Minimum requirements...

[blur]

Originally Posted by Cogito8888

I would consider doing horrible things to have the R3 seats in this car.

I'd go as far as retrofitting them in.

[JDMluv]

Turbo version
300hp+
LSD
2 seats only
Good oil cooler (to avoid 370z heating problems in track)
no gadgets
No rev matching in the manual
should be released in the Middle east in the same price in US.

370z in USA 38 000 Fully loaded. in Bahrain 55 000 USD!! :S

plz Toyota control your agents in THE GCC!! specially in Bahrain!!

if you dont... the solution is simple!! we will order from the US like we doing with Nissan and Infiniti

[tranzformer]

Originally Posted by Snaps

Most manufacturers are getting pretty good at producing these now. Even my dad's Mitsi outlander has a steering wheel style that feels like it could be in a much sportier car.

I don't know what you mean by "most." A steering wheel is sorta a personal preference for feel and I would disagree as I have only come across a few stock steering wheels that I have liked.

[tranzformer]

Originally Posted by JDMlove

Turbo version
300hp+
LSD
2 seats only
Good oil cooler (to avoid 370z heating problems in track)
no gadgets
No rev matching in the manual
should be released in the Middle east in the same price in US.

370z in USA 38 000 Fully loaded. in Bahrain 55 000 USD!! :S

plz Toyota control your agents in THE GCC!! specially in Bahrain!!

if you dont... the solution is simple!! we will order from the US like we doing with Nissan and Infiniti

Import taxes and duties differ and I am sure your country as different trade relations with Japan than the US has with Japan. Not sure why you would expect pricing to be the same in your country? Many variables affect pricing.

Btw I agree about the oil cooler and hope that comes on the car.

[Ryephile]

Originally Posted by JDMlove

Turbo version
300hp+
LSD
2 seats only
Good oil cooler (to avoid 370z heating problems in track)
no gadgets
No rev matching in the manual

Turbo 300HP and 2-seater will dramatically increase insurance rates, and that sort of power will be expensive. I'm not interested in any of that. I'll take 200 HP n/a and a 2+2 please. Incidentally with less power, a big oil cooler isn't going to be necessary.

At the targeted mid-$20k's price point, there will be few gadgets anyway. I do feel that USB and bluetooth are virtually mandatory on a new car these days. Hands-free phone calls are the only safe way to talk on the phone, and both bluetooth and USB to the stereo allows all current smartphone audio streaming. They could leave out a CD player in lieu of USB & bluetooth, IMO.


Here is my new minimum wish list:
*KEEP IT SMALL and don't ruin the FR-S concept styling!
*2+2 with liftback and/or fold down rear seats
*~200HP & ~145 Lb/ft revving to 7500 RPM
*6MT & any sort of LSD
*~2700 Lbs
*USB & Bluetooth for at least audio streaming and answering phone calls
*proper laid-back driving position [no upright city-car BS] with seats that snugly fit in-shape people with reasonable lateral support, no supersized fatties!

[Cogito8888]

Originally Posted by tranzformer

I don't know what you mean by "most." A steering wheel is sorta a personal preference for feel and I would disagree as I have only come across a few stock steering wheels that I have liked.

Steering wheel feel is huge for me as well, I'd love something in alacantara, however I doubt that will happen, don't really want leather for when it burns my hands in the summer though.

In terms of preference I know people usually like the wheel in BMW, but I don't it's too thick and squishy for me. I have large palms and short fingers so I tend to like wheels like that in my sentra, a bit more thin and very firm material

[TRDMAN]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

Turbo 300HP and 2-seater will dramatically increase insurance rates, and that sort of power will be expensive. I'm not interested in any of that. I'll take 200 HP n/a and a 2+2 please. Incidentally with less power, a big oil cooler isn't going to be necessary.

At the targeted mid-$20k's price point, there will be few gadgets anyway. I do feel that USB and bluetooth are virtually mandatory on a new car these days. Hands-free phone calls are the only safe way to talk on the phone, and both bluetooth and USB to the stereo allows all current smartphone audio streaming. They could leave out a CD player in lieu of USB & bluetooth, IMO.


Here is my new minimum wish list:
*KEEP IT SMALL and don't ruin the FR-S concept styling!
*2+2 with liftback and/or fold down rear seats
*~200HP & ~145 Lb/ft revving to 7500 RPM
*6MT & any sort of LSD
*~2700 Lbs
*USB & Bluetooth for at least audio streaming and answering phone calls
*proper laid-back driving position [no upright city-car BS] with seats that snugly fit in-shape people with reasonable lateral support, no supersized fatties!

they'd lose out on like 56% of buyers though...

[Random_Art]

Originally Posted by Cogito8888

Steering wheel feel is huge for me as well, I'd love something in alacantara, however I doubt that will happen, don't really want leather for when it burns my hands in the summer though.

In terms of preference I know people usually like the wheel in BMW, but I don't it's too thick and squishy for me. I have large palms and short fingers so I tend to like wheels like that in my sentra, a bit more thin and very firm material

I'm not a huge fan of leather, but I'll take it over the foam wheels that start dissolving over time- like my wife's grandfather's Grand Prix.
even worse are the pleather wheels that get smooth and slippery over time.
My one requirement for a steering wheel would be to have a horn button that's easy enough to press. The button in my mountaineer won't set off the horn unless you manage to mash the dead center of the steering wheel.

my minimum requirements for the car:
Sub $30k starting price
no more than 2700 pounds in weight
preferably a real trunk over a lift-back.
An optional "performance" package similar to the Genesis R-spec that drops some luxury items for cost and weight savings while upgrading other parts.
Preferably 2 seater- since I don't need to haul more than myself and my wife, the back seats tend to be added weight that's not really needed.
Ipod jack
Fun color options, rather than the standard boring colors that most cars come in. It's a sports car, it deserves the option of bright colors.
wheels in 16-17 inch range.
A Torsion Limited Slip Differential
No blatant lit Scion crap over the license plate.
Give me cloth seats in the trim level that I want them in. Leather gets hot, and most of the time is too slippery for my tastes.
No sunroof
A design that's as close to the concept as possible. Don't do what Chevy did with the Volt (a hybrid Malibu rather than the cool looking concept they had) I would rather not be driving a RWD Corolla.

[serialk11r]

@TRDMAN lol...well good thing fat is squishy and I'm sure most people can...adjust.

[tranzformer]

Originally Posted by Random_Art

preferably a real trunk over a lift-back.

I agree with most of the things you had but why would you want a trunk over a lift back?

[Random_Art]

Originally Posted by tranzformer

I agree with most of the things you had but why would you want a trunk over a lift back?

A couple reasons.
1) replacing the hatch struts can be a pain in the ass when they finally go bad.
2) if I want to replace the hatch/trunk with a carbon fiber unit for weight savings I don't want to have to replace the glass as well
3) better rear end stiffness without having to need a secondary strut tower support across the back wheel wells.
4) personal preference appearance-wise

[tranzformer]

Ok I got you. Seems like you have some valid reasons.


For me:

1) I have had my hatchback for almost 10 years now and have yet needed to replace the hatch struts. Also I doubt the job would take more than 60-90min to do, if even that. Maybe wait to hear from OST or other AE86 owners to see what they say regarding their experience.
2) Replacing the hatch/trunk with the glass issue is a legitimate concern. I guess there is no way around that unless of course you just get the glass replaced with plexiglass at the same time. But I agree if you want to replace with CF it is easier with just a trunk.
3) Regarding the rear end stiffness is that a proven fact or just a urban legend? I have read there is no difference in the 4 vs. 5 door STI in regards to stiffness. But maybe that isn't the case.
4) For me I prefer the sportsback/fastback rear as it is easier to get your race wheels out and other larger items that might not fit due to the angle of a standard trunk

[Random_Art]

I'm honestly not sure if the stiffness thing is an urban legend or not. I remember reading review of the last generation Tiburon a while back that said that it got overly heavy due to hyundai trying to strengthen the "inherently flimsy hatchback design." It may simply be a case by case basis depending on the overall engineering of the car.

Good point about ease of moving oversized items though. When I was still driving my celica I was fortunate enough to have enough room for the front and rear bumpers of the car when they got ripped off on an ill fated road trip to Maine. But, I do have a big, honkin' SUV to haul oversized stuff when I need to now.

oh, I know this is kind of off topic, but I noticed you have a Protegé5. how's the transmission holding up in it? I had one for about a year and a half and replaced the transmission 2 times and took it in a 3rd time when it started leaking. When it started leaking again after the 3rd transmission fix I was sick of dealing with it and traded it in for my Celica.

[FormulaJDM]

Ive replaced the hatch struts on my Integra 3 times in 13 years and its never taken more than 10 minutes each time. I wouldn't consider the FR-S if it wasnt a hatch, as I'm always hauling stuff around.