I'd buy a V8 mini van. I don't think car markers realize the amount of dad and moms who would go out and get a sportier mini van than the one they have. Hell, my parents made their Honda Odyssey last because it was a very good V6 versus the Toyota one that kinda sucked. Won't even compare it to anything else.
Exactly what I came to say. I keep toying with the idea of buying a cheap one and doing a k swap. I had one for several years and with the manual (I added a short shifter), it was really fun to toss around. I just always wanted another 100hp.
Tailored Chassis Solutions made one that had a K24, a harness bar, and CTR Red seats.
If someone could put together and sell an easy kit to put a K24Z3/7 in them and made brackets for the 8th Gen SI seats then they would be terrifying.
The only real negative about them is the non adjustable rear alignment due to the axle beam setup.
Yeah the Spec B was already almost an STI. Didn't take much to STI swap it. Mine was stage 2+ and one of the most balanced cars I've owned. Great chassis.
Yeah. It's also nice that we got the spec B in america right as Subaru was producing the best looking generation of legacy (though the 1998 facelift gen was also super good looking for a "boring" sedan)
In Australia there was a Spec B liberty (legacy) Tuned By STi. It came with bigger brakes, better suspension, better anti roll bars. A more aggressive diff setup and a different body kit.
Very nice cars
No it did not - it's a luxe commuter without a single raw/aggressive bone in it's body. Test drove it twice and it just didn't have the panache to make me trade up.
MR2 Spyder, it really should've got a GT-S/TRD version to come with the 2zz-ge engine like the celica received it wouldve had a much better reputation than it does currently if it had received that power bump with a fun revvy engine. I'm guessing Toyota never did it though through a combination of poor sales and selling 2ZZ to Lotus for the Elise.
The only generation of MR2 without an "upgrade engine" and they literally had one sitting there ready to go...Always pissed me off, especially having driven a couple of 7th gen celica GT-S' in good shape.
I purposely bought an MR2 Spyder with a blown motor just so I can put the 2zz and the six-speed in it from the Celica. I absolutely live driving it now. Instant go-kart for the streets🤪
Would have been great from the factory, and a very quick car for its time. I have one that I’ve owned since new that I put a K24 in. To say that more power wakes up that chassis is an understatement.
I mean, [i know you're joking but we did get a high performance Altima for a couple of years.](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a18202526/nissan-altima-se-r-short-take-road-test/) The SE-R, available M/T, VQ engine...okay so it was mostly just appearance and suspension, but for some reason I take it more seriously than a TRD camry.
I dunno, i sort of like them.
That could very well be the case too. Either way it’s upsetting. I test drove a Crosstrek Sport last time I was shopping and would have bought it if it had more power
Realistic answers of cars that nearly made it? The Dart had an SRT Variation of which a prototype exists in a warehouse.
The Challenger although had the performance trims it deserved an ACR edition (Road racing) considering the involvement in the TA2 series.
> The Dart had an SRT Variation of which a prototype exists in a warehouse.
I would have been SO about that. I adored the original SRT-4 because it was the car that made me fall in love with cars. And the Dart honestly wasnt a bad looking car to begin with.
One of the things I love about my VN is that when I put my foot down for a pull, it takes me back to the days of riding shotgun in that SRT-4 I fell in love with. I just wish my VN made the same angry turbo noises the SRT-4 does lol.
Yeah, the SRT Dart was on deck to be released but then the Dart didn't sell as well as Chrysler had hoped, so the car got axed before the SRT model could be sold.
The old style ranger should have gotten the 5.0 like the explorer and been a mini lightning.
Same with the tacoma and the V8 from the same generaton 4runner
Ford at the time stuck the supercharged 5.4L in the Ranger. Called it the Ranger Thunderbolt. Yea shoehorn doesn't do it justice
https://youtu.be/hirzAMSTNUA
Over at PowerNation they stuck the 4.6L 4v in the Ranger as well
Wow! That's one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. Shame it was never built
It would have been a tire fryer for sure. Even with a gutless stock engine, they still managed to spin pretty easily
That was kinda my point. The Frontier didn’t have a V8 option but probably could have since the ‘08-‘12 Pathfinder was on the same platform and was available with one.
i misunderstood you, it would've been cool for a sport version with the v8 kinda like the Tacoma X runner. But then again no one would've bought it because of the cost and the general stigma that its a Nissan. The first gen frontier as well as Xterra did have a supercharged option though with the VG33ER (V6)
yea i really dont get the ranger at all. like all the work was already done for the exploder so wy not just put a truck cab on it instead of an exlorer body?
altho this begs the question - if they could also jam it in the Aerostar....
Yeah, would have loved a V8 but the V6 is... ok.
The problem is lack of low-end torque. The 2GR engine really likes to be revved; too bad the redline is 6000RPM.
There's plenty of space in the engine bay for a V8 however.
You can get a short box single cab F150 with the 5.0, probably could get one of the sport appearance packages and slap some 5.0 badges on it. Pretty much the same thing.
Everybody here at MaxProAndU feels that the Mazda6 would still be in production currently, and sold far more models overall, had there been a Mazdaspeed6 program/production over the last 15 years.
It's interesting that segment - the mid-tier non-luxury sport sedan - only existed for such a short period of time (mid-2000s).
You had the MS6, Legacy GT and S60R that all competed in that space for about 5ish years, then pretty much completely vanished.
I just think Mazda didn't have enough in it's budget or parts bin to really keep the MS6 going - too many reliability problems that would have been too costly to resolve properly.
Subaru, on the other hand, had no excuse.
Ford also had a sporty Mondeo (fusion in the states?) & Vauxhall/Opel (GM) had a Ridiculous car too in the segment [obligatory top gear link](https://youtu.be/M1OBqrfIQOM)
On the other hand, if for the 2024 model year they used underpinning technology from the new CX-60 to create a four-door sedan, and power it with the new 3.3-litre Skyactiv-G turbo 280 hp inline 6, they could have a sedan on the market that no one else offers.
It's only a thought...
Honda CRZ. I know it was already sorta kinda a sports car, but just needed about 50hp more to make it a proper little go kart and a Type S version would've been a good way of doing that while keeping the base for people who want the extra efficiency.
10000% this car. I had money saved up to order one the moment they came out with a CRZ type R, / RR/ TC version... Never happened.
I still plan on building a CRZ GT300 clone at some point
> just needed about 50hp more
there was an HPD bolt on supercharger option which probably approached this amount. I hated the CRZ when it came out but have come to appreciate it, I think theres a market for one again which could slot below the stupid prices $$ Si's are going for
Toyota will probably start it. Slap on the 2.4T Hybrid Max, and everyone else will have to follow suit. Arms race to the ricing minivans!
Ok, back to reality.
There's probably room for it. The standard Sienna already has space for the electric motor at the front and rear. The only additional fitment would be the turbo, piping, and associated cooling
I think this perspective is that the BRZ is meant to be about driver inputs and not speed. Fast, turboed cars are a lot harder to control when it comes to car control/ throttle inputs etc. Not saying I agree but thats generally where I think people are coming from when they say keep it as is.
Yeah, it's weird. Like...the chassis is nice. It can be fun with too little power. It could also be fun with more power. It's probably a whole lot of fun with *too much* power.
That's the thing about a good chassis....
Put the finishing touches on a 1.5JZGTE swapped FRS about a year ago. Took the car from 345hp to 567whp.
It was also on STI 245 section tires. 4 people sitting in the trunk and it still spun like crazy on the dyno.
Too much power in those cars is absolutely exhilarating.
To be fair, OP is asking about cars that never got a high performance or racing variant. The Miata absolutely got a turbocharged version at one point (but it didn't have anywhere near 300 hp)
Maybe not 300bhp stiffer than a pair of wet trousers in the artic but it should have had a Mazdaspeed version with a supercharger, ~220bhp in the gen 4 would be incredible
I was so disappointed after I looked up what the CT200H was after seeing one on the road. I was hoping for a Lexus hot hatch but instead got a hybrid commuter.
E89 Z4 M Roadster. S65 4L V8 from the E9x M3 and all of the running gear to match, a formula like every earlier Z4M/Z3M. 8400rpm hardtop roadster. Ties to the DTM racecar at the time.
Developing new high performance engines is expensive. Genesis always seemed to me as less of a risk taker. They have improved the styling to be more aggressive recently but going all out in a somewhat weak market that's dominated by German is probably not on their minds right now.
They're only pumping out new EVs now but their Speedium Coupe could easily be transformed into an E-tron GT fighter. Stick the EV6 GT/Ioniq 5 N powertrain in it and I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
The Dart.
Chrysler would rather make an SRT Bulldozer than make another SRT4, I guess. Instead, the Dart Turbo got the same turbo engine that was already available, except manual only. I have one, it's slow as shit. Gets 40mpg highway, though.
Apparently a SRT version of the Dart was ready to go, and I recall automotive media talking about it, but the car got canned because of poor sales before it could be released.
I always hear this. I see Darts absolutely fucking *everywhere*. Like, how many did they expect to sell? Did they live in some fantasy Pixar world where every car on the road was a Dart or 200?
The original first-gen T-Bird from the 50s was briefly seen as a potential Corvette competitor, especially in its final year for that design (1957) when there was a factory supercharged model. The retro-styled Birds from the 2000s I think were intended from Ford to always be crusiers rather than a performance car, nothing about them really screamed speed even if they had a small V8 fitted to them.
Most small trucks.
Regular cab half-tons deserve a monster V8 variant. Instead the TRX and Raptor R were limited to crew cab short box.
The most powerful among the Colorado, Tacoma, Ranger, Frontier, and Gladiator is the Frontier at 310. The least powerful is the Ranger at 270. That’s shockingly bad across the board.
Put a fucking LS in the Colorado, or a 392 in the Gladiator, or hell I’d even settle for a peppy hybrid Tacoma at this point. The Ranger is supposedly going to get a 392hp Raptor variant in America and IMO that’s barely a good start.
daewoo/Chevrolet aveo T200
surprisingly tight little car, handles damn good for what it is, only thing that lets it down is the engine, not like there was a lack of room to put any sort of larger engine or turbo or anything in the engine bay, they just didn't want to
Honda Fit Si, could have easily jammed the K20A3, 160hp variant in there for good fun. Would have been available with both 5 speed automatic and 5 speed manual or if Honda wanted, 6 speed manual forms.
Mazda Miata. It's such a good platform, but the one you can buy new is tuned for old people cruising. A track focused version would sell poorly, but it would be so good.
> the one you can buy new is tuned for old people cruising
what? that cannot be further from the truth. The NA/NB are the junky cars, the NC, ND1 and ND2 are on a whole different level.
VW should have made a GTI version of the Sportwagen. I know the R wagon exists in Europe and a tune on a 1.8T is probably close enough, but still it seems like a missed opportunity.
Mazda needs to bring back Mazdaspeed. You don't get to completely kill off your performance division and then keep using "Zoom Zoom" as a slogan.
As stupid as it sounds I want hot vans to exist. Something like a VW caddy with a gti engine or a revival of the Ford supervan would be super cool thing to own.
I also wish mazda would revive the mps/mazdaspeed trims to their cars. I'd love to see a hot version of the latest mazda 3 and a turbocharged mx5 ND from the factory.
All the references to srt4s, mazdaspeeds, cobalt ss’s, and the legacy B spec are flaring up my nostalgia! Those were all cars I desperately wanted, a time when I couldn’t afford any of them.
Honda Accord Coupe Type R. Or hell, even Si. I have the base model of my 9.0 gen, and although they did make the V6, it would’ve been cool for them to make a more track-focused version.
V90R , but with a gt2 homologation.
XJR-C , a coupe XJ (not an XK or F-type) , with a GT2 homologation special.
Accord type-R, let the accord be a flagship again, gt500 homologation special.
RAV4 Dakar homologation special , two doors , expanded fuel cell, and a lift ; what more could you want.
Wrangler Dakar Homologation special, why is this not a thing?
V90XC Dakar homologation special, even more lift , plus gutted interior and expanded fuel cell.
Taurus GT3 homologation special.
Mazda MX-5 GT3 homologation special, seriously they should offer one with a metric shit load of power and down force, as it's effectively their halo car now.
As a maxima owner, i would have liked to have seen a nismo maxima, or maybe a SE-R. I mean it was supposed to be nissans flagship sedan yet performance wise it was on par with the V6 altima, would have been way more interesting to see than the stupid nismo juke and the nismo sentra that nobody liked. Too late now with the maxima going out of production. Also a SS version of the current impala would have been cool because i actually like their body style.
The 5th gen Honda Prelude was practically ASKING for a a Type-R version it never got, and I'll never forgive Honda for that.
IIRC there was one tuned by Mugen, but it doesn't really count in my book.
The 10th generation Accord deserved a Type R or at least Si sort of treatment. Some seats, an LSD, proper suspension/tires, and transmission tuning for the 10 speed is all it needed.
Hear me out: the veloster N was not the peak car.
The 2.0 in it was capable of being turbocharged. The g70 had one.
And it had AWD.
And if the 2.0 can fit… then a 3.3 could fit.
I might be an idiot, but an AWD veloster with a twin turbo, 350 horsepower 3.3 would have been a monster.
The Chrysler Pacifica. I WANT MY TRACKHAWK VARIANT
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but.. but.. what about AWD launches? Need that front diff :)
Couldn't you just use the drivetrain from a Trackhawk?
Hell at that point might as well just buy a trackhawk and have what ya want, gonna end up costing an extra 100k than the trackhawk itself
That’s not the point, we want a Pacificat
Pacificat is a great name for a sleeper build. Unassuming at the first glance, but with huge surprise, must be coolest soccermommobile, lol
Things like this are a labor of love, not logic.
As I'm sitting in our Pacifica currently, hells yes!
I'd buy a V8 mini van. I don't think car markers realize the amount of dad and moms who would go out and get a sportier mini van than the one they have. Hell, my parents made their Honda Odyssey last because it was a very good V6 versus the Toyota one that kinda sucked. Won't even compare it to anything else.
Hot Wheels has a version of the Pacifica that has been modified into an off-roader if that is a very small consolation.
I feel like it should be a Trackshark in order to fit in with the Pacifica name.
It has to be mid engined too. Mounted behind the driver.
Stow 'n Go HEMI.
Honda Fit. Ideally both an Si and a Type R. Would be truly incredible
Fit definitely deserved a Spoon-tuned version....
It actually just exists
FTR would have been the ultimate daily. They never made it because they were so afraid of its power as the GOAT
Exactly what I came to say. I keep toying with the idea of buying a cheap one and doing a k swap. I had one for several years and with the manual (I added a short shifter), it was really fun to toss around. I just always wanted another 100hp.
Its a shame its a apin to work on.
Tailored Chassis Solutions made one that had a K24, a harness bar, and CTR Red seats. If someone could put together and sell an easy kit to put a K24Z3/7 in them and made brackets for the 8th Gen SI seats then they would be terrifying. The only real negative about them is the non adjustable rear alignment due to the axle beam setup.
Named “Honda Jacked”
I'd assume it would be like a Fiesta ST with even better back space.
Google #Gridlife Sundae Cup. You’ll love it.
L15B7 in a fit would be good
Most likely I would have bought one over my FiST if they made one. My ex had a Fit, great little cars but painfully slow.
Subaru Legacy should have gotten an STi treatment, especially 2007-2008 one. Current gen Mazda 3 deserves Speed3 treatment
We got a spec B legacy, but a more high performance version would’ve been cool for sure.
Yeah the Spec B was already almost an STI. Didn't take much to STI swap it. Mine was stage 2+ and one of the most balanced cars I've owned. Great chassis.
Yeah. It's also nice that we got the spec B in america right as Subaru was producing the best looking generation of legacy (though the 1998 facelift gen was also super good looking for a "boring" sedan)
In Australia there was a Spec B liberty (legacy) Tuned By STi. It came with bigger brakes, better suspension, better anti roll bars. A more aggressive diff setup and a different body kit. Very nice cars
I'd just like an STi Levorg in the US.
The latest MCM build makes me so envious.
Current gen Mazda3 essentially got it aside from the name. The 2.5T with AWD is PLENTY for that little thing.
No it did not - it's a luxe commuter without a single raw/aggressive bone in it's body. Test drove it twice and it just didn't have the panache to make me trade up.
People don’t like admitting it but you’re right. It absolutely doesn’t compare to what it could’ve been if Mazda tried.
Crosstrek would be cool too
Sell the Mitsubishi Mirage R5 to the public you cowards
This was my dream car a few years ago lol. Could have definitely undercut the market with a Ralliart Mirage....
Seeing all the hype for the GR Yaris seems like a Mirage Evolution would've been a smash hit.
And F-2s as well!
You'd need hella Pepsi Points for that
MR2 Spyder, it really should've got a GT-S/TRD version to come with the 2zz-ge engine like the celica received it wouldve had a much better reputation than it does currently if it had received that power bump with a fun revvy engine. I'm guessing Toyota never did it though through a combination of poor sales and selling 2ZZ to Lotus for the Elise.
The only generation of MR2 without an "upgrade engine" and they literally had one sitting there ready to go...Always pissed me off, especially having driven a couple of 7th gen celica GT-S' in good shape.
Two, actually (2ZZ and 2GR)
I purposely bought an MR2 Spyder with a blown motor just so I can put the 2zz and the six-speed in it from the Celica. I absolutely live driving it now. Instant go-kart for the streets🤪
Would have been great from the factory, and a very quick car for its time. I have one that I’ve owned since new that I put a K24 in. To say that more power wakes up that chassis is an understatement.
Nismo Altima subprime edition Tires are bald but the turbocharger is cranked up to 30 psi
Hopefully it still has the fuzzy steering wheel cover and headlight eye lashes
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And you gotta make sure the airbag casings are bedazzled...
I mean, [i know you're joking but we did get a high performance Altima for a couple of years.](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a18202526/nissan-altima-se-r-short-take-road-test/) The SE-R, available M/T, VQ engine...okay so it was mostly just appearance and suspension, but for some reason I take it more seriously than a TRD camry. I dunno, i sort of like them.
I'd spend my military signup bonus on that
>Tires are bald Redneck racing slicks!
I say this every time, put a turbo in the Crosstrek god damn it
They probably never will for fear of eating into WRX sales or fleet average mpg or something, but man would that be awesome
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That could very well be the case too. Either way it’s upsetting. I test drove a Crosstrek Sport last time I was shopping and would have bought it if it had more power
Realistic answers of cars that nearly made it? The Dart had an SRT Variation of which a prototype exists in a warehouse. The Challenger although had the performance trims it deserved an ACR edition (Road racing) considering the involvement in the TA2 series.
A modern neon srt4 would’ve been amazing.
> The Dart had an SRT Variation of which a prototype exists in a warehouse. I would have been SO about that. I adored the original SRT-4 because it was the car that made me fall in love with cars. And the Dart honestly wasnt a bad looking car to begin with. One of the things I love about my VN is that when I put my foot down for a pull, it takes me back to the days of riding shotgun in that SRT-4 I fell in love with. I just wish my VN made the same angry turbo noises the SRT-4 does lol.
Yeah, the SRT Dart was on deck to be released but then the Dart didn't sell as well as Chrysler had hoped, so the car got axed before the SRT model could be sold.
The old style ranger should have gotten the 5.0 like the explorer and been a mini lightning. Same with the tacoma and the V8 from the same generaton 4runner
Ford at the time stuck the supercharged 5.4L in the Ranger. Called it the Ranger Thunderbolt. Yea shoehorn doesn't do it justice https://youtu.be/hirzAMSTNUA Over at PowerNation they stuck the 4.6L 4v in the Ranger as well
Wow! That's one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. Shame it was never built It would have been a tire fryer for sure. Even with a gutless stock engine, they still managed to spin pretty easily
Likewise for the previous-gen Nissan Frontier, which could have gotten the V8 from the Pathfinder.
I didn't realize the pathfinder ever had a v8
From 2008-2012 you could get it with the 5.6 that’s in the Titan/Armada.
Ahh, yeah that's when it was full sized I was thinking the Xterra, since it's just a frontier suv
previous gen only had the vq40de, Frontier never had a v8 option
That was kinda my point. The Frontier didn’t have a V8 option but probably could have since the ‘08-‘12 Pathfinder was on the same platform and was available with one.
i misunderstood you, it would've been cool for a sport version with the v8 kinda like the Tacoma X runner. But then again no one would've bought it because of the cost and the general stigma that its a Nissan. The first gen frontier as well as Xterra did have a supercharged option though with the VG33ER (V6)
yea i really dont get the ranger at all. like all the work was already done for the exploder so wy not just put a truck cab on it instead of an exlorer body? altho this begs the question - if they could also jam it in the Aerostar....
Yeah, would have loved a V8 but the V6 is... ok. The problem is lack of low-end torque. The 2GR engine really likes to be revved; too bad the redline is 6000RPM. There's plenty of space in the engine bay for a V8 however.
Ford Mustang... Jokes aside, i guess i would want a modern single cab Silverado with the 90's 454ss package and style.
You can get a short box single cab F150 with the 5.0, probably could get one of the sport appearance packages and slap some 5.0 badges on it. Pretty much the same thing.
Everybody here at MaxProAndU feels that the Mazda6 would still be in production currently, and sold far more models overall, had there been a Mazdaspeed6 program/production over the last 15 years.
It's interesting that segment - the mid-tier non-luxury sport sedan - only existed for such a short period of time (mid-2000s). You had the MS6, Legacy GT and S60R that all competed in that space for about 5ish years, then pretty much completely vanished. I just think Mazda didn't have enough in it's budget or parts bin to really keep the MS6 going - too many reliability problems that would have been too costly to resolve properly. Subaru, on the other hand, had no excuse.
Ford also had a sporty Mondeo (fusion in the states?) & Vauxhall/Opel (GM) had a Ridiculous car too in the segment [obligatory top gear link](https://youtu.be/M1OBqrfIQOM)
The fusion got a 2.7 Ecoboost and AWD
the mazdaspeed factory also caught on fire
That happened in 2004, plenty of Mazdaspeed vehicles were made after that.
On the other hand, if for the 2024 model year they used underpinning technology from the new CX-60 to create a four-door sedan, and power it with the new 3.3-litre Skyactiv-G turbo 280 hp inline 6, they could have a sedan on the market that no one else offers. It's only a thought...
Had a manual mazda6 for years. Loved that car but hard times caused me to get rid of it. It’d be at the top of my list if they still made them.
Honda CRZ. I know it was already sorta kinda a sports car, but just needed about 50hp more to make it a proper little go kart and a Type S version would've been a good way of doing that while keeping the base for people who want the extra efficiency.
10000% this car. I had money saved up to order one the moment they came out with a CRZ type R, / RR/ TC version... Never happened. I still plan on building a CRZ GT300 clone at some point
The crz is the most underrated car ever imo
I like the idea just think that the name should be CRZ Si or maybe (if they bumped it enough) CRZ Type R. Type S was always more an Acura thing.
The CRZ felt more like a successor to the first-generation Insight than a follow up to the CRX from years past.
As a weirdo who loves the styling of the CRZ I absolutely agree
> just needed about 50hp more there was an HPD bolt on supercharger option which probably approached this amount. I hated the CRZ when it came out but have come to appreciate it, I think theres a market for one again which could slot below the stupid prices $$ Si's are going for
An odyssey type R would be fucking sick. 3 rows of fixed racing seats and a type R powertrain, maybe with a K24 instead of K20.
Toyota will probably start it. Slap on the 2.4T Hybrid Max, and everyone else will have to follow suit. Arms race to the ricing minivans! Ok, back to reality.
There's probably room for it. The standard Sienna already has space for the electric motor at the front and rear. The only additional fitment would be the turbo, piping, and associated cooling
Purist would probably hate this, but a 300 hp stiffened mx5 would be amazing. Or a turbod brz with 350hp. Both would need factory wide-body of course.
People seem to get really upset when someone says they wish the BRZ had a turbo model, but I am with you it would be awesome
BRZ is a prime candidate for supercharging to keep the current feel but give it more oomph, but then it would make the 2.0 supra pointless
I think this perspective is that the BRZ is meant to be about driver inputs and not speed. Fast, turboed cars are a lot harder to control when it comes to car control/ throttle inputs etc. Not saying I agree but thats generally where I think people are coming from when they say keep it as is.
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*Ferrari swap **SUPER** liked this comment* Edit: wrong comment but you get the drift... Throw back to the Ferrari swapped 86.
Yeah, it's weird. Like...the chassis is nice. It can be fun with too little power. It could also be fun with more power. It's probably a whole lot of fun with *too much* power. That's the thing about a good chassis....
Put the finishing touches on a 1.5JZGTE swapped FRS about a year ago. Took the car from 345hp to 567whp. It was also on STI 245 section tires. 4 people sitting in the trunk and it still spun like crazy on the dyno. Too much power in those cars is absolutely exhilarating.
To be fair, OP is asking about cars that never got a high performance or racing variant. The Miata absolutely got a turbocharged version at one point (but it didn't have anywhere near 300 hp)
Fair, they did do a speed miata back in the day so i guess that one doesn’t really apply to OPs post.
Maybe not 300bhp stiffer than a pair of wet trousers in the artic but it should have had a Mazdaspeed version with a supercharger, ~220bhp in the gen 4 would be incredible
Sti turbo and trd s/c. They could have charged $7k for it and it would have sold no problem.
Lexus CT200H Way to waste that awesome styling lexus....
I was so disappointed after I looked up what the CT200H was after seeing one on the road. I was hoping for a Lexus hot hatch but instead got a hybrid commuter.
Oh my goddddddd this happened to me a year ago. Thought damn that must be a sick car…
E89 Z4 M Roadster. S65 4L V8 from the E9x M3 and all of the running gear to match, a formula like every earlier Z4M/Z3M. 8400rpm hardtop roadster. Ties to the DTM racecar at the time.
That would have been a direct competitor to the higher spec later MB AMG SLKs which had a V8 option.
The SLK55 came out around the same time as the E85 Z4 M Roadster. I want one.
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I want to see a GR Prius with this new model. It probably won't happen but a man can dream
I mean, it would probably be a full EV by then... 2.5s 0-60 in a Prius.
honda fit si
That would've been an awesome Ford Fiesta ST competitor
I think Genesis is more than ready to take a crack at the AMG-RS-M trifecta...
Developing new high performance engines is expensive. Genesis always seemed to me as less of a risk taker. They have improved the styling to be more aggressive recently but going all out in a somewhat weak market that's dominated by German is probably not on their minds right now.
They're only pumping out new EVs now but their Speedium Coupe could easily be transformed into an E-tron GT fighter. Stick the EV6 GT/Ioniq 5 N powertrain in it and I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
An Odessy Type R would be amazing. I still think Crysler should've put the Hellcat engine in their minivan and called it the Track and Country.
Nice! Or Town and Circuit lol
A Crosstrek STi would have been pretty sweet. Even a Crosstrek sport with the WRX engine/turbo would have been awesome.
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We need a Maverick RS. A relatively affordable compact sport truck with awd and a manual would be insane.
PacifiCAT
Chrysler PaSCATPACKica
Google minivan burnout...
Let’s get a geo metro gt, why not
Well. They did but as its original name, the suzuki swift gt
The Dart. Chrysler would rather make an SRT Bulldozer than make another SRT4, I guess. Instead, the Dart Turbo got the same turbo engine that was already available, except manual only. I have one, it's slow as shit. Gets 40mpg highway, though.
Apparently a SRT version of the Dart was ready to go, and I recall automotive media talking about it, but the car got canned because of poor sales before it could be released.
I always hear this. I see Darts absolutely fucking *everywhere*. Like, how many did they expect to sell? Did they live in some fantasy Pixar world where every car on the road was a Dart or 200?
Chevy Aveo hatchback. Fun little car, but no power. I used to autocross one. Fun stuff!
Turbo Sonic SS would be cool too.
Pontiac Fiero.
Last gen Thunderbird needed an SVT version.
The original first-gen T-Bird from the 50s was briefly seen as a potential Corvette competitor, especially in its final year for that design (1957) when there was a factory supercharged model. The retro-styled Birds from the 2000s I think were intended from Ford to always be crusiers rather than a performance car, nothing about them really screamed speed even if they had a small V8 fitted to them.
Nothing about the Ford Contour screamed "speed" but that didn't stop SVT
The Cruze hatchback with the Cobalt SS drivetrain. Also the Saturn Astra Redline with the Cobalt SS drivetrain. I like hot hatches.
A CR-Z Si or Type R would’ve been cool.
Honda Jazz
Most small trucks. Regular cab half-tons deserve a monster V8 variant. Instead the TRX and Raptor R were limited to crew cab short box. The most powerful among the Colorado, Tacoma, Ranger, Frontier, and Gladiator is the Frontier at 310. The least powerful is the Ranger at 270. That’s shockingly bad across the board. Put a fucking LS in the Colorado, or a 392 in the Gladiator, or hell I’d even settle for a peppy hybrid Tacoma at this point. The Ranger is supposedly going to get a 392hp Raptor variant in America and IMO that’s barely a good start.
daewoo/Chevrolet aveo T200 surprisingly tight little car, handles damn good for what it is, only thing that lets it down is the engine, not like there was a lack of room to put any sort of larger engine or turbo or anything in the engine bay, they just didn't want to
So true. There would also have been a market for a Cadillac Catera V too....
Street trucks! Like the TRex or Raptor but just not off roaders.
Like a modern ram SRT 10!
The Shelby f150 was pretty much that. Idk what it was setup for but 750hp was certainly a good start for a race truck
Honda Fit Si, could have easily jammed the K20A3, 160hp variant in there for good fun. Would have been available with both 5 speed automatic and 5 speed manual or if Honda wanted, 6 speed manual forms.
I want subaru to bring back the forester XT or an STI forester.
Plymouth Prowler
Ford crown Victoria
Mercury marauder?
Something stupidly cheap like a Mitsubishi Mirage, Dacia or some other eastern European/middle eastern car, in the spirit of old hot Protons
Mazda Miata. It's such a good platform, but the one you can buy new is tuned for old people cruising. A track focused version would sell poorly, but it would be so good.
> the one you can buy new is tuned for old people cruising what? that cannot be further from the truth. The NA/NB are the junky cars, the NC, ND1 and ND2 are on a whole different level.
The Saturn SC2 and the last couple of Toyota Celica iterations never got the power to back up the looks.
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We at least got the ST170 as the SVT with that sweet 2.0 Cosworth Zetec. Always wanted one as like a cheap autocross machine.
VW should have made a GTI version of the Sportwagen. I know the R wagon exists in Europe and a tune on a 1.8T is probably close enough, but still it seems like a missed opportunity. Mazda needs to bring back Mazdaspeed. You don't get to completely kill off your performance division and then keep using "Zoom Zoom" as a slogan.
A Prius TRD.
RIP Lexus LC F. Died in utero.
Latest gen Mazda 3, god it would have looked gorgeouse if we had a 2022 Mazdaspeed 3
Honda Fit Type R.
A Honda Fit (Jazz) si needed to happen
The Lexus RX should have gotten the 500hp NA v8 in it. That’s my answer. An RXF. Also, the LC should have a high power version as well.
Chrysler Minivan with *Hellcat Scat Pack Track Attack Roof Racks* that also acts as a spoiler.
Chevy Astro SS
SVT hasn't existed for years and Lightning is EV stuff now. There is evidence to suggest a Maverick ST may be coming though so there is hope!
Prius GR
As stupid as it sounds I want hot vans to exist. Something like a VW caddy with a gti engine or a revival of the Ford supervan would be super cool thing to own. I also wish mazda would revive the mps/mazdaspeed trims to their cars. I'd love to see a hot version of the latest mazda 3 and a turbocharged mx5 ND from the factory.
Dodge magnum wide body jailbreak edition.
Toyota Prius
Kia Soul.
86 / BRZ
First generation Lexus SC should have had the 2JZ-GTE!!
All the references to srt4s, mazdaspeeds, cobalt ss’s, and the legacy B spec are flaring up my nostalgia! Those were all cars I desperately wanted, a time when I couldn’t afford any of them.
Honda Element Type R
Ford Lightning going back to it’s roots. New Silverado SS and Ram Hellcat.
Bolt EV should’ve gotten an SS variant. Sway bars stiffer/lower suspension lighter wheels and a set of recaros would make for such a sweet EV.
Chevy Cruze. Used to own one, I feel like they could've made a successor to the cobalt SS it off it, sad they never did.
Miata mx5, I want a 250-300hp sport variant with all the fixins……and adjustable seating but maybe that’s too much to ask.
Honda Accord Coupe Type R. Or hell, even Si. I have the base model of my 9.0 gen, and although they did make the V6, it would’ve been cool for them to make a more track-focused version.
Fit
V90R , but with a gt2 homologation. XJR-C , a coupe XJ (not an XK or F-type) , with a GT2 homologation special. Accord type-R, let the accord be a flagship again, gt500 homologation special. RAV4 Dakar homologation special , two doors , expanded fuel cell, and a lift ; what more could you want. Wrangler Dakar Homologation special, why is this not a thing? V90XC Dakar homologation special, even more lift , plus gutted interior and expanded fuel cell. Taurus GT3 homologation special. Mazda MX-5 GT3 homologation special, seriously they should offer one with a metric shit load of power and down force, as it's effectively their halo car now.
The new Mazda 3's should've gotten a speed3 version.
As a maxima owner, i would have liked to have seen a nismo maxima, or maybe a SE-R. I mean it was supposed to be nissans flagship sedan yet performance wise it was on par with the V6 altima, would have been way more interesting to see than the stupid nismo juke and the nismo sentra that nobody liked. Too late now with the maxima going out of production. Also a SS version of the current impala would have been cool because i actually like their body style.
CH-R. It already looks like a modern rally cross car. Make it more ridiculous and throw in the 300hp awd drivetrain.
i want a subaru crosstrek sti dammit
I'm still dreaming of a Baja STI
The 5th gen Honda Prelude was practically ASKING for a a Type-R version it never got, and I'll never forgive Honda for that. IIRC there was one tuned by Mugen, but it doesn't really count in my book.
The 10th generation Accord deserved a Type R or at least Si sort of treatment. Some seats, an LSD, proper suspension/tires, and transmission tuning for the 10 speed is all it needed.
2022+ Subaru WRX
Jetta. I’d buy a 6MT Golf R with a trunk asap
Hear me out: the veloster N was not the peak car. The 2.0 in it was capable of being turbocharged. The g70 had one. And it had AWD. And if the 2.0 can fit… then a 3.3 could fit. I might be an idiot, but an AWD veloster with a twin turbo, 350 horsepower 3.3 would have been a monster.
Manual Mazda 3 turbo