The degradation of the "performance" moniker.

67HEAVEN · Poncho Master!

The degradation of the "performance" moniker.

RDubya · Poncho Master!

Don't you know it's those graphics and emblems on the new cars with the flashy colours and huge rear wings that make them go fast?

Reminds me of Red Green talking about painting snowmobiles bright colours so they could use them on the water in summer as jet skis.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

I'm not sure I am following this thread but I think it has to do with some cars posted recently on here that had 6 cylinder engines and were wrapped in sporty clothes.

GM made a point of marketing cars with a LOW base price back in the days then let the customer customize by adding options. This was how they made big money. While they never intended, say a 2+2 to have a 6 because they wanted someone to option up I suppose we have to accept that some basic cars would sneak their way out of the factory. I notice that a number of Acadian SD cars were 6 cylinder's on the registery just begun on board.

RDubya · Poncho Master!

I might of got a little off track. I was referring to newer vehicles given this performance badging.

Stephenzone · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

real nice 66 SS nova up the street from me with a 6 banger

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

67HEAVEN wrote:

Damn, I hope GM stays in business, but on the very long stupid list, this one drives me crazy..................the misuse of performance model names.

What would ever possess GM to permit a 6 cylinder/automatic Chevy Super Sport or Canadian Pontiac 2+2? All that did was degrade the value of those models.

When I see a less-than-real-performance SS, I cringe. What were they thinking?

-- Edited by 67HEAVEN at 13:45, 2009-03-10

You could be a Super Sport, and not be fast lol I am a Super Guy therefore, I could be a SG...

And lots of 283 2bbl and 327 2 bbl wern,t fast...

-- Edited by 427carl at 15:02, 2009-03-10

65Camino · Uber Guru

So all this talk about SD's means they are Super Dudes?

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

blacktransam wrote:

I might of got a little off track. I was referring to newer vehicles given this performance badging.

No. I think you are on topic too. I also think we have to be open minded. To guys from my generation, 4 barrels, 4 speed dual exhaust is a performance image, my eldest daughter's BF has his performance image as a BMW M5 or a Q35 or a 350 Z, my son who is younger loves the CTS.

In many respects we are living in the past with our idea of performance. The young bucks also want and expect GPS, rear back up cameras and lots of toys in their performance cars but on Board here the love of Post cars shows we wanted the cheapest thing money could buy with the biggest V8. Pretty different views.

RDubya · Poncho Master!

Have to admit, it is amazing how much power goes into smaller engines. Look at the 6 in the new Camaro!

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

blacktransam wrote:

Have to admit, it is amazing how much power goes into smaller engines. Look at the 6 in the new Camaro!

Oh...you mean the 304 HP Cadillac engine, same one in CTS, based on the Northstar V8.

RDubya · Poncho Master!

Oh Ray, had to get a Caddy shout out in didn't you. biggrin

87 player bird · Poncho Master!

Performance now means huge sterios with i-pod docking, 20" chromies with low profile rubber, big wings, and wild colours. A lot has changed in 30 + years.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

blacktransam wrote:

Oh Ray, had to get a Caddy shout out in didn't you.

Y E S !

Astro Jet · Poncho Master!

67HEAVEN wrote:

Damn, I hope GM stays in business, but on the very long stupid list, this one drives me crazy..................the misuse of performance model names.

What would ever possess GM to permit a 6 cylinder/automatic Chevy Super Sport or Canadian Pontiac 2+2? All that did was degrade the value of those models.

When I see a less-than-real-performance SS, I cringe. What were they thinking?

-- Edited by 67HEAVEN at 13:45, 2009-03-10

The problem is the super sport and 2 + 2 options were primarily TRIM options, one could add performance if desired but not mandatory. It was all about giving the customer what he wanted and allowing him to customize the car to his own liking - something that is so sadly missing today...

Astro Jet · Poncho Master!

73SC wrote:

blacktransam wrote:

Have to admit, it is amazing how much power goes into smaller engines. Look at the 6 in the new Camaro!

Oh...you mean the 304 HP Cadillac engine, same one in CTS, based on the Northstar V8.

Yeah, they put the low out put ones in the Caddies, the high performance 306 hp version goes in the Chebby. biggrin

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Astro Jet wrote:

Yeah, they put the low out put ones in the Caddies, the high performance 306 hp version goes in the Chebby.

That's ok, a car that looks that good deserves it.

19Pontiac65 · Veteran Member

what makes me realy laugh is the 4DR SS Impala, a 4DR SS, come on now

eeluddy · Uber Guru

"Performance" has really come to mean a different thing since I was a kid in the '60's & '70's. I well remember the SS and 2+2 cars with base engines, lot's of looks, but not much go. In 2009 a lot of true performance cars are 4 door sedans. Cadi CTS-V, BMW M-series to name a few. In the old days you never seen a 4 door hot rod. My '97 Mustang GT is not as fast as my 2000 Bonneville SSEi, but it sure looks like it would be faster. My '06 Charger R/T is probably one of the fastest cars I've ever owned and it's a 4 door. That was unheard of in the '70's.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

There was one exception made from 1968-1972, the Mercedes 6.3, which would take any Porsche built then and 98% of Detroit's muscle at the drag strip. Nothing out of Detroit could match it's top speed.

I remember reading one of those miscellaneous Ramblings stories in Road & Track by one of the editors where he and his wife and another couple were out for dinner. On the way home a GTO Judge tried to walk him at a stop light onto the freeway ramp and failed miserably. He recounted how that rumbling orange car became tiny spec as the Merc tipped past 150 mph.

-- Edited by 73SC at 21:15, 2009-03-10

Velle Addict · Guru

19Pontiac65 wrote:

what makes me realy laugh is the 4DR SS Impala, a 4DR SS, come on now

I'll take a 1994 - 1996 Impala SS, 4 door anyday of the week!

eeluddy · Uber Guru

73SC wrote:

There was one exception made from 1968-1972, the Mercedes 6.3, which would take any Porsche built then and 98% of Detroit's muscle at the drag strip. Nothing out of Detroit could match it's top speed.

I remember reading one of those miscellaneous Ramblings stories in Road & Track by one of the editors where he and his wife and another couple were out for dinner. On the way home a GTO Judge tried to walk him at a stop light onto the freeway ramp and failed miserably. He recounted how that rumbling orange car became tiny spec as the Merc tipped past 150 mph.

-- Edited by 73SC at 21:15, 2009-03-10

Those big Benz's were a fast car. I never had the pleasure of driving a 6.9, but I had a 88 560 SEL and it was a fast car. A friend has a V12 600 SEL that I hope to drive this summer. I read a review on them when new, and Car & Driver said "when you punched them to the floor it was like the world's largest electro-magnet was switched on in front of you" Fast & Smooth.

19Pontiac65 · Veteran Member

Velle Addict wrote:

19Pontiac65 wrote:

what makes me realy laugh is the 4DR SS Impala, a 4DR SS, come on now

I'll take a 1994 - 1996 Impala SS, 4 door anyday of the week!

you can have all of them, a 4 door Super Sport, Im still laughing

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Indeed, I have never driven one but have been driven in one...

anyway the 6.3 was a bit faster for some reason than the 6.9 but both were said to be incredible. As if I need to say...a 6.3 is a 385 cube V8 and the bigger 6.9 is 420 cubes!

We won't even mention our Northstar Cadillacs Earl, they beat most 70's muscle cars too, well I guess I will, I found my dealer brochure and it shows the STS doing 0-60 in 6.9 seconds with a 150 mph top speed, my lowly Deville is a 0-60 in 7.7 with a S rated tire speed limited top end of 112 mph.

-- Edited by 73SC at 22:46, 2009-03-11

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Well here's another one that won't be classed as a traditional performance car but with 500 cubes, 400 HP and 550 ft lb torque all spinning through the front wheels this baby could embarass some Corvettes in the day. It does have two doors though.