What, exactly, is a supercar?

Many experts and enthusiasts believe it is the combination of factors, an amalgamation of competing forces into a single product that makes a car worthy of the tag ‘supercar’. Then good old Wikipedia comes to the rescue with the following definition: “A supercar is a very expensive and fast sports car. [They] are marketed by […]

Many experts and enthusiasts believe it is the combination of factors, an amalgamation of competing forces into a single product that makes a car worthy of the tag ‘supercar’. Then good old Wikipedia comes to the rescue with the following definition: “A supercar is a very expensive and fast sports car. [They] are marketed by automakers as unusual and include limited production specials from an “elite” automaker, standard-looking cars modified for power and performance, as well as models that appeal to enthusiasts from smaller manufacturers.”
Some news websites define the supercar as a high-end sports car that often costs more than $100,000 (N16m). “As such, usually only the very rich can afford such vehicles, which are considered more status symbols than practical modes of transportation,” reads a blog entry from Wisegeek.com, which added: “Supercars are known for their power, speed and ability to attract the attention of nearly everyone on the highway. However, they also are subject to some criticism.”
Another said: “Generally, a supercar will have an engine that is capable of producing several hundred horsepower. This enables the car to go very fast and accelerate very quickly. Though most of the speeds the supercar is capable of reaching are beyond the reaches of the laws of most countries, there will be places where they could be driven at higher speeds legally.”
Hassan Mshelia, a Kaduna-based businessman and self-confessed ‘car freak’, defined a supercar as a specialized instrument built for speed. “But not necessarily for racing, as they often do not have the safety features needed for a truly safe racing experience.”
One of the most popular supercars is the Lamborghini Murcielago, which has a price tag of more than $350,000 (N56m). Another is the Ferrari F430, which costs about $186,000 (almost N30m). Some are relatively cheap like the Dodge Viper SRT10, which costs only $89,000 (N14m).
But perhaps 37-year-old car enthusiast/economist Umar Abubakar summed it up best: “A supercar is one that has a certain exotic appeal that is intangible. It should be something you’d have to think twice about actually owning. A supercar should drive people to controversy, not seek to satisfy everyone.”