# Popular sports cars people in Poland drive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2015, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838 "2015-05-12T04:23:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SHARKBITEATTACK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@SHARKBITEATTACK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SHARKBITEATTACK)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/1 "2015-05-12T04:23:33Z")
Just wondering, here in america people have mustangs, camaros, Nissan Z’s, wrxs, and lancers. Do you see any of these cars in their country? If not what are the more popular sports cars people drive around and customize there? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/2 "2015-05-12T13:27:30Z")
None of those are sports cars in the traditional sense. Anyway, they [don’t](http://bestsellingcarsblog.com/2015/05/poland-april-2015-skoda-fabia-climbs-back-up-the-ladder/). Though for comparison’s sake, only the Mustang usually makes it into the US top 50 for new car sales. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/3 "2015-05-12T13:56:53Z")
From what I remember, mostly BMWs, Mercedes, Audis, and the occasional Porsche. You can get an idea [here of what is being sold](http://moto.gratka.pl/coupe/) on the used market for coupe/sports cars. I don’t know how big the customization scene is there, though. ---
**Author:** ![SHARKBITEATTACK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@SHARKBITEATTACK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SHARKBITEATTACK)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/4 "2015-05-12T20:01:56Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > None of those are sports cars in the traditional sense. > > Anyway, they [don’t](http://bestsellingcarsblog.com/2015/05/poland-april-2015-skoda-fabia-climbs-back-up-the-ladder/). Though for comparison’s sake, only the Mustang usually makes it into the US top 50 for new car sales. Not sports cars? What planet ate you from? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/5 "2015-05-12T20:18:58Z")
> [@SHARKBITEATTACK](#): > > Not sports cars? What planet ate you from? They aren’t sports cars in the traditional European sense (maybe the Z qualifies.) In Europe, a sports car features nimble handling, not acceleration. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/6 "2015-05-12T20:54:22Z")
> [@SHARKBITEATTACK](#): > > Not sports cars? What planet ate you from? This one. > [@](#): > > [A sports car (sportscar) is a small, usually two seater, two door automobile designed for spirited performance and nimble handling.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_car) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/7 "2015-05-13T10:41:21Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > They aren’t sports cars in the traditional European sense (maybe the Z qualifies.) In Europe, a sports car features nimble handling, not acceleration. Exactly. We would call something like a Mustang a “muscle car”. Good if you want to drive a quarter of a mile in a straight line quickly. Not good if you want to make like James Bond on roads like [this](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GqUaC-24XL8/UTZdyqXnAGI/AAAAAAAAgfE/eYEro86Rz-M/s1600/3.jpg). Popular sports cars in Europe, Poland included, are Ferraris, Porsches, maybe an Audi R8. that kind of thing. Out of the list you mentioned, the Nissan 350Z and maybe the Subaru are about the only one I see on a regular basis (in the UK). ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/8 "2015-05-13T13:28:47Z")
The impression I get from my Polish friends is a general love of German cars. If you want a proper sports car you start with a Porsche 911 and then work your way out. Customisation isn’t a big thing in Europe. Not in the sense of major after market mods. If people have the money they will go for a higher spec car. There is no limit to how much money you can spend with the high end manufacturers with ever more insane and expensive go fast options. The likes of BMW’s M series, Merc’s AMG relationship. Whereas Subaru can sell you an STi WRX, or Mitubishi an Evo Lancer, this is small change compared to what AMG or Porsche can do. 911 GT3 or SL 65 anyone? Messing about doing after market customisations will simply wipe value off. To be really pedantic , a sports car is a car which you use to compete with. So it should be viable as a track car, and to be more serious, there really should be a class in which the cars compete. Very hard to go past a 911 in that case. Not that the vast majority of owners ever actually do track their cars. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/9 "2015-05-13T13:58:50Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > To be really pedantic , a sports car is a car which you use to compete with. So it should be viable as a track car, and to be more serious, there really should be a class in which the cars compete. Very hard to go past a 911 in that case. Not that the vast majority of owners ever actually do track their cars. That’s not pedantic. It’s wrong. A Mazda MX-5 is a sports car but it’s certainly not a viable track car. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/10 "2015-05-13T14:06:48Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That’s not pedantic. It’s wrong. A Mazda MX-5 is a sports car but it’s certainly not a viable track car. Really? I owned an MX-5 for many years, and was a member of the local club - many members did indeed regularly track their cars. When I sold it I had a number of offers from people whose entire desire was to track it. There are quite a number of clubs here, and the MX-5 is a favourite platform for a dedicated track car, and has a dedicated class. On this one I’m afraid you are simply flat out wrong. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/11 "2015-05-13T18:34:29Z")
If competition is a determining factor then a Renault Clio is a sports car. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JoshuaSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f1d935/32.png) [@JoshuaSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoshuaSD)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/12 "2015-05-13T18:48:14Z")
A very quick Google and I came up with the Arrinera. Im no super car fanatic and I doubt you will see one of these being modded like the ever more lumpy and absurd Mustangs Im seeing around here but it is Polish and it definitely is a sports car. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/13 "2015-05-13T18:54:11Z")
> [@JoshuaSD](#): > > A very quick Google and I came up with the Arrinera. Im no super car fanatic and I doubt you will see one of these being modded like the ever more lumpy and absurd Mustangs Im seeing around here but it is Polish and it definitely is a sports car. You should have Googled longer. The Arrinera has not actually entered production, and will likely cost upwards of half a million dollars when it does, so I don’t think that qualifies a “[p]opular sports [car] people in Poland drive”. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/14 "2015-05-13T20:25:44Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That’s not pedantic. It’s wrong. A Mazda MX-5 is a sports car but it’s certainly not a viable track car. I’m belaboring an off-topic post, but the Mazda Mx-5 is the most raced production car in the world. [http://mazdamotorsports.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/MazdaStaticView?pageInfo=AboutMazda&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&ss=3](http://mazdamotorsports.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/MazdaStaticView?pageInfo=AboutMazda&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&ss=3) I don’t have a cite, but I think I recently read that one in five race cars on any given weekend in the U.S. is a Mazda Mx-5. People bring them on the track regularly. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/15 "2015-05-13T21:30:53Z")
I stand properly corrected. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/16 "2015-05-13T23:15:10Z")
This is not to mention that properly modified Mustangs, Camaros (or even models from the factory like the Boss 302 and Camaro Z-28) are _most certainly_ viable track cars. In the case of the Z-28 and Boss 302, they are purpose built for that very reason. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sports-cars-people-in-poland-drive/719838/17 "2015-05-14T23:11:21Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Exactly. We would call something like a Mustang a “muscle car”. Good if you want to drive a quarter of a mile in a straight line quickly. Not good if you want to make like James Bond on roads like [this](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GqUaC-24XL8/UTZdyqXnAGI/AAAAAAAAgfE/eYEro86Rz-M/s1600/3.jpg). The original purpose of muscle cars was to serve as a low-cost starting point for creating a proper sports or race car. Different types of driving demand different setups on gearing, suspension, turbo/supercharging, etc. but in all cases, having a large bore engine is a good thing so selling a car with a big engine is, as said, a good starting point for creating a car in accordance with your desires and interests. So by the standard, it’s a bit silly to compare a nice BMW to a Mustang. You’re not really comparing cars across classes. You’re comparing a completed vehicle to one which is simply incomplete. The classification of “muscle car” and the focus on the quarter mile wasn’t really ever supposed to exist. People were meant to turn them into something better. It’s just laziness and budget that caused there to be a glut (and eventually popularity) of the unmodified muscle cars. But there should be a few proper race cars that use muscle cars as their basis, out in the world. I just couldn’t say what percentile.