On the road, these are some of the best cars money can buy, but on track? Uhhhhh, not really.
10.) Ford Focus ST
The Focus ST is by most accounts an excellent hot hatch, but numerous owners commented that they have a tendency to cook their brakes on track. The brake actuated torque vectoring that's great on the road probably isn't doing anyone any favors on the track.
I've heard that the Fiesta ST suffers the same problem, so stick to autocross.
Suggested By: Jason Parker, Photo Credit: Ford
9.) Ford Mustang (Fox)
A small RWD coupe with a meaty V8 should be a good track car, but it needs quite a bit of suspension and brake work to go around a track well. Just ask Matt Farah.
Suggested By: boxjohn, Photo Credit: Alden Jewell
8.) BMW Z8
With the engine of the beloved E39 M5 wrapped up in a sexier, lighter body, the Z8 should have been great on the track. Unfortunatley, the never really lived up to expectations of that gorgeous shape.
Still though, when you have a car that beautiful, with that engine, why bother taking it on the track?
Suggested By: Kate's Dirty Sister, Photo Credit: BMW
7.) Volkswagen Golf R (Mk6)
Why did Volkswagen make an ultimate performance version of the Golf, and make it impossible to turn the stability control off? Did VW think that nobody would take this hot hatch to the track?
It probably won't make a difference on the streets, but a car like this needed to be able to work on track.
Suggested By: Mike Villa, Photo Credit: Codered_pl
6.) Toyota Supra (Mark IV)
If you look past the Fast and Furious reputation, and its ability to handle huge power, the Supra is really a Grand Tourer at heart.
Much more at home stretching its legs on the highway (or the drag strip) than at Laguna Seca.
Suggested By: Tokyo Bay Aqua Line (TBAL), Photo Credit: Toyota
5.) Classic Muscle Car
Power in spades, but don't expect it to go around a corner with any sort of speed. Classic muscle cars are just boaty American sedans with enormous engines.
Not that this is bad in any way.
Suggested By: DConsorti, Photo Credit: Pontiac
4.) Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Of course, it's a different story with the Black Series, but in standard trim, the SLS' tail happy nature and slow gearbox don't do it any favors on track.
Suggested By: formel3, Photo Credit: Mercedes-Benz
3.) Porsche 930 Turbo
An old school 911 with a naturally aspirated engine is tricky to handle as it is, but add a big turbo with huge turbo lag and you better know what you're doing.
If you're good enough to get it right, you have a serious track weapon on your hands, but most mortals probably aren't good enough.
Suggested By: My X-type is too a real Jaguar, Photo Credit: Porsche
2.) Bugatti Veyron
Yes, a Veyron will go around a track, and yes, it will go around very quickly. Doesn't meant that it'll be happy doing so.
It's at home cruising at the speed of light down the Autobahn, or posing in Monaco.
Suggested By: As Du Volant, Photo Credit: Axion23
1.) Koenigsegg CCX Without The Wing
As we've seen on Top Gear, all the CCXs power without any downforce makes this car a bit of a handful on the track. The folk version of this story is that the car had a hard time getting its power down, but after a few tweaks (and a Stig-suggested wing) it became one of the fastest cars to lap the Top Gear test track.
In reality, the wing was actually an option from the start and it was suspension tuning and other tweaks that made the car handle better. Still, gotta love the story.
In the right hands, it's a Nürburgring lap stunner. In the right hands.
Suggested By: Tipo Stradale Fever, Photo Credit: Koenigsegg
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: Ford