarter mile times at a whopping 90mph.  Ninja 300 are over 14 seconds.  Ninja 650 are over 12 seconds.  Thats slower than a new mustang GT.  No supercharged big block.  Just a coyote mustang.
Dodge demon is rocking about the same mid-9 quarter miles as a Ducati or Hayabusa.
And crotch rockets are not comfortable for even 1 person.  Let alone 3 or 4.

Motorcycles feel a lot faster than they really are.  Same reason doing 50mph on a go cart is more exciting than 50mph in a civic.  You're more exposed and closer to the road.

I disagree with almost all of this. The engine, and how it behaves, is one of the biggest things that you can notice when daily driving. Most people aren't running through a tight and twisty side road to get their groceries or do their commute. I think we would all love that as a commute, but most of us need to be realistic with our driving habits. You might get a few corners, a few stop lights, and maybe an onramp or two if you are really lucky. Places that the BRZ doesn't really shine. You know what really does well in those situations? Cars with a bit of torque with the help of a turbo. Like the WRX, or the GTI, or the Focus ST. All cars that aren't exactly fast either, but universally rate higher as being better daily drivers.

The BRZ/FRS really shines and shows it's self when driving it on the track, autocross, or some other situation where you can honestly push it to the max of your own abilities. This is where the engine differences that you were dismissing really seem to disappear. I've been lucky enough to drive BRZs in this situation, even once on a frozen lake, and I've always said that they are fun in those situations. But that's at a level way above what I'd want to risk driving on public roads, let alone in the city.

What you are left with is a car that's great when pushed, but not so great when not. I don't mean that as "It's a terrible car" when not pushing it, but more like I just didn't really find it enjoyable. And I just don't see a situation where I could push a BRZ enough on legal roads to make it more fun than the little turbo guys sitting next to them on the lot. The HP differences between them aren't all that much in the grand scheme of things, but the torque curves tell a completely different story.

I know you have issues with FWD cars, and I honestly don't know your own personal experience with driving any of them. I know we've had these discussions plenty of times before. I went in wanting to buy a BRZ in 2013 when they came out and left with a Focus ST. While I don't have the ST any more either, I still think I came out of that purchase with a car that was more enjoyable for the majority of situations that I put it through.

And before someone calls me out and gives the stereotypical response of "You are just a hater and you can't tell me I'm not having fun with my BRZ" let me respond to that with "You also can't tell me that you are having more fun with your BRZ than I did with my Focus ST". Cars are a personal choice, and I think it's great we have choices. I've said the same thing in manual transmission threads. Some people might hate autos, DCTS, or manuals, but I think it's great that there are choices for everyone. I just personally think the BRZ would have been better with a turbo. Much like almost everyone else who drove one and didn't buy one, or bought one and sold it. And much like Toyota and Subaru are thinking, given the rumors going on for the next generation. Heck even most owners will say that at one point or two, even if they won't admit it on the internet arguing against other people saying it.

Enough of the soap box, my contribution to the thread is the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. The body of an Evo with all the speed of the econobox sedan it was based off of. I rarely see any actual Evo X's any more, most have been relegated to garaged weekend cars so when I see a ralliart it's always a small slap of reality to the face.

Roll it off a cliff and it will probably hit 190+ too

Don't try to inject logic into these conversations. Only the Camry is allowed to benefit from advances in technology.

"It would mop the floor with that old car!" Uh okay, what about the new version of that old car. Say... Camaro vs. Camry?

I don't get the point of those comments. It's 40 years later and some things are way better. Imagine that. Your minivan still sucks.

Also Monte Carlo SS with 305 TBI.

Agree, though I’m not really sure they are “cars.”  I rented one in Hawaii and was surprised just how tame it was for something that is designed like a Batmobile.

Nope.  210 hp 305s were also available.

Early '80s 350s only put out a maximum of around 190hp, no matter what they were in. The GM CrossFire "CeaseFire" Corvette engines were the same basic engine as a pickup truck. "CrossFire" was an unmitigated total clusterfuck for GM. The cold start injectors likely caused the demise of many, many engines because it would enrich the intake with a shot of raw gas everytime the ignition switch was turned on. We've had a number of 80's Corvettes come in the shop with significant amounts of gas in the engine oil. One '84 was towed in as a "no-start", and ended up having more gas than oil in the oil pan because the owner must have cycled the key on and off a thousand times (no exaggeration) trying to figure out why it wouldn't start.

No wonder so many C4s ended up as Corvette carts.

Had one in high school. Couldn't do a burn out on bald tires in the rain but it looked cool. Bought a 350 out of a junkyard pick up that a friends dad rebuilt for me and added a cam, manifold and 750 Holley when the the 305 spun a bearing. Turned it into a totally different car. Even with the tall highway gears it could bark the tires in 3rd. Then it got stolen out of the parking lot at work. Turned up months later painted purple on big gawdy rims and the asshat had a really shitty white pleather interior put in. I sold it back to the guy who had the work done not wanting it back like that. He didn't know he had bought a stolen car FWIW.

Only one mile.It was pushed out of the back of a C-130 flying one mile high.

This ... just uncorking the exhaust made a huge difference on the L98, LT1 and LT4. Change the cam and and injectors and you've got a torque monster which after all is what really moves mass and stock cars ain't exactly light weight.

There's a company in Ohio refurbing and modifying them, and throwing in a modern Honda VTEC drivetrain..making it very reliable and once you hit higher RPMS, a very very sporty car.

I just don't know anyone who's going to fork over $30k +- for one

I mean, it'll be less expensive and a lot faster/more fun than a new Miata...but it also won't have AC, power anything, or a new car warranty...

Top speed of an IROC Camaro in 1986 was 137, so no it didn't.

riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight

The Solstice was offered with the 2.0L turbocharged Ecotec, later used in the Cobalt SS.  Nothing blistering, 260HP from the factory (290hp factory upgrade available), but not bad for 2006.  Easily modded to 300+HP.  

To answer OP: Pretty much any late 70s-80s muscle or sports car.  Toyotaburu BRZ. The new Miatas aren't as fast as they look, while not terribly slow anymore, they look like something exotic.

Oh...

You were serious...

My friends X3MC

Oh wait it is fast, 0-60 in 2.91 seconds

I had an '83 Nissan 280Z. It looked fast but it was a slug.

@DoctorCAD

The interwebs disagrees.

https://fastestlaps.com/models/chevrolet-camaro-iroc-z-5-7l

"Introduced     1986"

"235 kph (146 mph)"

False.  You had an '83 Datsun by Nissan 280ZX.

Yeah, if you're racing for miles, the vette was clearly the faster vehicle. Omnis aren't known for their aerodynamics.

You're right. I was trying to remember whether it was a Datsun or a Nissan when I typed that. It was still a slug.

They did. He was just trying to be edgy, unless he's talking about some of the modern clones with small engines.

The Crossfire (L83), produced 200hp in 1982 and 205hp in 1984 (there was no 1983 corvette production).  It was a horrible abomination.  I made sure to stay away from those years and luckily Chevy changed their mind quickly with the switch to the more standard L98.

The LT1 bumped up to 300hp, a good bit more fun than my 240hp L98 but the Optispark ignition systems in them are known to be a bit touchy, are a pain in the ass to replace and it's getting difficult to find a reliable source.  Most of them come from over seas now or are rebuilds and it's not uncommon for owners to swap a new one in, only to find that the thing doesn't work right out of the box.

Hence why I opted for the less powerful L98 with both a "normal" fuel injection and ignition system.

This place sometimes... lol. That's less than a 10 mph discrepancy.

Fixed it for you.

I drive a 1997, the first year of the C5 and the LS-1.

It's pretty quick, even nowadays, although I wouldn't race a Mustang GT or a V8 Challenger.

Father in law has a 70s corvette. Thinks it’s fast. Factory 1/4 mile tine is in the 18 second range. Told him I’d beat him in my Honda Accord. He never agreed to race.

Arfcom.

^^
The Camaro IROC-Z was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1985. The 305 c.i. 5.0-liter TPI LB9 was rated at 215 hp (160 kW), with the 4-bbl 305 LG4 at 155 hp, and the 4-bbl High Output 305 L69 at 190 hp (142 kW).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Camaro_(third_generation)

^
they left out the part where you roll up to a bar, which car is gonna pull the kitty?

While some bikes can be quick, they rarely seem to outrun the rider's attitude.  It's been decades since I've rolled against bikes in 60-160s, but a bike's awful C/D (coefficient of drag) hits like a wall at 100+ compared to a car.  It's actually the rider's awful C/D.  

Back then, modded Busas, Gixxer 1000+, and other liter+ bikes were getting destroyed by cars with bolt-ons.  These days, modded bikes are quicker than they used to be, but modded cars are absolute nuts --well beyond anything I even want to drive.  

Bikes to a fast "cager" are like slower pieces of meat dangling on a stick over a grinder.  No thanks.

Video from 20 years ago.  3 people in the 4 seater car filmed from the back seat.  Nothing special, just the norm.  
 

Crossfire

From someone that just wrote a motorcycle jab, comparing a Miata to a motorcycle is silly man.  Are you talking about a moped that has the back-up foot pedals?  



That's because you HAVE to push a Miata or BRZ a lot harder in every day driving just to merge into a school zone.  

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Have my 2nd one now, first got totalled by a deer. Not fast in a straight line but fast on tail of the dragon. Fi and n02 changes shit as does rew and 20b swaps

Got one.   Fast enough.  Barely have to turn up the radio at 120/125 mph.  Engine isn't even breathing hard yet.  Didn't have to go faster as the BMW 745 I was following didn't want to go faster (I was just seeing how fast he was going).

This is a neighborhood!

Came her to say Mitsubishi Eclipse.  My uncle rebuilt a motor on one for my cousin and let me drive it to see what it would do.  I  was underwhelmed and my first car was a Renault Encore.

On Fast and Loud, they restored a Bandit car and put in a new gearbox with lower gears just to make it feel a little faster and be able to spin the tires.

The Ford Probe was one that had looks that certainly outpaced its performance.  The GT was okay but nothing spectacular.  My brother had one.  You had to get the shift just right in order to make it go.  If you shifted with too many RPMs, it felt like it fell flat on its face.  

There really wasn't anything close to these numbers at the price. This is what led to the performance levels we see today. Read period reviews and how blown away the testers are but these cars.
Quarter mile times-
NSX 13.3
MR2 was a Miata competitor and performed as well or better
Supra 13.1
3000gt vr4 13.5
Viper 12.6

Dodge Challenger r/t

2.0turbo z4. Car looked amazing, and was actually pretty torquey for a 4 cylinder (260ftlb at 1800 rpm to almost redline) which made it great for corner exits, but the straight line high speed acceleration was wanting.

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1976 Mustang II Cobra
"A sheep in snake's clothing".
Available with a 4 cyl engine.
The  optional 302 V8 produced 140 hp
0-60 10.5 sec. 106 mph top speed.

Early 90's chevy 454ss.

Nissan 240SX.

GTR body with a Nissan V6 truck engine.