Just why are these car so fun to drive?

[2xclutchin]

^^I always called my car my little ralley racer, never really put the amount of thought into it you have though. You make very valid points, and it is nice to watch your vids beating up new cars with your Festy!!

[Festivame]

It's one of the most well designed cars ever to be sold in the united states. How many other sub 2000 lb cars can be picked up from one side with a jack and both doors still open and close freely? I have worked on, modified and driven some of the wildest exotic race and street cars in the country but none of them hold a candle to the potential of a Festiva. When tuned properly these cars will embarrass a Ferrari or Porsche on the race track. Exceptional. I have an idea that this chassis wasn't designed solely to be an economical street car. The 121 chassis was designed during the end of the group B rally era. The car has the ideal dimensions to be a group B contender and it's wide fenders and stubby hatchback just scream 80's rally car. There are very few cars that are made with such thin metal but were sold worldwide, and most of them are homologated race cars that were sold in very low volume (Porsche GT3 rsr, Ford RS200 ect). Was the 121/Festivas fate changed by the end of the FIA group B class? Who's to say, but this car is built far to well to have been just another econobox.
It even makes the Shelby Cobra look like a slouch.

I learn more about these little cars all the time. Interesting comments I would not have know enough to even consider.

Now I gotta find your vids, that's one section of the forum I haven't really checked out very good yet.

Festivame

[Advancedynamix]

Here is a good place to start. Proof that a Festiva can catch and pass a Ferrari F430 on the race track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i18n7MWIBY

By the way, the previous picture was shot by FordFester (his lovely wife was in the passenger seat as we caught and passed that cobra).

[KJ4YXY]

Well the only 2 cars I drive (@15 @my farm) is my Festiva and my parents Suburban. And I just love how in the Festiva you actually have to push the pedals to get a response from the vehicle. As with the Suburban, you barely touch it and bam your driving... for lazy bums... (not calling my parents lazy or bums, they need a work truck...)

[scitzz]

It is hard for me to put into words. Sure, I think all the posts so far have pretty much summed it up for me, but there is more, somehow.

I have driven baby car for going on 20 years now, ever since she was brand spanking new, off the truck. From the time that she was brand new, and during all her ups and downs. With the elective drop shifter installation, the funky suspension, worrisome brakes, all of it, she has been FUN to drive!

Even when I have owned other cars, and there have been a bunch, she is the one I prefer. Cars, trucks, vans, none of them have the overall versatility or durability.

I now have a few festiva's, but I bet Baby car will always be the one I go to first