1985 TSR Comet Turbo 2 RS vs. 1988 Atera Zeta Sport
@Aaron.W vs. @HybridTronny
It seemed like the 80’s were a time of excess, even during the recession that plagued the states for much of the decade. Junk bonds, S&L scandals, and the high life of white collar scoundrels and celebrities was on full display.
For many whose lives hadn’t been turned upside down, the usual “Keeping up with the Joneses” mentality was still in full force. The need for style and speed was still there, especially for the Yuppie, but the cash flow wasn’t there for the ultimate toys.
Such is the backdrop for the battle between the flashy TSR Comet Turbo 2 RS, a highly touted successor to the original Comet Turbo, and the Atera Zeta Sport, a car not quite as revered or glamorized in livestyle publications, yet found in much greater numbers on the roads and in state registration databases.
1985 TSR Comet Turbo 2 RS
While the original Comet Turbo was a lightweight wonder machine, the Comet Turbo 2 had put on quite a little of weight with the generational change. Its 2.9 liter twin-turbo H6 motor was churning out 426 horses by 1985. Good for an impressive 6.4 second 0-60, despite its newly found heft.
1988 Atera Zeta Sport
By comparison, the Atera Zeta Sport, introduced a few years later in 1988, was much leaner, at 3062 pounds. Forgoing any sort of boost, the 2.8 liter twin-cam six in the Zeta was good for a pretty impressive 242 horses. It was able to get up and go with a 6.8 secon 0-60, not that far off the mark set by TSR.
But here’s where the TSR Comet falls down, like the impostor stock brokers who loved to drive them. All of the cooling vents and complex aerodynamic bits that TSR incorporated into the Comet 2 to make it look (and feel) like it was glued to the ground made the grand coupe pay a big price. A stock '85 Comet Turbo 2 RS had a top speed of just 90.4 MPH. And while the Comet had great low-speed handling, it couldn’t really get up fast enough to make a significant difference at high speed. Meanwhile, the Zeta Sport simply worked. Its superior road manners, comfort, fuel economy, and cost outlay easily outweighed the slightly lower handling capacity. And its 140.5 MPH top speed absolutely blew away the Comet.
So those who now choose to drive the Comet Turbo 2 do so mostly as a showpiece, reminding people of a day of decadence and lunacy. Whereas Zeta owners simply tear it all up.
Scoring (TSR):
Mainstream Culture - Rods and Sports Cars: Very Low (Currently in 7th)
Scoring (Atera):
Mainstream Culture - Rods and Sports Cars: Very High (Currently in 2nd)