Quote:
Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k
I still think its ridiculous for anyone to "insists" that any model with a significant increase in power HAS to cost close to $35k. Meanwhile the Fiesta ST, Focus ST, Civic Si, Mazdaspeed3, Impreza WRX and Hyundai Genesis 3.8 all cost $5000 or less than their comparable less powerful models. Open your eyes.
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Those cars are based on platforms that have a lot of heritage and are evolutions of cars that sell in great numbers. It costs less to build those cars than an 86. Those cars are also using engines that have years of history and development within the company and Mazda, Ford, and Hyundai are the only ones on your list with Direct injection. Ford and Mazda developed those technologies on other cars before applying them to their ST cars offsetting the cost by a generous amount
The only cheap way to get more power in an 86 from the factory is to swap in an old already developed motor (outgoing STI or 2.5L) which would require entirely new plumbing and likely chassis modifications to get it to fit. Realistically yes they could get a model in the showrooms for $30k, it is feasible. But due to demand and the concept that this is a car for
DEVELOPING technology I find it unlikely that they would throw in a cheap older motor just to please a relatively small segment of the internet population and shave $5k off the price. Sure it would probably sell as well or better than the $35k model but Subaru/Toyota would have learned nothing from it's development, it would be a throwaway car to silence internet trolls who will just rise again to ask for another 20 to 30 to 50 more horespower.
tl:dr Sports cars are made for two reasons: street cred and technology development, they don't sell in large enough numbers to be big money makers so the value comes in developing technology, just throwing in a cheap performance upgrade is a poor long term decision for an automaker.