Where is the End of the Journey of Sports Cars?
This question may have at least 5 different answers from 10 people since the answer is closely related to everyone’s experience. Currently, my answer is GT: Gran Turismo in Latin, meaning a great journey.
As the starting point of my journey, about 13 years ago, I got a BMW 04 e46 325i from my father’s hands.
Yes, it’s the same E46 M3 GTR in the highest wanted list of the generation of my memory, and also the first domestically produced 3 Series of BMW. It is said that when it was first produced, due to tight time, the initial approach was to import the whole car and install four tires to count it as a successful domestic production (unable to verify).
A 2.5L straight-six-cylinder rear-wheel drive, this was my understanding of sports at that time. I have been driving this car all the time. BMW’s persistence in squeezing engine performance efficiency is reflected in the higher water temperature compared to other brands, which also resulted in the short lifespan of most plastic and rubber parts in the front compartment. Along the way, I have had to repair and replace them many times. Finally, in 21 years later, I decided to do a major overhaul of the engine and gearbox, which cost as much as the price of a color-changing E46. After the repair, the car performed invincibly, and with the good condition of the interior and exterior, I also made a decision: I will always drive this car, pass it on to future generations, and never sell it in this life. Ten years later, all the cars of the same model will be scrapped, and mine will eventually become a beautiful scenery on the road, envying others.
Since 2017, maybe starting from a Porsche 911 GT3RS brought back by an old colleague, I’ve officially been hooked on Porsche.
“In the beginning I looked around but couldn’t find the car I dreamt of, so I decided to build it myself.” – FERRY PORSCHE.
I have to say that the intensive activities of enthusiasts and the continuous hitting of peripheral gifts on my head have already planted the seeds that have broken through the soil. After considering my own situation for many years of repairing old cars and with the help of Porsche’s excellent durability history, I started to feel that there was no problem in buying a second-hand 911 (997.1). In 2018, during a business trip to Munich, I went to Stuttgart for a pilgrimage to the Porsche Museum on the weekend. Of course, I also went to the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt (I went to the BMW Museum in 2014 and didn’t go again). Afterward, I found some buddies to chat about second-hand 911 and I started to pay more attention to the market of second-hand 997. Everyone agreed that the price of a 997 below 300,000 RMB was very attractive. Although many bloggers emphasize the practicality of this car, I know that the 911 is not a daily car. However, what ultimately moved me and made me take action was the “surprisingly valuable price.” This is the highest level of recognition from the market for a car and a truly effective expression.
Finally, in July 2019, I bought a black 997.1 Targa4 with 60,000 kilometers on the odometer. Unlike the successor 991, 992 with a silver roll bar design that pays tribute to early models, the 997 Targa, as a successor to the 993 and 996 Targa, uses a design that can electrically slide the glass roof open. Looking back now, it is obviously less eye-catching.
The 3.6L flat-six horizontal boxer engine with rear-wheel drive updated my understanding of sports. Men’s romance is not just about powerful performance, beautiful appearance, but also about the childishness of thinking that the rear seats can accommodate two people or the innocence of putting a 28-inch suitcase into the car through the rear window for a long journey. The first week of getting the car made me give up these unrealistic ideas: the rear seats can indeed seat people, but it is really uncomfortable; the second row can indeed hold a 28-inch suitcase, but the opening height is too high, and putting in or taking out things can easily swipe the paint. Not to mention the stiff lower back and huge road noise-induced nerve weakness after driving the car from Shanghai to Nanjing with a super-low sitting posture.
When I drove the 911 to work excitedly for three weeks in a row and then got back into the old BMW, my cognition was sublimated: Maybe the comfort car promoted by the G chassis BMW 3 Series is true from beginning to end, how could it be a sports car for home use? From the E chassis to the F chassis and then to the G chassis, the sports label of the 3 Series seems to have always been a one-sided wish of the media and car owners for the 3 Series family car. The E46 is indeed comfortable, but not the kind of big sofa feeling of swaying back and forth, which is not comfortable. The naturally aspirated longitudinal six-cylinder engine has more power and pleasing sound at higher RPM. With the well-tuned front MacPherson and rear multilink suspension, stepping on the accelerator does not cause obvious lifting, and stepping on the brakes does not panic head nodding: this is a kind of relaxed and calm driving experience.
However, the E46 is a car model of the early 1990s, and its shifting comfort is unexpectedly inefficient due to the ZF 5AT gearbox, making the 0-100 km/h acceleration > 8s. In addition, inadequate steering tuning only allows it to barely maintain a straight line on icy roads, and the traction control system that constantly cuts off power reminds you that this is a thorough rear-wheel drive car.
The 911 is really a masterpiece. The rear-engine design does have many theoretical disadvantages, and only Porsche 911 still maintains this design so far. This is not a self-indulgent persistence that wastes energy, on the contrary, each new generation of 911 released surpasses the (mass-produced) sports cars.
In my three years of car ownership, I have witnessed the reliability and durability of the 997.1. My understanding of the aging and replacement of different parts over time and mileage is primarily derived from my experience with the E46 BMW, and compared to the tragic reliability of the E46, the reliability of the 997.1 is simply unbelievable. I even took her to the track multiple times, and as a decade-old car, she continuously set lap times without overheating the water or oil temperature or experiencing any breakdowns. Enthusiasts say that the 997 is the most pure 911 that can be bought now, and I have experienced this purity firsthand: DSC (esp) can really be completely turned off with a simple short press instead of a long press or any complex operations. After it is turned off, it really is completely up to you. My 997.1 targa4 has 345 horsepower, a Tiptronic 5AT transmission, 235/295 tires, and all-wheel drive. It is worth noting that the all-wheel drive configuration makes it more likely for this car to experience oversteer during the moment when you enter the turn and apply throttle, rather than when you exit the turn and apply throttle (even without turning off DSC). This allowed me to happily spin my beloved car a few times without damaging it. I also joined the Porsche Owner’s Club during this time, and with the annual fee, I was able to participate in many great events such as the Porsche Sports Cup and club road trips, etc.As a car enthusiast, I placed an order for two Model 3s back in 2016 when it was released. I remember a significant reason for the order was its resemblance to a Porsche, but upon its introduction to China, I found that its price far exceeded the promised $35,000 USD, and subsequently, I had to cancel my order. After test driving the Model 3 multiple times, I finally purchased one when the price dropped to under 300,000 RMB. Even then, I hesitated between buying a Model 3 that resembles a Porsche or a second-hand Porsche 911. However, the driving experience of the Model 3 was impressive and satisfying, so much so that I nearly didn’t go for the 911. I have a good reason to believe that everyone loves Porsche.
In early 2021, I impulsively placed orders for NIO ET7 Zeekr 001, IM L7, and Segway Apex H2 hydrogen electric motorcycles (all of which were refundable). As someone working in the new energy automobile industry, I strongly believe that the replacement of traditional gasoline cars by electric ones is inevitable. In May, due to work requirements, I relocated to Shanghai. After Wu Yifan’s incident, the used Porsche sports car market began to decline. Even though my car was idle, I didn’t immediately think of replacing it. Instead, I hung the car on the wall and considered the possibility of selling it if someone offered a high price. In the end, I couldn’t bear to sell it and ended up meeting some local car enthusiasts in Nanjing. I joined several Porsche repair and car clubs, where I participated in multiple social activities that allowed me to experience the joys and awkwardness of “meeting friends through cars.”
Before discussing the Zeekr 001, I didn’t blindly order it like everyone else. I told the salesperson that it was nice to experience the car statically, but I needed to drive it first before making a decision. It was a matter of self-respect, and I hope you respect me as well.The deposit inflation soared from 5000 yuan to 20000 yuan, and then all the way down to 5000 yuan to 10000 yuan. As a result, my enthusiasm for this car gradually disappeared along with the issues such as the availability of certain configurations. It wasn’t until I finally test drove this car in the course of my work (the rear-wheel drive non-suspension version, which is exactly what I intended to buy), that I felt a bit disappointed. The soft suspension exhibited overshoot when quickly changing lanes which was far from the Model 3. Of course, the two cars have different positions, but I prefer the responsive handling of the Model 3. But the real reason why I gave up buying this car was because of the feedback from the steering wheel and brake pedals during my daily test drive at the dealer. Regardless of which mode was used, the steering wheel behaved like a game console controller, with only differences in power, and no surface feedback. There is just no way to expect the EPS electronic power-assisted steering to transmit the real road information like a hydraulic power-assisted steering does, but such a lack of feedback is really lazy tuning. I believe it would be meaningful to configure a vibration feedback similar to a gamepad controller. A reasonable brake pedal should feel like pressing an iron skin at high speeds, which can find a clear junction after the free travel, and adjust the braking force linearly according to the linear power feedback. However, when driving at low speeds in daily life, it should feel like stepping on meat, and the power feedback lets you know clearly that the brake has been applied. But the Zeekr001 feels like stepping on an iron skin in low-speed driving, giving people a feeling of insufficient braking confidence, which is somewhat similar to the experience of driving a Taycan tested in the Porsche experience center next to the Shanghai race track. The crude tuning made me immediately withdraw my intention deposit, which is a disrespect for money even for an extra minute. Among numerous consumers, I should belong to the very picky type. Years of experience in the industry has made me instinctively spot various quality issues and unreasonable tuning. This may be a kind of curse. Looking back at Zeekr001’s sales, either there has been improvement later, or most people do not care about these issues, and even most people on social media are praising the chassis tuning of this car. The market is effective, and I cannot represent the majority, that’s all.
# Comparison between NIO ET7 and XPENG L7
NIO ET7 and XPENG L7, both of them are the flagship models currently in the market. However, the orientations of the two cars are different and not easy to compare directly. From the perspective of luxurious comfort and steadiness, ET7 is undoubtedly the flagship model of NIO. However, if we look at it from other aspects, such as the driving experience, the story of the brand might be incomplete. Besides, there is quite a price difference between the two cars. Therefore, I chose to exclude ET7 from my consideration because I do not want to be mistaken for a professional driver.
As for XPENG L7, it is a luxury car brand incubated by SAIC Motor Corporation. It was originally called the L brand before it was officially released, and L stands for Luxury, which is simple and easy to understand. Even today, most ordinary people do not recognize this brand. However, I decided to invest in it at an early stage because I learned from some former colleagues that SAIC was serious about this brand and invested a lot of money into it. Moreover, based on the experience of booking an ES8, the first NIO car, in 2017, I predicted that there would be benefits by investing in this car. Moreover, the deposit for the angel round investment can be withdrawn at any time, so why not give it a try?
Although I did not find L7 particularly attractive at first, I felt that the curves were too complex and not continuous enough. The front headlight was too aggressive and exaggerated, and the body was too long. (This is a personal preference, as I rarely use the rear seat and prefer more compact car models.)Later, several angel rounds of equity releases were announced, with a bunch of optional packages for free upgrades, two free upgrades to double the lidar and Orin chips after a year, and a free upgrade to a higher-level energy battery after three years. And there will also be a lower-priced dynamic version. So, if I am not satisfied with driving it, I can sell it after upgrading the autonomous driving hardware after a year, or I can sell it and switch to a new car with better options for a new battery after three years. The seemingly unattainable car value could really be achieved. In early March of 2022, I had the chance to test drive the L7 beta version, and drove it for at least an hour, covering the highway, city, and suburban roads. Although it didn’t give me the same feel as the Model 3 when it quickly changes lanes on the highway, it was not bad at all; even in sport mode, I did not get the usual nervous feeling when I quickly stepped on the pedal from a standstill, but the powerful torque produced by the dual motors in the 3.8-second acceleration made me feel as if my soul was detached from my body: I drove the car, but my soul chased it from behind. During the entire acceleration process, the car performed very steadily, and the combination of its strength and ease left me with a sense of satisfaction—exactly what I wanted from a sports car. The standard steering wheel mode was properly calibrated and provided real-time vibration feedback. Although the feedback mode was relatively simple and not as delicate as the Xbox One controller’s dual-impact vibrator, it was essential for driving. The standard brake calibration was also perfect for daily use. When the pedal was pressed slowly, the feedback made it easy to adjust the braking power, and when pressed quickly, the powerful braking force gave me a lot of confidence. Master tuning by WAE was indeed impressive, but what impressed me the most that day was the excessively strong rear-wheel steering. I remember that the Mercedes-Benz S-Class had two optional versions for rear wheel steering, with limited 4.5 and 10 degrees of steering angles (depending on tire and wheel size). The Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series had only 5 and 3.5 degrees of rear-wheel steering. Leveraging the maximum 6-degree rear-wheel turning angle, the L7 allowed the 3.1-meter wheelbase vehicle to turn in place within three lanes. That day, I probably made five or six circles in it, feeling like a happy child. This ultra-expensive configuration resolved my long-standing issue with mid- and large-sized sedans – their being clumsy and unresponsive. With rear-wheel steering, the L7 became as flexible as a compact car in terms of turning radius.
In late March, Shanghai was semi-lockdowned for more than two months due to the coronavirus outbreak. Interestingly, during that time, several sincere buyers contacted me about my 997.1 which I had put on sale. The market price reached an ideal range. It is a true reflection of the value of a car. While many people lost their jobs or their companies went bankrupt during the pandemic, the market price of the 997 rose. A truly good car was scarce. I deliberately did not transfer my Shanghai suburb license plate (C plate) to another location, so that I could sell it to a local buyer in the future at a slightly higher price. However, all the sincere buyers I met during that period were not from Shanghai. They all gave up bargaining when they realized there were competitors.
Before the unsealing in May, a friend of mine who lived in Xinjiang asked his good friend in Shanghai, an expert in old cars, to make an appointment with me to see my car as soon as the city was unsealed.
Finally, in June, we met in the Nono store where I usually had my car maintained. The manager of the store is a senior classmate who majors in the same discipline in university as me. Back in their early days of entrepreneurship, I often asked them to help me repair my old Porsche. Also, I once changed some chassis pads and old rubber parts of the 997.1 in their store before. So, I am quite familiar with them.
After inspecting and test driving the car, the buyer was very satisfied and soon paid the money and got the car.
After I posted it in my friends’ circle, an ex-boss of mine from Austria (a Porsche 911 fan) replied: “You let it go?” I was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to reply. Alas, I did really consider the possibility of passing the car down to the next generation. Unfortunately, unlike some old car enthusiasts, I cannot afford to own three cars at the same time. It is time for a BEV, time to be…
In 2021, the M-Byte from Byton still has not entered production, and the K-Byte defined in 2018 is still not delivered. In 2021, I returned to Shanghai from my hometown Nanjing to continue my work. In 2021, I held a smart offer but had no courage to accept the flat salary.By late July of 2022, I switched jobs to one closer to my home, but the less-than-4-kilometer commute took nearly half an hour each way due to heavy traffic. In addition to the increasing gas prices, my car, an old Baoma, could only travel less than 300 kilometers on a single tank that costs over 550 yuan. That’s about 2 yuan per kilometer on average. Even with the electricity cost of 20kWh/100km and the electricity bill of 3 yuan per kilowatt-hour, it only costs about 6 fen per kilometer on average. Day after day, I kept looking forward to the delivery of my L7, and it finally came when my sales representative informed me that my customized car was ready and that I could still get a full refund if I wasn’t satisfied with it. The brand’s attitude towards angel-round customers was truly astounding.
On the weekend before the Mid-Autumn Festival, I had the car delivered to my home door as I couldn’t be bothered to go to the delivery center. My sales representative, delivery specialist, and two colleagues all accompanied me on the truck to witness my unreasonable behavior. I became more and more convinced that IM was doing the right thing: “Delivering value with customer-centricity and zero deviation.” This is exactly how a luxury brand should operate, without arrogance.
Since the delivery of the car, I have driven back and forth between Shanghai and Nanjing during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the smart driving system and massage seats have reduced my fatigue during my long trips. The battery life and charging speed are also as expected. Later, I participated in various car-owner activities organized by IM, exchanging crystals for camping gear, charging piles, and other gifts. If my friends and family want to buy a car, I would definitely recommend the IM brand.
IM has opened an experiential store in the best location, and all salespeople are attractive men and women, coupled with intensive advertising. Yes, spend money and invest aggressively, that’s what it’s all about. From a few completely successful car projects that I have experienced, it’s clear that the idea that good wine doesn’t need a signboard and will sell itself is wrong. The market is full of both famous wines sold at discounts and unknown wines that pass off as good ones. As long as they sell and sell continuously, they are all good wines. You must always believe that the market is effective and give up all arrogance to always have respect for the market.Since you have become a car owner, in the end, we hope that IM will continue to invest in promoting and constantly improving new software, new hardware, new features, and new car models. Stand on the basics and strive for higher, achieve premium without intentional overpricing. Good luck with sales!
I believe that the ultimate goal of sports is to have a GT car that allows drivers to handle various environmental road conditions calmly and easily on the journey.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.