i'm almost ashamed to own what i own from reading comments in this thread.

bashing someones (or a majority of a nation's) preferences in motorsports isn't the proper way to defend why japan's automakers don't make 400hp cars stock. numbers are numbers...the majority of japanese cars dont need 400hp to keep up with the american competition for the most part. with exceptions to the 3000gt vr4, supra, and skyline, most japanese cars perform very well in a straightline because theyre lighter, and not just because japan is all knowing and came up with the power to weight ratio gimmick either. japan does not = america. roads, cultures, incomes, and transportation is totally different there. things are generally smaller and more maneuverable. hence you have smaller cars, but for those japanese that wanted fun and fast cars while retaining the compact sizes, voila! forthcame the civic type r, integra type r, rx7, celicas, mr2's etc etc. japan prefers circuit racing for the most part. no reason to bash, its what they like. most racing leagues (besides things like cart and irl) have to have stock based cars with minimum production numbers...so for rally you have sti's and evolutions, and for circuit you have type R's, skylines, and supras, etc. for nascar, well it used to be based on real sport cars, but has kinda moved onto platforms like tauruses, monte carlos, and intrepids, but the idea is there (the evo is based off the little econo lancer, and the civic in normal form is well econoboxy).

i dont know where im going with this, but just stfu about the bashing. currently, i dont have the opportunity or finances to own a n/a v8 domestic car...but given the chance i'd go back and take it over the import i have. but just because i dont have one doesnt mean i hate "american" forms of racing.

if japan wants to beef up the competition and bring more numbers to the table, thats fine. i'm all for anything that makes way for less suv's and unneccessarily big trucks on the road. did some of you even look at that list...srt-10...its nice but its like 3 seater at the most, and weighs in so much its performance numbers wont keep up with some of the sports cars on the list.

hopefully americans will realize sooner or later that they dont need ridiculously big suv's and such (which 95% of them wont ever go offroad in them, other than driving through gravel parking lots at the soccer field), and the move towards larger sized sedans (with plenty of room and cargo space) with alot of power (so daddy can romp around when the kids are taking their naps) will come. the 300c, magnum, and gto are starts (gto in a 4 door would be hot too).

 

1 of the best, most unopionated posts ever you DEF get a mother fucking + 1

 

I am speaking for myself, no one else. Is that all you have to add to this? Because, your free to express your opinion also. Although next time you do... you may want to use spell check.

 

where did you get that line, hummmmmm???

 

It is dissapointing to see that there are no 400hp Japanese cars right now, but I can understand why. Japanese cars sell in droves here already, they have no reason to make flagship sports cars. Does this mean they shouldn't? No, but look at it from a business standpoint. With talks of the Lexus LF-A and 350z/G35 based Twin-turbo "Skyline" on their way here things could get interesting. The Japanese don't like losing at anything.

 

how streetable is a 400hp 4 banger? you can make 400hp very streetable with a v8. for a car to sell well it has to be very streetable. most people buy auto trans cars weight/hp makes it more even. i don't like driving a car that i feel like i'm in a tin can but that's me. yes i've driven a few imports and almost bought a used 300zx turbo one time (15 years ago)

 

I know you didn't compare a WRX to a Ferrari did you?,you did....

 

You know, the way I worded that made no sense at all. I went back and edited that. Thanks for pointing that out 351.

 

they can be very reliable if you have it tuned right, but even the people who claim they have good tunes on their cars end up breaking stuff and doing more maintenance and checking than a normal car...but thats the life of having a high powered car. things break.

one of the good things about a 400hp 4 banger is most of them are making 400hp using turbochargers (id say 98% of them are). boost is wonderful because you can use the boost controller and turn it down to lower power for daily use or when you're not racing. but i dunno if some people would say this jepordizes whether it really constitutes as a 400hp 4 banger, if its not running 400hp all the time...because with a smooth daily driven 400hp v8 (american or import), theres no boost control, unless its nitrous (which also brings up the 'is it truly 400hp all the time then' question), or if its supercharged, i guess you could turn the boost down, but swapping pulleys all the time has to be a real pain, plus its not "on the fly" power like a turbo or nitrous can be.

the most reliable 4 bangers making 400hp or more are going to be with motors that come stock in the car turboed, like the swapped 240sx's, eclipse/talon/evo, wrx/sti, mr2, srt-4, etc. their internals are usually already built to withstand the everday abuse once they roll off the assembly line, but this by no means a motor that wasn't originally turbo (such as any honda engine, or the original 240sx engine in the usa) can't be reliable either.

in the end it comes down to the "cheap, fast, reliable, pick only two" method...