Sports cars are fast. Some fast cars are sporty. So what’s the difference?

Well first, let’s start with what they are. A sports car is a car specifically developed for performance. Something like a 911, a GT-R, or an RX-8.

A fast car can be anything, but I’m specifically referring to top of the line normal cars. An M5 is a souped up 5 series, the S and RS lines from Audi, some of the AMG cars from Merc, or the Ford ST models. I’m thinking of cars that are based on much more humble roots.

An M5 and a GT-R have similar power figures, are designed to go fast, and cost about the same, so what’s the difference? In short, compromises. In a GT-R, everything is built from the ground up for speed. The mounting points of the suspension, the placement of heavy components for weight distribution, aerodynamics, the center of gravity, and a whole host of other things. In an M5/RS4/CLA AMG, you have a car based on an economy platform. Unfortunately that means you have to compromise. The roofline might not be optimal for high speed driving, forcing the addition of other aerodynamic bits to compensate. The suspension geometry might not be perfect, and you just have to live with that. The center of gravity is probably too high, which means you have to make all sorts of adjustments to try and get it where you want it. All these tiny little compromises add up to a completely different experience.

Check out the video below for my exact comparison in action. A 911 may have been a more fit comparison, but the result would’ve been the same.

