Definition of a Sports Car
A simple definition of a sports car is "a small low car with a
high-powered engine, and generally seats two people". This is
more or less a "textbook" definition but gives us an idea of
what the public perceives to be a sports car.
The Houghton Mifflin dictionary defines a sports car as: "An
automobile equipped for racing, especially an aerodynamically
shaped one-passenger or two-passenger vehicle having a low
center of gravity and steering and suspension designed for
precise control at high speeds." This dictionary definition does
not seem to capture the general perception of what the public
sees as a sports car.
The Houghton Mifflin definition of the "two seat rule" seems
out-of-date. Many sports cars today offer small back seats
(sometimes referred to as 2+2 seating) and there is a current
movement underway to increase the seating room in models long
considered sports cars by most automotive experts.
Insurance companies use their own formula in classifying
automobiles and often the presence of two doors automatically
makes any car a "sports car" in their eyes. This perspective, of
course, is as overly simplistic as the standard dictionary
approach to defining a sports car. One can certainly think of
any number of two door vehicles that fall far short of being an
actual sports car. Economy cars and even larger two-door
vehicles that are not built with power and performance in mind
should not qualify as true sports cars.
Some car buffs will refer to high-performance muscle cars and
other larger vehicles as sports cars. Others, however, draw a
distinction between these vehicles and "true" sports cars. These
individuals will claim that a car can be a "sporting car" or
simply "sporty" but still fall short of being a true sports car.
Thus, "regular" cars may be outfitted with a "sports package"
and/or accessories to make the car sportier, but may not fit a
strict definition of a sports car.
Not all automotive enthusiasts, however, embrace this
restrictive view of sports cars. In many circles, a sports car
is any car offering greater performance or power than more
standard offerings. This school of thought will consider muscle
cars and other larger vehicles designed with performance in mind
as sports cars.
Others will maintain that the distinction between a sports car
and any other type of car lies in how the car's suspension and
handling are addressed. Technical debates rage over whether
various suspension packages qualify as belonging to true "sports
cars."
Some will argue that a sports car can be defined by its
intentions. If the car is designed for performance more so than
for utility, they say, it is a sports car. This intent-based
definition, however, provides little guidance in determining
whether a car is a sports car or not. Particularly in the modern
era, the notion of designing a car of any sort without
significant consideration of its feasibility and utility seems
unlikely. Any commercially viable vehicle, regardless of its
performance, must retain significant utility.
Road and Track, a leading automotive publication, summarizes the
sports card definition debate with a simple observation: "Ask
five people the exact definition of a sports car, and you'll
likely get five different answers."
There is no clear-cut definition of what really is a sports car.
The restrictive definitions of the past seem ill suited to
categorize today's' diverse automotive offerings and common
usage of the term runs contrary to most long-held definitions.
There is, however, a common thought that seems to run through
almost all of the outlooks on the meaning of "sports car." If a
car is designed with high performance or race-like capabilities
in mind, it can probably be safely termed a sports car. Some
purists may balk at such a liberal perspective, but alternative
definitions fall far short of accurately distinguishing sports
cars form regular production models.