Age of the Super Touring Car: Audi RS7, Porsche Panamera Turbo, Tesla Model S P85+ D (videos)
By Mike Garcia
What is a super car? What is a hyper car? While both of those questions can be answered with any mixture of words that include, “exotic, fast, and expensive,” there is another category coming out of the woodworks.
It is a super tourer. While that term has not been defined so clearly, simply think of larger, pricier four-door exotics with super car-like performance. What is out there?
Well, the Tesla Model S P85+ D with dual motors can match a 0-60 time of the McLaren F1, 3.2 seconds. It can also be spec’d to carry seven passengers.
[Via Michael Gardner YouTube Channel]
The Porsche Panamera Turbo and Audi RS7 are raging, turbo-charged V8 powered cars with acceleration just as quick, but the ability to cruise at autobahn speeds with absolute comfort. Each car can corner well, especially considering their given size. Really, should cars that have a curb weight around 4,500 lbs. handle lateral acceleration that is nearly 1g? I don’t think so, but those two cars can.
[Via Motor Trend YouTube Channel]
How did this all start? It’s easy to point the figure at a first generation BMW M5. Back in the days when horsepower wasn’t as easily accessible, BMW built a 286 horsepower, turbo-charged six-cylinder car with four-doors. This was in the mid-1980’s, when a fully loaded Toyota Camry had 115 horsepower, not an optional V6 of 270 horsepower like today.
Why is this worth mentioning? Before, extreme performance could only be had through sports cars. Focus on lightweight and aerodynamics allowed for greater speeds. Modern technology allows manufacturers to compensate for certain compromises. Is the car too heavy? We can upgrade the tires and engineer a proper suspension. Is the car too slow? Let’s throw in a V8 and turbo charge it. It’s not fuel efficient enough? Let’s run the engine through a seven gear transmission. Not enough grip? Let’s just make it all-wheel-drive.
While people have a different idea of what the perfect car is, in the end, it’s the combination of every day practicality and race car-like performance. Cars, such as the latest Tesla Model S P85+ D with dual motors, the Porsche Panamera Turbo, and the Audi RS7 all prove that is all possible. The bar has been raised for what a four-door sedan can do.