Quote:
Originally Posted by WingsofWar
The big problem was that the market analysis supported that for 10 years the sports car segment in the auto industry was a death trap. And Japanese automakers were turned off after the late 90s fiasco. Especially with Nissan, Mazda, and Toyota getting hit hard by economical times.
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Sports coupes have traditionally sold well their first year of production, and then fallen off quite rapidly. I am concerned about how poorly the 370z has sold since it was introduced. In past times it seemed car companies were more willing to give performance/halo cars a chance, but now with even tighter margins, insane CAFE requirements, and economic instability, they just aren't willing to take a shot for the sake of advancing their brand (like what Honda did with first NSX and Mazda did with the first Miata).
I know that the economy has ruined everything for enthusiasts, but car companies need to remember what selling cars is about...passion, excitement, enjoyment.