Quote:
Originally Posted by weederr33
Blame the internet and inflation. Everyone bitches about cars that are affordable because they are either 'too slow' or 'a boat'. Plus CUVs and hot CUVs sell to the masses.
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Well, there are several types of inflation. Size inflation: cars are just big now. Power inflation: cars need to have ever more horsepower to best the previous year in track and performance metrics. Current inflation: post-COVID supply chain inflation is ridiculous.
A 1965 Mustang fastback cost $2,553 in its time, which is equivalent to $24k today, where an Ecoboost is $27k, but the Ecoboost is 5.8 seconds to 60 and the original was 11.4 seconds, so performance inflation and value has increased relative to the cost. If Ford built a Mustang with similar weight, specs and performance, they could price it under the Ford Fiesta ($15k), but I doubt it would be the hit the original Ford Mustang was, but who knows? We want performance, and we want it cheap.
In a landscape of big CUVs and trucks/SUVs, small cars just aren't favorable. It is hard to make a sports car that is small/light, yet has enough performance to at least keep up with the horsepower and acceleration of these big CUVs on the highway, even if they would destroy these vehicles in the corners, on the track or in general enjoyment and engagement. Plus, anything small has fallen victim to economy inflation: cars that are cheap and small are FWD where that wasn't the case with compacts in the past, or sports cars are built on modular platforms of RWD luxury cars because these are the only platforms that exists, so they can't be light (Z, pony cars).
Like I said, I'm hoping Toyota has found a hit with the G16e-GTS engine that is small, light and compact enough to be put into several sports cars, while still having the economy to meet regulations, while having D4S and enough strength to keep power up and tuning potential possible. If they could find more platforms to put this in then I could see a next gen 86 or MR2 being appealing, while potentially still being light. As for the other manufactures, I don't know if Miata will move to a hybrid with the Miata, but I'm interested in seeing what they do with the NE, as I liked the ND RF. Everyone else is just moving in the wrong direction for me, and I get it; I don't really blame them.