[Deslock]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

On the whole, I'm curious why there's some "unwritten law" in the world of automotive manufacturing that disallows anyone from selling an affordable lightweight RWD coupe that has a respectable power to weight ratio.

Mustang GT - too heavy
Camaro SS - WAY too heavy
Genesis 3.8 - too heavy
Challenger R/T - WAY way too heavy
Miata - underpowered
370Z - too expensive, a bit heavy, not track durable
Twins - underpowered

1. RWD has inherent disadvantages vs FWD when it comes to practical daily drivers (less cabin/cargo space, more drivetrain loss, more weight). This hurts mainstream appeal and reduces demand, relegating most RWD cars to niche markets, especially small RWD cars.
2. It costs more to design/produce a lightweight, RWD car (partly due to layout and partly due to economies of scale).
3. More power means more chassis reinforcements, bigger brakes, and either more displacement, forced induction, more precise tolerances/tuning, or a hand-built engine. All of those add cost and/or weight.

When it comes to RWD cars: cheap, lightweight, powerful... choose two.