What constitutes an Exotic car?

The only people calling Vipers exotic, are Viper drivers.

Exotic cars are a mixture of cutting edge styling and performance and are an 'experience' to drive, and an 'experience' to see.

An exotic car is a car that even a drive to the store, can transport the driver to a much better place. It is more than a mode of transport. It is a vehicle for producing smiles on the driver as well as passers by.

 

Exotic means foreign, literally. But applied to cars it refers to:

1. Low volume, specialized manufacturer (Ferrari only makes two-door, high performance cars; Lambo only has two models)
2. Low production volume relative to other cars in its segment
3. Differentiated design that doesn't work in a mass production model (e.g., Lotus Elise; or even the door panels on the 308, which are hugely inefficient to produce)
4. Bespoke engineering (e.g., Pagani Zonda)
5. Expensive, relatively speaking (i.e., an F430 is significantly more than an Audi R8, but they are in a similar class)

I've never felt that Fords, Chevys or Dodges were exotic, because they're made in factories here and they share components with pick up trucks and other commoner cars.

There's no hard, well-defined line. Porsche has too large a model range to be an exotic car maker, but the Carrera GT was a low volume car with bespoke engineering. The Boxster/Cayman/911 are not exotic -- lots of parts sharing, lots of production volume. Ditto Mercedes, but the new SLS is a rarified item.

I think a car would have to hit at least 4 of the above to really be exotic.

Cars risk exotic status by using corporate parts (Aston DB7 was kind of a Ford/Jaguar, and prices have suffered accordingly; Lambo is getting too chummy with Audi, IMHO).

 

Ferrari has parts from probably every car maker including Ford and its no doubt an exotic. Viper/ Ford GT are american exotics. they meet all criteria. Viper may share part but its made in its own factory. And they are hand made.

Exotic doesn't mean what it use to when you have Viper, ZO6, R8 and GT-R , with equal or better performance to Ferrari and Lambo for 1/3 the price. One component of exotic USED TO mean performance.

Exotics have been redefined and America is included.

 

The deffinition of exotic seems to wander a little when applied to the automative industry. Its easier to define when you apply it elsewhere. To make my point...does anyone have any trouble identifying an exotic dancer? Although you need to have another beer and dim the lights a little with some of them, your never mistaken judgeing that competion. Why is it differant with cars.

Beer or no beer, the exotic needs to include a reference to that certain feeling in your loins when you see one in the parking lot and HAVE to go see it closer.

 

very good analysis

 

lol

 

exotics =paying a lot for a car and to maintain it and creating online forums to talk about it.

 

Funny thing about Exotic,
Being English and a bit older american cars were very rarley seen on the British roads in the60s and 70s so they had a bit of mystic about them and could have been called exotic.

Russell

 

Or more importantly when you settle into the driver's seat and are quivering with anticipation about hitting the start button.

It is not about number of cars made - there are many more F40's than Sessantas and I don't think too many Sessanta posters adorn the bedroom walls of teenage boys.

In my own garage I have a 288 GTO parked beside a very nasty black on black 930 Turbo SE. Both cars about the same year, both benchmarks of their era, big fun to drive etc. 288 GTO is definitely exotic, 930 Turbo SE requires some thought and that alone rules it out

 

I think that exotic depends on how many you see. Is a Ferrari an exotic in Maranello? I think the 430 and Viper are exotic because I rarely see any of them.

 

A Ferrari is an exotic no matter where it is

 

if your wallet shrinks in fear every time the starter's turned; it's an exotic.

 

If the valet's all run to your car and they park it up front of where ever you're staying, it's exotic.

If kids all run to it after you park it saying the name outloud "Look. It's a _____________!", it's exotic.

If people pass you and give you a thumbs up or ask you how much you paid for it or how fast you've driven it, its exotic.

If people ask permission from you to take pictures of it, it's exotic.

If you've got a beautiful blonde in the passenger seat and nobody seems to notice her, it's exotic.

If women flash themselves at you while your driving and couldn't care less about your bald spot or beer belly, it's exotic.

If people say "hey, nice car" while you're pumping gas in it, it's exotic.

If you're driving through a McDonald's drive thru and people gawk, point, or laugh while the person who takes your change goes "wooo! What kind of car is that?", it's exotic.

 

Any car that you are unlikely to see in normal day-to-day driving.

I don't think of my 328 as really being "exotic"; that should really apply to the supercars like the F40 and the Enzo, but inasmuch as any Ferraris are rare sights around here, I guess that on that basis you'd have to call my car "exotic". Otherwise I consider it just a "red Italian sports car".

 

As said, I always considered Exotics to be foreign, low production (compared to US cars), and fast -- even standing still.

I never considered an American car and exotic...Viper could be a muscle car. GT40, really hot Ford. But not exotics.

I guess cars are like women...hot American blonde would not be called exotic. Hot Asian on the other hand

 

I agree with the foreign concept of exotic and like the feeling in the loin argument. My brothers Bulgarian girlfriend nearly wet herself when he spoke of buying an older Corvette. To her in Bulgaria the Corvette was an exotic. She was the first woman I've ever seen drive a Vette with such a huge smile on her face. Am I saying a Vette is an exotic, no, not here. In Poland or Bulgaria, probably. Has anyone seen what they charge for them over there, much steeper than here.

 

Any car which makes you wish that particular part did not fail when you hear the price to replace it with an original.

 

Clearly you have never been to maranello I am there often and Ferrari is as much an exotic there as any were, more so.

 

Not even close. Viper production per year is similar to a Ferrari. Just over 25,000 cars since they were introduced in 1992. About 1500 per year.

Im a Viper driver. In fact its my favorite production car from the past 20 years and much preferred over my F355.

But I dont call it an exotic. Its a muscle car.

However, technically it fits the definition of 'exotic' according to Merriam/Webster.

Main Entry: 1ex·ot·ic
Pronunciation: \ig-ˈzä-tik\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin exoticus, from Greek exōtikos, from exō
Date: 1599

1 : introduced from another country : not native to the place where found <exotic plants>
2 archaic : foreign, alien
3 : strikingly, excitingly, or mysteriously different or unusual <exotic flavors>
4 : of or relating to striptease <exotic dancing>

I personally like the 4th definition best

 

Very TRUE!!!!!!! Viper only made alittle over 25,000 cars since its birth in 1992 till present day. DO THE MATH!!!!?!?!?!

Viper is a American Exotic.................. PERIOD......... Shame on another Viper owner calling a Viper a muscle car when it is far from that. When I hear muscle car I think Mustang(rustangs), WS6's, etc. Anything american with a V8!!!!!!!!! Muscle cars are only known to go fast in a striaght line.......... A Viper is on a different league to be simply called a muscle car, its a supercar with the other supercars of the world. Vipers have been designed and made to win and won many world circuit road races....... Come on Man!!!!!!!!! Shame on you!!!

 

You need to do more homework!!!!!! Sound like you have never seen or been in/driven a Viper before........ Because if you did, you would not say a stupid thing like what you said....Talking out your A** does not look good online or in-person...... Do homework on other cars like I do, as well as actually being behind the wheel of them too. I got a Aston Martin DB9 (V12), Porsche 911 C2S and a Viper making 628HP with it's N/A V10. I could have gotten a Ferrari but I want something that actually performs. There is no other Ferrari and/or Lamborghini yet at this point that I have ran into (including friends) on the street or track that does not fear my 3rd-gen Viper on all performance levels or got there butt handed to them as a non-believer. I am talking real world here!!!!!!!!! You guys need to do more homework on the Viper brand, Dodge is only the parent company of its race car brand named Viper. I am not a tottal Viper lover as I love all exotic/supercars but I know were things fall in place.

Here is a good answer to define a Exotic car:

If you live near a Ferrari or Lamborghini dealer, hob knob in Beverly Hills or have a home near Miami, then it may not be an fair assessment. However, for the 99% of us that live in average city locations, typically seeing an exotic every day is not normal. There are some that have only seen such cars at car shows and or on the rare occasion on a major freeway connecting two cities. Since there are numerous web sites with "Sighting" posting sections, it's probably a pretty accurate definition on the "rarity" of an exotic, making this a pretty accurate layman&#8217;s definition of "exotic car". We'll avoid the initial, number 1 definition as not all exotic cars are foreign in the US and the last term has nothing to do with cars, except that most exotic cars are considered sexy.
There are a variety of "laymen" definitions for what an exotic car may be described. Some think that it's a car that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not necessarily true. A humbly priced Lotus Elise is considered exotic, yet is priced around $35-50K. Others view an exotic car as one that has doors that spring forward or are gulled like wings. There are a number of exotics that have "normal" opening doors, so that's not necessarily an accurate approach. For the most uninitiated, they may surmise that an exotic is only of Italian or German decent and manufacture. Again, not necessarily true. There have been numerous British exotics, America has it's share of specialty exotic manufactures like the "Viper" brand and the Netherlands has yet it's own form of exotic car builder.




Manny
illusionmotorworks

 

Here is some of the wins that help Viper stake inself into the american exotic supercar status that it is:
Breaking world racing records. These are just the lastest wins.................

2008 British GT Championship - won by J. Gornall & J. Barnes
2007 British GT Championship - won by B. Ellis & A. Mortimer
2007 Brazilian GT3 Championship
2007 24 hours of Nurburgring - SP8 Class, won by team Zakspeed
2006 Australian GT Championship - won by Greg Crick
2006 Dutch Supercar Challenge - won by Hans Ambaum
2006 Formula D - Championship - won by Samuel Hubinette
2006 24 hours of Nurburgring - SP8 Class, won by team Zakspeed
2006 24 hours of Spa G3 - won by team Signa Racing
2005 FFSA GT Championship - won by O. Thevenin & P. Bornhauser
2005 24 hours of Nurburgring - A8 Class, won by P. Zakowski, R. Lechner & S. Bert
2004 SCCA Speed GT - Drivers Championship won by Tommy Archer
2004 FFSA GT Championship - won by P. Bornhauser
2004 Formula D - Championship, won by Samuel Hubinette
2004 Belcar Championship
2004 Italian GT Championship
2004 1000 Miles of Brazil - won by S. Zonca, A Lancellotti & F. Gollin
2003 FFSA GT Championship - won by D. Defourny & P. Goueslard
2003 Belcar Championship - won by Team GLPK
2003 Italian GT Championship - won by Team Racing Box
2003 Swedish GTR Championship - won by Team Tre Q AB
2003 EuroSeries GT Championship - won by Team Michael Martin Racing System
2002 FIA GT Championship – GT1 Drivers, won by Christophe Bouchut
2002 FIA GT Championship – GT1 Teams, won by Larbre Competition
2002 Belcar Championship - won by Team GLPK
2002 Swedish GTR Championship - won by Team OKA Racing
2002 24 hours of Nurburgring - Overall victory, won by Peter Zakowski, R. Lechner & P. Lamy
2002 Spa 24 Hours - won by C. Bouchut, S. Bourdais, D. Terrien & V. Vosse
2001 FIA GT Championship – GT1 Drivers, won by Christophe Bouchut & Jean-Philippe Belloc
2001 FIA GT Championship – GT1 Teams, won by Larbre Competition
2001 FFSA GT Championship - won by D. Dupuy & F. Fiat
2001 24 hours of Nurburgring - Overall victory, won by Peter Zakowski, M. Bartels & P. Lamy
2001 Spa 24 Hours - won by C. Bouchut, J.P. Belloc & M. Duez
2001 1000km of Fuji Endurance Race
2001 Belcar Championship - won by Team GLPK
2001 Swedish GTR Championship - won by Team OKA Racing
2000 FFSA GT Championship - won by D. Dupuy & F. Fiat
2000 Grand-Am - GT2 Class Champion
2000 24 Hours of Daytona - Overall victory
2000 American Le Mans Series - Class Champion, Team Oreca
2000 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTS Class 1st and 2nd place, won by team Oreca
1999 FIA GT Championship – Drivers, won by Olivier Beretta & Karl Wendlinger
1999 FIA GT Championship – Teams, won by Viper Team Oreca
1999 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTS Class 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place finishes, won by Team Oreca
1999 American Le Mans Series - Class Champion, Team Oreca
1999 VLN German Championship Series - Won every race of season (10/10), Team Zakspeed
1999 24 hours of Nurburgring - Overall victory, won by Peter Zakowski, H.J. Tiemann, K. Ludwig & M. Duez
1998 FIA GT Championship – GT2 Drivers, won by Olivier Beretta & Pedro Lamy
1998 FIA GT Championship – GT2 Teams, won by Viper Team Oreca
1998 24 Hours of Le Mans GT2 Class 1st and 2nd , won by Team Oreca, First series production based American car to win at Le Mans
1997 FIA GT Championship – GT2 Drivers, won by Justin Bell
1997 FIA GT Championship – GT2 Teams, won by Viper Team Oreca

And thats just in road racing. Viper has been breaking records in the drag sence as well.....

You ferrari guys need to educate yourselfs..... I possibly know more about your ferrari's than most of the owners on here. I am not bashing it as in some areas ferrari's can be bashed. Viper is no simple muscle car mustang with a V10!!!! LOL!!!!!

 

Easy there, tiger!