They have license plates, just like a Camry. They have brakes and tires, and a steering wheel, just like a Camry. But they are not like a Camry, because if you don't respect them, you end up in a ditch.
These are the ten hardest to drive production cars possibly ever made:
10.) Saab 9-3 Viggen
Thanks to torquesteer, AJTaylor feels "the Viggen must have been a hand full, literally."
Indeed.
However, there were no such problems with the other Saab Viggen.
Suggested By: dogisbadob, Photo Credit: liftarn
9.) Fox Mustang
You don't see a sealed headlight one everyday unless you own one:
Try pushing an unmodified one of these to the limit, and any number of things start to go wrong. First off, the obvious complaint is the straight axle; no camber, no toe, no independence, etc. Worse than just having a stick axle, though is that the rear axle is located poorly, and can move left and right about an inch either direction. That gives you wiggly-ass syndrome, and it makes the limit of grip much less of a line and much more a grey area. The geometry of the 4-link is trash, and the wheel-wrap from acceleration pulls the axle up into the body (causing wheel-hop).
Assuming you can keep the rear end grip in check, the front geometry is atrocious and between the lack of proper camber, the lack of caster, and the roll-center being in the ground that causes it to need a huge front bar, you'll start pushing something fierce.
And of course, the super-flexy chassis, that makes all of the above even less predictable. Sprinkle in 300 lb-ft of torque (did I mention the stock tires are all of 225s?) and it all adds up to make a car that when pushed to the limit, understeers until the rear suspension binds up and the rear end comes around on you.
Suggested By: ReverendDexter, Photo Credit: dave_7
8.) Tatra T77
AJTaylor remembers how the Nazis couldn't handle them:
It has to be the Tatra T77. Rear engined with an air cooled V8 and swing axles, it had such a propensity for oversteer that it was nicknamed 'Czecoslovakia's secret weapon' in World War II. Why? Because of the amount of German officers who died behind the wheel.
Suggested By: AJTaylor, Photo Credit: Wikipedia
7.) Ford Model T
Affordability came at a price. Good luck mastering this!
Suggested By: fintail, Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company
6.) AC Cobra
deeporange68 summed it up the best:
Heavy nose, light ass, tons of torque, you're never more than one injudicious stab of the throttle away from picking weeds out of your teeth.
Suggested By: sm70, Photo Credit: andrewbasterfield
5.) Renault Clio V6 Mk1
The first series was pretty much a recipe for disaster according to DSC off:
With its notoriously huge turning radius, it was impossible to save any oversteery situation. And that mid-engined Clio was *very* tail happy.
They fixed some of that in the mk2, but the Clio V6 remained a tricky one.
Suggested By: DSC off, Photo Credit: odetothebigsea
4.) Lancia Stratos Stradale
It was never sopposed to be a road car anyway, and emmepica knows what World Rally Champion Sandro Munari had to say about it:
It was completely unpredictable. He could have done the same things in the same corner and the car reacts in a very different way. The windshield was so curved that the view was distorted. And when driving a Stratos, keep in mind that the car will oversteer and that the tank is between you and the engine, so a rear impact can easily become fire.
Still, we all want one very badly.
Suggested By: TheBlazinAce, Non-State Actor, Photo Credit: bobaliciouslondon
3.) Porsche 930 Turbo
When Porsche put a turbo on the 911, they gave it power. Power that could end your day in an instant.
Suggested By: teampenske3, Photo Credit: FotoSleuth
2.) Reliant Robin
Well, at least you crashed at slow speeds.
Suggested By: MooseKnuckles, Photo Credit: Rob_sg
1.) Dodge Viper ACR
Victorious Secret says take a good look at an AC Cobra, then multiply:
The thing is rough, its brutal and its unforgiving. You screw up in this you're dead. Its really that simple.
The clutch is heavy and with enough use will give you the leg muscles of an Olympic lifter. The gear changes are brutal and require a lot of force. The engine doesn't so much as rev as it just builds up in a deafening way.
The car can't be driven near the limit on any road short of a track. Don't ask how I know. Its just not worth it.
This car is what you give to someone to really test their "I'M A FUCKING GOD AT DRIVING" mentality. Short of literally throwing them into a FIA spec racecar I don't know how much more brutal and raw it could get.
This isn't a daily driver. Whoever does so is probably a little crazy which fits the character of the car just fine.
This is an axe murdered with headlights and no restraints. It willingly whispers into your ears "I'm going to kill you to death". And when you're driving it you never forget that you'd rather be in something that is less likely to be the cause of your death.
Suggested By: Victorious Secret , Photo Credit: Exotic Car Life
Welcome back to Answers of the Day - our daily Jalopnik feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Top Photo Credit: BBC