A performance car is a
car
A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...
that exhibits above-average capabilities in one or more of the following areas:
acceleration
In mechanics, acceleration is the Rate (mathematics), rate of change of the velocity of an object with respect to time. Acceleration is one of several components of kinematics, the study of motion. Accelerations are Euclidean vector, vector ...
(
torque
In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational analogue of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). The symbol for torque is typically \boldsymbol\tau, the lowercase Greek letter ''tau''. Wh ...
and
throttle response), top speed (
horsepower
Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are t ...
),
cornering and
braking.
It is debated how much performance is required to move classification from standard to high performance.
Classification
Further classification of performance cars is possible in the following categories:
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Hot Hatch — a High-performance version of mass-produced
Hatchback model
*
Sports Sedan — a High-performance version of a
Sedan model
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Muscle car
A muscle car is an American-made two-door sports coupe with a powerful engine, marketed for its performance.
In 1949, General Motors introduced its 88 with the company's OHV Rocket V8 engine, which was previously available only in its lux ...
— a Large American or Australian
Rear-wheel drive
Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars.
Most rear-whee ...
car with a
V8 engine
A V8 engine is an eight- cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
Origins
The first known V8 was the Antoinette, designed by Léon Levavasseur, a ...
*
Sports car
A sports car is a type of automobile that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as Automobile handling, handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and Auto racing, racing capability. Sports cars originated in ...
— a High Performance Car with Dynamic Power and Racing Capabilities
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Grand Tourer
A grand tourer (GT) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving with performance and luxury. The most common format is a Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-door coupé with ...
— a
Luxury Performance car designed for High speed and long-distance driving
*
Supercar
A supercar, also known as an exotic car, is a street-legal sports car with race track-like power, speed, and handling, plus a certain subjective ''cachet'' linked to pedigree and/or exclusivity. The term 'supercar' is frequently used for th ...
— an Expensive High-end Sports car, with Aggressive Power, Speed and Handling
*
Hypercars — the Most Expensive, Highest Power and Fastest Supercars.
Gallery
File:2012-03-07 Motorshow Geneva 4528.JPG , Aston Martin DBS V12 - grand tourer
File:2017 Volkswagen Golf GTi TSi 2.0 Front.jpg , Volkswagen Golf GTI - hot hatch
File:1967 Pontiac GTO (19837121635).jpg , Pontiac GTO - muscle car
File:BMW M5 Competition IMG 0799.jpg , BMW M5
The BMW M5 is a super high-performance variant of the BMW 5 Series marketed under the BMW M sub-brand. It is considered an iconic vehicle in the sports saloon category. The M5 has always been produced in the saloon (sedan, US English) body s ...
- sports sedan
File:Ferrari 488 Pista Genf 2018.jpg , Ferrari 488 Pista - supercar
See also
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''Performance Car'' (magazine)
References
{{reflist , refs=
[{{cite web , title=What is a high performance car? , date=2020-02-13 , website=Hyundai , url=https://www.hyundai-n.com/en/media/n-zine/what-is-a-high-performance-car.do#:~:text=Common%20definitions%20say%20performance%20cars,weight%2C%20allowing%20for%20maximum%20performance , access-date=2024-02-17 ]
Automotive terminology