Magazine Articles

[Mr_GaZZa]

Hey Everyone,

I am seriously over seeing many of the car magazines out there comparing SUPERCARS

with the upgraded family car sedans with bigger brakes and larger 'powerful' engines in them and still

thinking they are comparable...

Its just annoying because there NOT a SUPERCAR!! Examples like the HOLDEN W427 and the FPV Typhoon are the same

as any of there models chassis wise.

So how can they compare this against a car that has been engineered for years for pure performance and track?? And

Saying that has the history behind the name/model for super cars.

So yeah, what are your thoughts?

[GTR-N1]

Perhaps ppl like scathing or Iron Chef can give us a more informed view, but for what it's worth...

I understand what you're saying on several points...

Inexperienced drivers who are influenced by magazine hype, tv Ad hype + beatups by salesmen, take their cash and...

1) purchase a 'PRETEND SUPERCAR' like a TRD Aurion with understeer issues

2) get a 'PRETEND SUPERCAR" like a red Commodore SS with undersized brakes

3) push their new FPV F6 through corners like a 'PRETEND SUPERCAR' until they get unstuck with its soft suspension and contorted chassis yaddayadda

The sad part is, I wonder how many of these guys do end up in a post/tree/truck/car/pedestrian through hormones, impatience, inexperience, overconfidence thru' grog or post-argument-rage? Or is it that they think that a 'PRETEND SUPERCAR' really is a 'SUPERCAR'? Bit of both IMHO

[LSX-438]

so what has the W427 been compared to which erks you off so much, examples?

[Mr_GaZZa]

I brought a motoring mag, some what months ago. And well they just compared it to the GTR, Lambo & Porsche.

I was just honestly thinking, how is it comparable at any glance?

P.s yeah i totally agree Terry.. and theres probably heaps of them tree bound

Edited October 23, 2009 by Mr_GaZZa

[MFC05]

I brought a motoring mag, some what months ago. And well they just compared it to the GTR, Lambo & Porsche.

I was just honestly thinking, how is it comparable at any glance?

P.s yeah i totally agree Terry.. and theres probably heaps of them tree bound

Its an bad comparison but it sells magazines specially with aussie icon cars like the HOLDEN W427 & FORD FPVs plp will read it !

[LSX-438]

I brought a motoring mag, some what months ago. And well they just compared it to the GTR, Lambo & Porsche.

I was just honestly thinking, how is it comparable at any glance?

P.s yeah i totally agree Terry.. and theres probably heaps of them tree bound

ahh ok, yeah he W compared to those cars is probably stretching it a bit

[ras1983]

As bad as the super sedans are, they're infinitely better than the V8 utes that so many people think are sports cars. Having said that, the recent HSV sedans appear to be good products, and while note being comparable to supercars, they're definitely evolving.

But, I can't say the same for the utes. It seems all they're good for is circle work and burnouts.

[randomagg01]

As bad as the super sedans are, they're infinitely better than the V8 utes that so many people think are sports cars. Having said that, the recent HSV sedans appear to be good products, and while note being comparable to supercars, they're definitely evolving.

But, I can't say the same for the utes. It seems all they're good for is circle work and burnouts.

[Sammy-qld]

My pet hate is when they compare car's like the Cayman S to the GTR, and give full props to the Cayman S cause it can drift around a corner. All these reviewer's HATE the GTR cause they spend all their time sideways drifting other people's supercars around tracks and they get in the GTR it feels too controlled and not enough fun to them. Forget the fact its half the price, faster on a track than the competition and the Cayman S shouldn't even be put in the same category to it. Its like comparing a Hyundai Getz to a WRX

[rev210]

Magazine reviews are for people who have limited knowledge and experience and provide an 'opinion' to read about.

Ask yourself if you really need to read them and then maybe don't buy the magazine or just use the review pages to start your winter fireplace or line the budgy cage.

[Chrispy]

The problem is you are reading Motor or Wheels, they are the automotive equivalent to Picture magazine.

Go for CAR or some of the other European magazines.

[George_77]

Hello.......................

[lachlanw]

Hello.......................

f**k off george . wts are you trying to do ? surely you can find something to talk about that you are interested in or have an opion of ?

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

The problem is you are reading Motor or Wheels, they are the automotive equivalent to Picture magazine.

Go for CAR or some of the other European magazines.

Yep.

HPI or Option mag (But you goto learn how to read Japanese).

SPEED Mag was quite good.

[BlacklistedGTR]

I have to agree, you can't expect a FPV or HSV to compare performance wise to a supercar like the 35 GTRs or even Porsches. It does however generate interest as i am sure many Australian car enthusiasts would like to beleive that their Aussie built car can compare with such supercars.

[GGTTRR]

Hey Everyone,

I am seriously over seeing many of the car magazines out there comparing SUPERCARS

with the upgraded family car sedans with bigger brakes and larger 'powerful' engines in them and still

thinking they are comparable...

Its just annoying because there NOT a SUPERCAR!! Examples like the HOLDEN W427 and the FPV Typhoon are the same

as any of there models chassis wise.

So how can they compare this against a car that has been engineered for years for pure performance and track?? And

Saying that has the history behind the name/model for super cars.

So yeah, what are your thoughts?

FPV may be a bit of a stretch but W427 cost the same as GTR

[Chrispy]

SPEED Mag was quite good.

Pity SPEED died, was a decent read Zoom is getting too repetitve now, I used to buy every issue, but now it's just 13B's in little mazda's and datto's. Get's boring after a while

[JET200]

it makes the average joe blo feel better about spending their hard earned cash on a car under 100,000.

You can deny that smoking a "real" supercar in your Silvia/Supra/GTR etc feels damn good.

[JET200]

might be bringing DSPORT Magazine to Australia if the demand is there. its very performance and tech based

www.dsportmag.com

[writeoff]

Magazine articles are written to sell magazines. Wheels is specifically targeted to 'Aussie' enthusiasts and will therefore have an article on a Holden or Ford in every magazine. Bang for buck the HSV & FPV vehicles are pretty good and are the top of the tree for Australian built performance cars, thus they are compared to other performance cars from around the world. Motor magazine is aimed at the slightly wealthier enthusiasts and contains more articles about European vehicles. HPI & Zoom magazine articles seem to list the mods a person has done to the car and the build process. They rarely seem to actually be a review of the car or a driving story. Like others have commented it was a pity that SPEED only lasted for about 8 issues as it was a good blend of articles.

When sorting out which cars to compare sometimes they do it on price point, performance numbers (kW, engine types, capacity, 0-100 times etc), sometimes they do it because they were the only cars the magazine was able to borrow from dealerships and private owners, sometimes they do it purely because it hasn't been done before. At least both Wheels and Motor have finally realised in the last few years that kW at the flywheel and kW at the wheels are different numbers and that a cheaper car with some well planned mods can be better than more expensive standard cars. But ultimately the articles are written to sell magazines - so in Australian publications they will invariably contain an Australian car. If you don't like it buy Car or EVO magazines from the UK, or just look up their websites and read the smaller articles for free.

I read magazines from the USA, UK and various Australia publications. However I go to my local library and borrow them so they cost me nothing and I only read the bits that I am interested in.